sushi mania: awesome sushi lunch deals!

in one of the last days before summer was over, me and my friends went to sushi maina for a japanese lunch before heading down to the aritzia warehouse sale. 

found on main street more towards the west, this little shop looks a bit like a warehouse from the outside. the small dining area was only about half full when we went in and the food came quickly.

we saw that there were some lunch specials but stupidly said, "oh it just comes with miso soup, we dont want miso soup" so we ordered but then realized that we could save almost 3 dollars if we ordered from the combo so we got asked the server if she could basically change our entire order and she did. they did it so politely and pleasantly that it made my whole experience so much better. 

even though service is not always that important to me, really good service makes a lasting impression and makes me want to return. ANYWAYS, back to the food.

lots of special rolls and we tried one which was AMAZING. the other rolls are good, not huge but not skimpy on the filling either. 

agadashi tofu ($3.95) - this was pretty good but a small portion. nothing amazing.

3.5/5

BIGBANG roll ($7.95) : crab meat, avocado, cucumber topped with seared tuna - this was a bit pricy but so delicious. essentially a cali roll topped with a bit of torched tuna. i could eat this all day 

4.5/5

yam tempura roll, spicy salmon roll and california roll ($8.95) - this was a great deal as each roll was 3-4 dollars and you get a miso soup with it too! they dont pack on too much rice which is my biggest pet peeve with sushi and the filling is enough to call it sushi and not rice bomb. 

yam tempura roll: 3.5/5

spicy salmon roll: 3.75/5

california roll: 3.25/5 (a tad dry)

salmon avocado roll ($3.50) - a staple when we eat sushi. this was very good with lots of ripe avocado

3.95/5 

alaska roll ($3.95) - much like the ones from sushi town or sushi garden, it was packed with avocado then topped with salmon and a citrus-y sauce. i personally like this one more than sushi garden because that one gives WAY less salmon but the sauce here has less garlic flavour 

4/5

chicken kaarage ($3.95) - boneless and not over battered just the way i like it but a bit expensive for the portion size.

3.85/5

overall: good sushi with a reasonable price (and great lunch deal!) but not too impressed with the sizes for cooked food. 

guu richmond: its guuu'd

ah guu, delicious authentic japanese food in richmond! guu is an izakaya type place with lunch specials that are different every day and lunch boxes that are available all the time. perfect for any japanese cravings while at aberdeen. 

i usually come here with my mom because she loves izakaya but does not like driving downtown so this location is perfect. we ordered 2 dishes to share and it was more than enough and very delicious! 

overall, i love guu and the variety that is has to offer plus the super fresh fish every time we go, just looking at the pictures makes me wanna go again! (even though i went last week :P) 

nabeyaki udon ($8.80) - udon with prawn tempura, egg, chicken, fish cake and green onion - this was a very good flavourful broth with al dente noodles and a decent amount of toppings. not bad for the price! 

4.25/5

one complaint though was the tempura, the batter was not crispy or flaky enough and we already had it on the side. 

sushi box ($12.95) : tuna, boiled shrimp and salmon sushi, salmon and sweet shrimp sashimi, california roll, egg, grilled mackerel, chicken karaage and rice - this is our go to at guu richmond. it has the perfect variety to please both the fish and deep fried cravings. my mom loves mackerel and this one is good albeit a bit salty. there is also this tiny portion of spicy fish right in the middle and this goes perfect with the rice. 

4.5/5

sushi garden: all rolls look the same!

ahh sushi garden, one of those places where you it is clearly quantity over quality but the quality is good enough that you keep going. i dont go too often but when i do, i always notice how similar the rolls look. all stuffed with cucumbers and avocado then topped with bright orange tobiko. anyways, these take out boxes were from a LONG TIME AGO (yes again) and the rolls are good for the price that you pay. that huge dynamite roll there will only set you back about 4 bucks and you dont get the feeling of "im eating super cheap food so i'll probably be sick tomorrow". whats not pictured here that i LOVE is the alaska roll (difficult for takeout) where theres an avocado roll topped with salmon sashimi and covered in this tangy garlic sauce. DELICIOUS and pretty heavy but worth trying. 

house roll (sorry for the crap photo $4.50): filled with some raw fish, crab meat and tamago
very good price since it was HUGE

3.95/5

 spider roll ($6.50): soft shell crab roll - since it was take out, i cant really complain but the crab wasnt the crispiest

3.5/5

 dynamite roll ($3.95): prawn tempura (THERES 2!) + loads of cucumbers (just like all the other rolls) again, very good price for the portion.

3.75/5

chicken katsu roll ($3.95): one of my favourite rolls from sushi garden because i dont see it at other places. the sauce is a bit tangy and its pretty packed with meat

3.85/5

chopped scallop roll ($3.75): again, cheap but i didnt try it

my lone salmon nigiri ($1): i need some raw fish! 

3.5/5

tulalip casino buffet: too full to walk

sometimes when I go to the states (okay always) i have a craving for an abundance of cheap food. when i give in to that craving, i visit the tulalip casino buffet just because its close to the outlet and they have quite a big selection. 

their food is pretty good for the price of around $12 per person, being fast turnover and a made to order pasta and mongolian grill. they also alternate between crepes and hand scooped milkshakes. 

DEFINITELY a huge meal but at least you get your vegetables in! 

their salmon and roast beef are at a carving station but can get a bit tough. they have a pretty big salad selection and LOTS OF CORN!

their chinese items are okay but their ribs were so good. pastas are very filling and heavy but just a little bit is delicious

crepe with berries and whipped cream

the best part: opera cake and nanaimo bar

cheesecake with chocolate sauce 

this was only half my dessert...forgot to take pictures of the rest! 

mango and coffee ice cream in a fresh waffle bowl!

visit 2:

chocolate cream pie

MORE CORN with fruit, salmon and potstickers

cupcake and bread pudding

New Blog?

Hello internet universe (:

The last couple months I’ve had an obsession with reading food blogs (and there are plenty in Vancouver). Then it came to me…WHY DON’T I HAVE ONE OF MY OWN??
So on this lovely August day, I have created a food blog of EVERYTHING that I eat.
When I say everything, I don’t just mean restaurant reviews but recipes and product reviews as well! Hopefully I’ll be able to get started very soon but for now, have a happy Sunday!

Happy Eating (: