Matoi Sushi - Lunchtime Goodness

The rain is pouring, our stomachs are growling, it's time to find some lunch with the father and brother! We mutually agreed to pay a visit to Matoi Sushi, one of the better Japanese restaurants in the Tri-Cities.

Matoi Sushi opens for lunch at 11:30am, and we arrived just a few minutes after that. There were already two groups enjoying their lunch boxes when we walked through the door. The chef at the bar greeted us with a happy "irashaimase!" 

Miso Soup that came with our lunch sets

Once our order was put in, we were served the accompanying miso soup. Filled with MSG or not, it warms you up on a cold rainy day.

Grilled Marinated Black Cod lunch set ($11.50)

Ever since I first ate sablefish (aka black cod or butterfish) at Fleuri, the restaurant inside the Sutton Place Hotel, it has been my favourite type of fish. Super oily, moist, smooth, delicious...and expensive. I've been interested in trying the grilled black cod dishes at Japanese restaurants so I took the opportunity at Matoi Sushi to do so. I ordered the Grilled Marinated Black Cod Lunch off of today's BBQ Fish Lunch Special menu. 

Do not be too let down when the food arrives; the piece of fish may look tiny for $11 but remember, this stuff is like gold. I have to admit, my expectations where not too high, but I left the restaurant knowing I had discovered a new favourite. I appreciate that the piece of fish was mostly meat; I only picked out two or three bones. Although the fish was grilled, the texture slightly resembled smoked fish, laying in between grilled and candied. The naturally oily fish was kept moist as it should be. Nothing worse than overcooking a fish like sablefish or halibut. The marinated black cod was flavourful enough on its own to pair with plain white rice. I thoroughly enjoyed my precious piece of fish. When it's a small portion, I find that one can savour the experience better. Everything in moderation folks. 

The salad is composed of some mixed greens, a slice of tomato and a (I believe) house-made salad dressing. The texture is a bit grainy but it isn't greasy or too salty. A refreshing bite between eating the rich fish. My fish lunch set also came with a little bowl of cooked tuna and daikon radish in a savoury-sweet sauce, sprinkled with some sesame seeds. This little side dish was quite appetizing and I used it to eat my remaining white rice. Oh and see the little mound of wakame salad? I love eating this algae~

Bento Box C ($10.99)

This is the Bento Box C, consisting of 3 slices each of salmon and tuna sashimi, 2 slices of tamago egg (that looked a little grey-green...), choice of teriyaki (beef shown here), tempura, salad, and salmon gyoza (the special of the day). The waitress will ask you if you would like the bowl of rice that comes with the set. I assume that since the lunch box has so much food, many customers don't end up finishing the rice so asking might save them from wasting rice. 

It was my first time trying Matoi's sashimi and I must say, I am extremely impressed. The tuna literally melted in my mouth with zero effort! I don't usually like eating tuna sashimi, but this made me change my mind. It potentially could have been toro, the belly, which is very tender and soft. Their fresh and high quality sashimi makes me want to try their chirashi don!

I tried one piece of tempura, and it was a super thick piece of zucchini. The tempura dipping sauce is served steaming hot and after dipping my tempura into it, the coating went completely soggy. :(

I didn't try much of the teriyaki but it looked standard and a little bit on the wet side. My brother and dad each had one of the fried gyoza and were pleasantly surprised to find that it was filled with salmon! My dad thinks they may have been made in house.

Katsu Don ($8.99)

Recently, my dad and brother have really been into ordering Katsu Don at Japanese restaurants; I think they're on the hunt for one that matches up to the perfect one at Pioneer Saloon. Despite having a more complex preparation process, the katsu don came out pretty quick. The large bowl has a thick bed of rice with sauteed onions and a sweet-savoury sauce. I took a small bite of the katsu and it was fairly thick, tender, but no longer crispy since the egg and sauce soaked into the panko breading. It's kind of difficult to maintain a crispy katsu in a sauce-y rice so I won't deduct too many points. So enjoy the katsu don as soon as it is served!

Service was prompt up two when the restaurant is two-thirds full; there were two waitresses when we arrived and the head waitress came at around noon. The two younger waitresses that served us were very sweet and kind. They refilled our tea immediately after we asked and cleared our table once they saw we were done. As mentioned in my first post on Matoi Sushi, a small package of chocolate Pocky sticks accompanies the bill. A small but appreciated gesture, sure to make younger children (or those young at heart) happy. I will surely return to Matoi Sushi for more quality, yet affordable, Japanese food.

Note that they are closed on Mondays.



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Mitsuwa Marketplace

Before boarding our Seattle-bound flight, we went to fill our bellies up with some authentic Japanese food. Mom intended to go to Souplantation (yet again) but my brother was strongly against it. After a quick Urbanspoon search (or was it Yelp?), I discovered a popular, well-rated Japanese food court located inside a supermarket.

Despite the many Asian communities in Vancouver, we seem to be lacking true Japanese cuisine. I would pinpoint Denman Street as the area, that I know of, with the most Japanese eats. But I think this single food court packs more excitement than all of the Japanese food in Vancouver combined.

The food court is the first thing we encountered once stepping food into the building. There were so many people; all the seating and tables were occupied by Asians (there were some Caucasians too) gobbling down casual Japanese eats. My family immediately became a little bit too excited and ventured off in four different directions. 

Mifune inside Mitsuwa Marketplace

Luckily my dad managed to snag a table, and that's where we all met after ordering our own meals. Dad has been craving katsu for the longest time; he always asks where good katsu can be found. Vancouver doesn't even provide the amount of options that this one food court has. He came back happily with his katsu don, fried pork cutlet on rice. My brother got a bowl of ramen that came with a piece of tonkatsu. Both were around $6 or $7 from Mifune. 

Katsu Don from Mifune

There was an immense amount of rice in this bowl. My dad's usual portion would be a quarter of this; he managed to eat half. He had one minor complaint, and that was that the katsu had lost its crispiness after the egg and onions were added. I don't think this katsu matched up to his memory of the katsu he had in Japan, but it was still okay. I'm not sure why dad didn't purchase from Miyabi-Tei (the stall I purchased from) since their katsu don was cheaper and looked more appealing. 

Ramen & Tonkatsu from Mifune

My brother had no comments on his ramen, he's not much of a foodie. More like the garbage can or black-hole stomach. The ramen looked rather plain, but I can't speak for the flavour as I didn't try any. However his piece of tonkatsu was, and stayed very crispy.

Miyabi-Tei inside Mitsuwa Marketplace

I love unagi, it's my default whenever I go to sushi restaurants. Unfortunately, unagi don is extremely over-priced in Vancouver. There is no way I am paying $13 for a bowl of white rice and a measly small piece of unagi. You can imagine my joy when I saw a bowl of unagi don plus egg cost only $7.50. -angelic voices- According to the constant stream of customers purchasing their lunches from Miyabi-Tei, it is one of the most popular spots in the food court. Their food looked the most appealing, there was a wide selection, and their prices are very reasonable,

Unatama Don from Miyabi-Tei ($7.50)

This bowl of unatama don was not nearly as large as my dad's katsu don, but still at least double what I should be eating for lunch. Emphasis on the should, because I ended up clearing the whole bowl. Oops, sorry diet! Wait..what diet? It's vacation time! There was a fair amount of juicy, thick, smooth eel and the egg was flavoured with a sweet sauce. There was a tad too much sauce which made the rice too wet to pick up with chopsticks. The egg was scrambled perfectly, very fluffy and just how I like it! The little side of edamame and picked daikon was a nice addition. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal and left very full but very content. However, the miso soup had a strange taste to it and I didn't drink it. Although this unagi don was not as amazing as the one from Pioneer Saloon in Honolulu, it was still mighty tasty. If only I could bring a Japanese food stall back home.

Santouka Ramen inside Mitsuwa Marketplace

My mom's lunch was the most expensive, and she thought $12 was just not as much of a steal as the rest of our lunches. She got a bowl of spicy ramen from Santouka Ramen. There is a ramen restaurant in Downtown Vancouver with the exact same name...I'm not 100% if it is the same company though.

Spicy Ramen combo from Santouka Ramen

After waiting in a long line up and retrieving her order, Mom slurped up those ramen noodles and really enjoyed the soup base. She said it was very flavourful from the pork bone and the spiciness added the perfect amount of flavour. The marinated egg was well received too. Even the hungriest person would be super full after eating this; that little bowl on the side is white rice with some seasonings. Mom was much to full of noodles to eat the rice so we packed it to go in my plastic container. This is why I always carry an empty container on all my food trips, it's very useful.




Click below to see the best matcha drink on Earth and some sweets!

Matoi Sushi

Time for a GLO, Girls Lunch Out, with my two childhood friends. A get together before the meteoroids of school rain down on us. Our original plan was to get some Korean-style chicken and ddukbokki at Vesta Grill, but arrived to find it wasn't open on Sunday afternoons. So after sitting in a hot car for a few minutes trying to come up with new ideas, we decided to try Matoi Sushi.

It was almost 1:30pm when we step foot into this Japanese restaurant. I was surprised to find all the tables completely filled, didn't know Matoi was that popular around here! That is a good indication for either a) good food, b) good deals, or c) all of the above. A square table would've been more convenient for us girls to told a conversation, but sitting at the bar was a fun experience. We had some pretty good laughs from chefs overhearing our questions and comments. They gave us spoons when my friend refused to drink her miso soup without one, and corrected us when we were guessing what the 'special of the day' was in our bento boxes.

Specials at Matoi Sushi

We were provided with several menus, tea, and cutlery. The regular menu can be viewed online; there are also two special menus. The one titled 'Today's Special' are more appetizer or izakaya sized and the 'Lunch Specials' come with rice and sides. On a side note, the green tea Matoi Sushi serves has a stronger flavour and I quite enjoyed that. We were asked to place our orders not long after we were given menus because the kitchen was taking it's last lunch orders. The restaurant closes for a few hours in preparation of dinner.

Although I didn't keep track of the exact amount of time for our food to arrive, it felt like a slightly lengthier period of time. We were chatting a lot, but were also very hungry. Nevertheless, when the food arrived, we were blown away at the portions.

Udon Combo A ($7.99)

My best friend was going to 'be a rebel' and ordered Udon Combo A, which was a simple bowl of udon and seaweed with half a California roll. She happily slurped up her udon noodles and was so full afterwards. If I wasn't so full, I would've finished off her kelp. 

Bento Box A ($8.50) Top: with beef teriyaki, Bottom: with chicken teriyaki

The rest of us ordered the Bento Box A, with a choice of either chicken or beef teriyaki, plenty of tempura, a 'special of the day', salad, California roll, and some orange. Oh my. I had the box with the chicken teriyaki. The waitress also came by to ask if we wanted a bowl of rice to go with our box. Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs at that point so we both said yes. I actually finished the whole bowl of rice (whoaa....) but she didn't. I guess that's why they ask first before giving it to you; it's a lot of food. We should've just shared one box. The chicken teriyaki was okay, I gladly cleared it off with my plain rice. The tempura was very crispy and I liked the assortment of vegetables; yay for kabocha tempura! The salad was dressed with an interesting creamy sauce; it's nice to have something refreshing to clear the palate. The 'special of the day', seen in the top right corner, was a salmon meatball drizzled with Japanese mayonnaise. It wasn't bad, but wasn't outstanding. We were too full to full enjoy it by then. I ate one or two pieces of my California roll and had to pack the rest home for my brother to eat. It was a standard California roll, could use more avocado ;)

Pocky sticks come with the bill!

We were some of the last customers to leave the restaurant. Our waitress came back before we were finished our meals to inform us the cashier was closing and we could still sit and eat after paying our bill. A small package of chocolate Pocky sticks comes with the bill, but only one package per table. Not a problem since we hadn't any room left in our stomachs anyways. It's a nice touch~

The service is friendly and still exists, meaning they will come refill tea without being asked to. Our waitress also split the bill for the three of us. I'm not sure if Matoi Sushi is Japanese run or Korean run, because the (main?) sushi chef at the bar spoke Japanese to some employees and Korean to others. It's quite neat actually! I had a great first experience at Matoi Sushi and will be sure to come back again in the future. It's nice to have more choices for sushi other than Sushi Town and  Sushi California.



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Mizuki Buffet

Needing to fill our tummies before jumping on an evening flight to Los Angeles, my family went out in search of a buffet. My dad discovered Mizuki on the internet and the reviews were okay so we took a risk (Asian buffets, you know?) and gave it a try. In short, it wasn't a bad idea!

Seating inside Mizuki Buffet

Once we entered the restaurant, we were surprised at how many people were having lunch on a Monday afternoon. We noticed that there were especially a lot of Asian customers, most of which were Korean or Mandarin speaking. There wasn't much of a wait, just a minute or two for a waitress to escort us to a table. There are a lot of tables in the restaurant, so it can fit a lot of people. However the noise level can get loud because there isn't much insulation in the ceiling to reduce the noise (ew, physics...) 

My sushi plate vs. dad's sushi plate

In many reviews, people seem to think the sushi is the best part of the buffet. I kind of disagree though. Yes there are at least five chefs constantly making sushi but I didn't really like the sushi. I'm pretty sure they don't use real fish roe. Neon green 'fish roe' is rather sketchy to me. The sashimi is mushy and flavourless. 

Here is my thoughts on what I ate:

Kimbap Cheonguk 김밥천국 - with photos!

Dad: Where are we going for lunch?
Mom: Let's go to that little Korean restaurant on North Road.
Dad: You mean the 'four colour words' one?
Mom: Yes, see you there!

So, my family is back at this 'four colour words' restaurant for some cheap and tasty Korean eats. The logo of Kimbap Cheonguk has each Korean character placed in a red, green, yellow, and blue box, respectively. My parents can't read Korean so that's the little nickname they've given this restaurant. It has quickly become one of our favourite places to grab a quick and cheap lunch besides going for local dimsum. Although the menu is small, there are quite a few amazing dishes to be found. Please read my first post for additional details of some of the other dishes we've tried on previous occasions.

Regular Kimbap ($2.99)

The restaurant is called 'Kimbap Heaven', and thankfully the kimbap here certainly does live up to its name. I usually order the Regular Kimbap which is filled with egg, pickled radish, picked cabbage, carrots, and fishcake. But, it is the crispy seaweed that sets this simple dish apart from other similar rolls. It is also the cheapest kimbap around, only $3 for the regular roll! Definitely a winner in Coconut Crumpet's book, I come back just to have their crispy-seaweed rolled kimbap~ However, after my recent discovery of the super stuffed kimbap from Miga Korean Food, Kimbap Cheonguk's isn't 100% perfect. The crispy seaweed is perfect, but Miga's kimbap has better stuffing ingredients. Each has their own strong points and both are worth trying. 

Ddukbokki ($5.99)

My brother really wanted spicy rice cakes, so we got a ddukbokki just for filler. Ddukbokki is a common street food in Korea, also a comfort food. Sticks of chewy rice cakes are simmered in a red hot and slightly sweet sauce. Some fishcake, cabbage, and onions are thrown in this dish here. It gets pretty spicy as you eat more and more of it, probably not the best option for those that can't take the heat too well. The dish is okay, but not the best I've eaten. Therefore, I don't think it's worth $6. 

Al Bap ($7.99)

This, THIS, is the best item on the entire menu. I present to you, the Al Bap.

Miga Korean Food: The Snack Edition

Miga Korean Food Kimbap & Accompaniments

A quick additional update on Miga Korean Food at the food court in Henderson Shopping Centre in Coquitlam. Please see my first review for other food items, my opinion, and their menu.

I was feeling lethargic after a long driving lesson and my mom suggested we get a snack before continuing our grocery shopping. She took me to the food court to find something to eat. Dinner was only a few hours away so I didn't want to stuff myself full with a gigantic serving of noodles. For some reason, I really love eating kimbap. It may be the simplicity of the food or the well balanced food groups, but it something I often crave. 

Since kimbap doesn't need to be cooked and all the ingredients are ready to go, I got my order immediately after paying. Once the lady receives your money she will go to wrap your roll. A broth with bits of radish and fish cake, a small serving of pickled radish, and a cup of tea comes with all orders. All of this is enough for a meal! 

The kimbap was filled with julienned carrots, picked cabbage, cooked spinach, tomago egg, picked radish, and ham (or spam). They really do not skimp on their ingredients to ensure you get a round and fat roll. Each roll is cut up into ten pieces, different from the usual eight at sushi restaurants. 

Kimbap ($3.75) stuffed with ingredients

The kimbap at here is more expensive than Kimbap Cheonguk and the seaweed isn't crunchy, but the plentiful stuffing makes up for it. No need to tip either! I will be sure to come back to Miga Korean Food to try more of their student-budget-friendly food as I have had a good experience both times!



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Sushi Town

During summer vacation, my family will go out to eat more often than usual. The weather is on another hot streak and reaching the thirty degree mark this week. My mom suggested we eat sushi since it's not pipping hot like a bowl of noodles or something. Hearing that Sushi Town recently underwent major renovations and seeing many friends make visits, I suggested we try it out too.

A bit of history may help with understanding where my review is coming from. When Sushi Town first opened around 6 years ago, there were long line ups for enormous portions for cheap prices. Specifically their salmon nigiri, which the thick-cut salmon was twice as long as the ball of rice underneath. Then quality started going downhill; student servers who were not interested in being helpful and poorly made food. It is unacceptable to serve burnt fried chicken wings or nearly spoiled sashimi. That is when I stopped going to Sushi Town and went to Sushi California instead for cheap sushi. Since Sushi Town's Grand Opening, I assume there have been quite a few changes in owner. Presently, the owner has invested what seems like a good amount of money on changing the interior of the restaurant to amp up the atmosphere.

Sushi Town Interior Design

Being used to brightly lit Chinese restaurants, my family usually doesn't enjoy dark restaurants (like The Keg). However, the lighting at Sushi Town is dark but you can still see very clearly at the table due to the great little lamp hanging from the ceiling. The darker lighting adds a bit of 'Downtown feel' to make it more 'high class'. Chairs (more like sofas) are very comfy, especially since they're still spanking new. There are a variety of tables for different numbers of people; smaller ones for two, plenty of tables that seat four, and some semi-circles to fit slightly larger groups. There are also little 'branches' stuck next to tables to hang coats, which will be much appreciated when the colder weather arrives again. Nicely done! Now let's see if the food matches up to the ambiance...

Awesome Roll ($6.95)

Sushi California with Two Nutty Crumpets

Schools out and the sun's shining, it would be a pity to waste it at home. After writing numerous paragraphs in fellow classmates' yearbooks, Peanut Crumpet and Coconut Crumpet went to fill their growling tummies with some sushi. And Sushi California was the closest stop that also fits our student budget.

Peanut Crumpet had an Avocado Roll ($2.95) and Coconut Crumpet an Unagi Roll ($3.95). A review on the unagi roll and other items from Sushi California can be found here. There isn't much to say about these two rolls, as they are both very simple. 

Gomae Salad ($3.25)

We shared two appetizers, both of which we really enjoyed. The Gomae Salad is fresh seaweed with sesame oil. This is sold at T&T Supermarket or in a large tub from Costco. Nevertheless it's an aromatic and delicious dish of fresh algae. 

Wakama Salad ($3.50)

The second appetizer we shared was the Wakama Salad. It's cooked spinach smothered in a peanut sauce. We dipped pieces of rice into the remaining peanut sauce. I'm pretty sure its the same sauce they drizzle on the Spinach Crab Roll. Obviously Peanut Crumpet loves this.

In addition to the Fried Oysters, these two appetizers are worth ordering if you're wanting some extra food to nibble one between bites of sushi.



Love from Coconut Crumpet & Peanut Crumpet

Sushi California

For an early Father's Day celebration, we met up with my grandparents at their favourite sushi restaurant, Sushi California. Located across from Lougheed Town Centre and the Skytrain station, it's a bustling little restaurant with many customers. I've been visiting Sushi California every now and then for the past few years. The cheap price and decent portions are what draws most customers back.

California Roll ($2.95) & Alaska Roll ($3.95)

Kimbap Cheonguk 김밥천국

Kimbap Cheonguk, meaning kimbap heaven, is a tiny gem located in the heart of Koreatown. Always filled with Korean customers, you know you can trust this place.

I've passed this small complex countless times but never bothered to venture in until Peanut Crumpet and I were looking for lunch at 2pm on a Saturday after visiting the Winter's Farmers Market back in April. With a growling stomach and not much cash left (since we spent it on mushrooms and tomatoes...) we were seated and given a simple menu. 

The interior is very narrow and only holds, give or take, 10 tables. I would recommend going in groups of six or less. It appears to be a family-run business, with the dad and son cooking in the kitchen and the mom and daughter serving. 

The menu is limited, with many items being more 'snack-like'. But that doesn't mean you can't make a meal out of it! Their kimbap is the best I've had; the seaweed is still crispy, perfect ratio of rice to filling... I've been craving it since my first visit and dragged my family to go again this past Saturday. Good to know they live up to their restaurant name.