Victoria Sushi, Victoria West

I'm currently using some space in Vic West to rehearse a show for the Victoria fringe (see: aQuietSeason.com).  The scary part about doing my own show is that someone out there will be reviewing it with the same critical eyes I've done to other fringe shows.  But I'm pretty happy with what's been built so far, so we'll see how it goes.

And as a bonus for me, it means I can check out a couple of places in Vic West for dinner beforehand. Last week, I walked into Victoria Sushi, in Westside Village Mall.  This square is just over from the Dockside Green development but has been around far longer than that new build.  The Sushi restaurant is on one corner, so has plenty of natural light to offset the black and dark brown tones inside.  The lighting is kind of moody in there, with diffuse light, and there are lots of glass panels with bamboo strips stuck to them...

Service didn't blow me away.  I was sat on my own at a large table (six-person table) in one corner.  It then took a while to get an order taken, once I had green tea served.  And then a while for the food to arrive.  I went for my typical choice of Pork Katsu and BC rolls.

The Katsu was served on a small bed of lettuce, with about three tablespoons of rice and a ramekin of a thick, brown sauce.  The Tonkatsu sauce was the best part of the meal.  It had a tingly spice and a pleasant gingery flavour, as well as being unctuous and gloopy over the breaded pork.  The pork had been pounded flat o make a very thin, crisp cutlet.   It was a bit dry but otherwise was okay, but nothing superb.  I've had better.

The BC Rolls were also fine, but again nothing wonderful.  They also arrived so late into the meal, I thought they'd forgotten about me.  I have kind of forgotten about the BC rolls now, so it's a mutual disinterest.  But I did note that there wasn't much of the crisp, BBQ-smokiness to the salmon skins the role.  Which is the combination of flavours I love to have in my food.

I'd not pass up on Victoria Sushi if I am over there again, and the ambience did start to grow on me.  But there was nothing that made me want to travel to visit.  And nothing that made me completely avoid ever again