kiku sushi: a metrotown area alternative (+group buy deals!)

i came to kiku twice but only intended one visit and this was to use another group buy coupon. the first time i went, it was at lunch and they did not let me but decided to stay anyways and returned for dinner another day. 

they are known for special rolls and lunch/dinner combos so this is what we ordered on visit 1: 

lucky choice combo ($8.25): choice of 3 items with miso soup including rolls, nigiri or appetizer/small entrees. 

house roll: my favourite one of the three, this was packed with crab meat and quite large in size! they didnt skimp on the filling of salmon either and it ended up being quite tasty. 

3.75/5

chicken teriyaki roll: not bad, sauce was super sweet but again, lots of filling although theres LOTS of rice which made me realize i should've just ordered a chicken teriyaki instead of the roll.

3/5

spicy salmon roll: quite a bit of salmon but sauce tastes like straight siracha and wasnt actually mixed into the roll either...again LOTS of rice. 

tuna oil tataki ($9.95): just like tuna tataki except with a strong oil, sesame and soy sauce base topped with green onions and ginger. the tuna was alright...strangely cut but seared nicely. the sauce was a bit salty but went well with the tataki. it was quite a large portion for the price and we enjoyed this! 

4/5

on visit 2, we used the coupon which included a choice of appetizer, chicken teriyaki either rolls or nigiri and sashimi and ends with green tea ice cream. this "meal" was around 13 dollars so we didnt save MUCH but thats what happens sometimes. 

spicy salmon roll (same as above): ordered on top of deal

chicken teriyaki: small portion of chicken was served lukewarm but the chicken wasnt tough or dry so thats a plus! 

3/5

gyoza: very poorly made...all ripped up at the bottom 

1.75/5

nigiri and sashimi: sashimi spicy sauce tasted just like siracha but the nigiri were fine. 

2.5/5

winter dynamite roll ($6.50): this was pretty expensive but the best part of our meal. they have both california and dynamite winter rolls which mean it is topped with some chopped scallop and a motoyaki type sauce then lightly seared. this was actually a very tasty combo and my friend and i both would return for this. 

3.75/5

half of our sushi spread

green tea ice cream: a sweeter end to the meal. 

overall: i would come back for certain things but i felt their cooked food was very chinese style (as evidenced by their mandarin speaking chefs and servers. their lunch specials are a good deal though as their rolls aren't small but are packed with rice. 

also, i felt the food tasted better without the coupon. hope theyre not one of "those" restaurants...

the keg: perfect end to summer

this past summer i was a day camp leader again and we had a staff "year" end dinner together at the keg. i loved the people that i worked with this year since we were all so different but complimented each other perfectly. i'm extremely thankful for being blessed with such a great opportunity to grow and learn this summer that this meal with them was just the sweetest ending. 

teriyaki sirloin with twice baked potato ($24): i ordered this medium rare and i felt it was just a TINY bit over done but was still nice and red in the middle. as good as steak is, the highlight was the potato. the insides were creamy and tasty while the potato skin was nicely baked to provide a bit of a "palate cleanser" to the greasier meal. 

4/5 

overall: for steak, the keg is what most people gravitate towards and it was a good meal but due to personal preference, not something i would choose very often. 

the sweet spot: a slice of delicious

the sweet spot is a popular bakery in steveston, crawling with tourists and was the bakery that provided me with my little slice of birthday cake - i dont like eating whole cakes, i like variety in small slices :D.

anyways, the cakes they sell are always changing but they have lots of pastries and other desserts. of the couple things we tried (sorry no pictures) the cake was THE BEST. 

cake: layers of chocolate cake with chocolate hazelnut mousse, raspberry gelee and white chocolate mousse (~$6): do not remember the price but whatever it was...so worth it. the layers were contrasting enough that it blended together so beautifully. something crisp on the bottom and delicious, not too sweet cake sat between layers of mousse and raspberry gelee. the white chocolate on top was the perfect touch - a light sweetness to offset the bitterness. i would get this again and again in a heartbeat 

5/5

overall: MUST CHECK OUT THEIR CAKES.

chen's shanghai kitchen: xiao long baos at their best

shanghainese food in richmond is on every street corner and honestly, theyre all pretty dang good. trying to try every single one, my mom and i went to chen's shanghai kitchen near richmond center.

the parking here is horrendous BUT the food is awesome. good prices and delicious food without being too oily and tastes homemade in the best way...

xiao long bao ($4.50): juicy steamed pork buns  - these were AMAZING. the skin: not so thin that it would pop but also not thick in a way that it gets in the way of enjoying the little dumpling. the juice: PERFECT. steaming hot and tasty without being too salty and its filled to the brim with it. the meat: VERY GOOD, good flavour, not too fat. everything i look for in a xlb is right here.

5/5

black vinegar spare ribs ($~13): deep fried and then tossed in a very very tasty sauce, this dish was quite good! there were a long of bone parts but thats what spare ribs are so i cant complain. it was very tasty and did not feel too heavy since there was no real batter like in sweet and sour pork. 

this is now my go to dish when eating at chinese restaurants. delicious! :D 

4.45/5

sichuan style beef noodles ($~7): beef in spicy soup with noodles: this dish was really spicy but very good too! there was plenty of beef and the noodles were a good texture. the only thing i wish they had was a piece or two of vegetable but for the price, this was beyond my expectations! 

4.75/5

overall: chen's is a small little place that serves delicious shanghainese food. their menu is pretty big and their flavours are all on point. the xlb was very soupy and delicious and i would come back anytime!