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
Showing posts with label japanese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label japanese. Show all posts
July 24, 2016
October 18, 2015
I Kyu Noodles, Downtown Victoria
I Kyu Noodles is a rather unassuming location in Victoria's Chinatown. It has got no neon banners, or gaudy scrolls. Just a window and a menu posted in it, with a sign above the door 'I Kyu Noodles'. Inside, it's also the same basics. Chairs and tables that have seen far better days, with nasty looking fabric covering in the booths. The chalkboard lists the about a dozen options on noodles, all of which are echoed in the simple menu. There are another dozen starters, ranging from fried spring rolls to small pork dumplings.
Nice and simple. The noodle options range from udon to rice noodles and stringy egg noodles. I went for the house made udon with chicken, while my friend ordered the coconut curry dish.
The chicken udon was delicious. Chewy, but not tough noodles, made as thick strings of dough. This is how I imagine udon to be, hearty and solid and just slippery enough to slurp up a little. The chicken and sauce was savoury and coated the noodles just enough to get the flavour in, without soaking the dish. We had crisp broccoli florets, too. To complete the dish, there were chunks of onion cooked to tender, to add a little bite to the flavours. This chicken was tender but had been browned enough to add a little more umami to the dish.
Really good. And washed down with plenty of green tea.
My friend's coconut noodles were large enough to float a small inflatable boat in. In fact, after we finished, members of the Navy came in and practiced a few emergency rescue exercises. Unusual, I know, but it takes all sorts on Fisgard.
Nice and simple. The noodle options range from udon to rice noodles and stringy egg noodles. I went for the house made udon with chicken, while my friend ordered the coconut curry dish.
The chicken udon was delicious. Chewy, but not tough noodles, made as thick strings of dough. This is how I imagine udon to be, hearty and solid and just slippery enough to slurp up a little. The chicken and sauce was savoury and coated the noodles just enough to get the flavour in, without soaking the dish. We had crisp broccoli florets, too. To complete the dish, there were chunks of onion cooked to tender, to add a little bite to the flavours. This chicken was tender but had been browned enough to add a little more umami to the dish.
Really good. And washed down with plenty of green tea.
My friend's coconut noodles were large enough to float a small inflatable boat in. In fact, after we finished, members of the Navy came in and practiced a few emergency rescue exercises. Unusual, I know, but it takes all sorts on Fisgard.
October 19, 2014
Bon Sushi, Royal Oak, Victoria
It's been a long week, made longer by a Saturday morning in the office testing some code because this is not my full time job. I say that with the conceit that most people reading this don't know me in real life, when I realize that my regular readers are friends and family (hi Mum!), with a scattering of people linked in from Urbanspoon and Google searches.
So for those people, on with the review. I pulled off into the Royal Oak plaza for something to eat, and recalled there was a Sushi place there. Perfect to keep me going for the day. I duck in through the rear entrance, and am guided from the pick up area to a small table next to the cashier desk, handed a menu and left alone to decide.
My normal sushi choices at a place I haven't been before is BC Roll and Katsu Don. No BC roll here, and no close equivalent that doesn't involve cream cheese. Instead I order two pieces of Salmon Nigiri and two pieces of Tuna Nigiri, with their Katsu Don.
The nigiri is a large slice of fish, draped over a small block of rice arranged so it almost hides the white grains. It's a long thin diamond shape, not too thick and the cut runs across the muscle, which makes sushi feel interesting in the mouth, as well as given more taste. The cuts were fresh, and worked well with the light soy sauce provided. The rice was was cooked just right, not too sticky, not too hard. Very good indeed.
The Katsu Don was not served how I expected it. I am used to a large bowl of rice, with some breaded pork cutlet, an egg and a few bits of fried onion. Maybe a little bit of steak sauce dumped on top, or a teriyaki sauce squirted in lines over the sliced cutlet.
Here it was plated up, with a smaller pile of rice on one half of the plate, just enough to hide under the cutlet, which was a good sized piece of meat. On the other side of the plate was a heap of greens and three yellowy slices of pickled something (beets, perhaps?), and a little ramekin of a gingery, thick vinaigrette. The cutlet was topped with a good amount of the light brown steak sauce common to Japanese restaurants. And it was good. Cooked so it was still moist and tender on the inside, but with plenty of crunch on the outside, I was disappointed when I finished the last bite, even though I was satiated. The salad made a nice counter point to the rich, savoury meat, with a crisp bite, added to by the dressing and the crunchy, acid of the pickles.
I was at first disappointed that I was given a knife and fork, but you know what? It made it far easier for me to eat, and enjoy, and not make a mess everywhere. With a bowl, one can lift it to your mouth and scoop in the rice. Not so easy with a plate.
I also liked a couple of nice little touches here. The green tea was softer and less harsh than some genmaicha (roasted rice and green leaf) teas I have had. Refreshing and gentle. I also liked the chopstick rest, which made it easier to manage your cutlery while chewing over the Nigiri.
Service was fair, they seemed to have forgotten about me at one point, despite there being four tables and two servers. But once they recalled the guy hiding behind the plants next to the cashier desk, all was well. Certainly would go back again for a longer meal. Pleasantly surprised.
So for those people, on with the review. I pulled off into the Royal Oak plaza for something to eat, and recalled there was a Sushi place there. Perfect to keep me going for the day. I duck in through the rear entrance, and am guided from the pick up area to a small table next to the cashier desk, handed a menu and left alone to decide.
My normal sushi choices at a place I haven't been before is BC Roll and Katsu Don. No BC roll here, and no close equivalent that doesn't involve cream cheese. Instead I order two pieces of Salmon Nigiri and two pieces of Tuna Nigiri, with their Katsu Don.
The nigiri is a large slice of fish, draped over a small block of rice arranged so it almost hides the white grains. It's a long thin diamond shape, not too thick and the cut runs across the muscle, which makes sushi feel interesting in the mouth, as well as given more taste. The cuts were fresh, and worked well with the light soy sauce provided. The rice was was cooked just right, not too sticky, not too hard. Very good indeed.
The Katsu Don was not served how I expected it. I am used to a large bowl of rice, with some breaded pork cutlet, an egg and a few bits of fried onion. Maybe a little bit of steak sauce dumped on top, or a teriyaki sauce squirted in lines over the sliced cutlet.
Here it was plated up, with a smaller pile of rice on one half of the plate, just enough to hide under the cutlet, which was a good sized piece of meat. On the other side of the plate was a heap of greens and three yellowy slices of pickled something (beets, perhaps?), and a little ramekin of a gingery, thick vinaigrette. The cutlet was topped with a good amount of the light brown steak sauce common to Japanese restaurants. And it was good. Cooked so it was still moist and tender on the inside, but with plenty of crunch on the outside, I was disappointed when I finished the last bite, even though I was satiated. The salad made a nice counter point to the rich, savoury meat, with a crisp bite, added to by the dressing and the crunchy, acid of the pickles.
I was at first disappointed that I was given a knife and fork, but you know what? It made it far easier for me to eat, and enjoy, and not make a mess everywhere. With a bowl, one can lift it to your mouth and scoop in the rice. Not so easy with a plate.
I also liked a couple of nice little touches here. The green tea was softer and less harsh than some genmaicha (roasted rice and green leaf) teas I have had. Refreshing and gentle. I also liked the chopstick rest, which made it easier to manage your cutlery while chewing over the Nigiri.
Service was fair, they seemed to have forgotten about me at one point, despite there being four tables and two servers. But once they recalled the guy hiding behind the plants next to the cashier desk, all was well. Certainly would go back again for a longer meal. Pleasantly surprised.
August 07, 2012
Kuma Noodle, Mount Tolmie, Victoria
So, after a series of long travel articles... lets get local. Ultra local for me. Two blocks from my house and there's three places you can get soup noodle meals. This one, Kuma Noodles, is Japanese-style noodles. Pork-based broth, thin noodles, small cuts of meat and veg. The noodles come in soy, miso or salty flavour, or you can go for BBQ-pork miso noodles. Or if not in a noodle mood, Katsu-don (Pork culet, egg and rice), or a chicken or BBQ pork version. I love me some Katsu-don. But went for the Soy Noodles, with a side of fried rice, and an upsell of Gyozas to start with.
The food came out in an odd order, with the gyoza's following the soup noodle which followed the side of fried rice. Had expected the dumplings first. The dumpling were... okay. I don't think I'm a big fan of gyoza, and these weren't the finest example I've ever had. The filling was pretty bland pork mince and some nameless vegetables.
The fried rice though did take me back to eating in the Toshiba canteen when I had a short trip working in Japan. Tasty, filling, just greasy enough to satisfy a craving without being sodden in fat. Mix of meat and veg. Cheap and easy fast food.
The noodles were pretty tasty as well. The pork broth is a blander dish than the beef broth in Pho. Slighty salty, slightly oily from the pig fat. Not complex, just there as a container for the contents.The noodles have more of a savoury bite, and the thin, thread like ramen is not your packet ramen beloved of students, but a more substantial beast. There's half a boiled egg and some green onions in there with a couple or so slices of pork, making it a decent sized meal on it's own.
The service wasn't super fast, and I hadn't realized we had to go up to pay our bills, rather than pay at the table. So that took a while to sort out, doubled as the Interac machine had gone down. Still, the best part of the meal was it's cost. Super-cheap for a meal out (only went higher as we got some sides) and tasty. If they could get us sorted a bit quicker, this would be a great in-and-out joint. That said, it's another choice in my neighbourhood.
Final Bill
Soy Noodles and Fried Rice - $9.25
Gyoza - $3.25
Total : $14 with tip and taxes.
Address : 1551 Cedar Hill Cross Road, Victoria, BC
Phone : (778)-678-1267
The food came out in an odd order, with the gyoza's following the soup noodle which followed the side of fried rice. Had expected the dumplings first. The dumpling were... okay. I don't think I'm a big fan of gyoza, and these weren't the finest example I've ever had. The filling was pretty bland pork mince and some nameless vegetables.
The fried rice though did take me back to eating in the Toshiba canteen when I had a short trip working in Japan. Tasty, filling, just greasy enough to satisfy a craving without being sodden in fat. Mix of meat and veg. Cheap and easy fast food.
The noodles were pretty tasty as well. The pork broth is a blander dish than the beef broth in Pho. Slighty salty, slightly oily from the pig fat. Not complex, just there as a container for the contents.The noodles have more of a savoury bite, and the thin, thread like ramen is not your packet ramen beloved of students, but a more substantial beast. There's half a boiled egg and some green onions in there with a couple or so slices of pork, making it a decent sized meal on it's own.
The service wasn't super fast, and I hadn't realized we had to go up to pay our bills, rather than pay at the table. So that took a while to sort out, doubled as the Interac machine had gone down. Still, the best part of the meal was it's cost. Super-cheap for a meal out (only went higher as we got some sides) and tasty. If they could get us sorted a bit quicker, this would be a great in-and-out joint. That said, it's another choice in my neighbourhood.
Final Bill
Soy Noodles and Fried Rice - $9.25
Gyoza - $3.25
Total : $14 with tip and taxes.
Address : 1551 Cedar Hill Cross Road, Victoria, BC
Phone : (778)-678-1267
November 01, 2009
Kaz
Kaz is a small restaurant that you wouldn't necessarily see wandering round town. Kaz does a variety of donburi, simple sushi rolls and nigiri. It's down near the Johnson Street bridge, hidden in a row of store fronts near Swan's. I only went in in a quest to find good Katsu-don. Rice and meat is one of the simplest Japanese dishes, but can be spoilt by uninteresting meat, a badly cooked egg or dry rice. Or, as some place have done, not the meat I ordered.
Kaz doesn't fail on any of these steps and does a competent Katsu-don. Tonkatsu is breaded pork cutlet (think wiener-schnitzel but pig not calf), served on donburi (a rice bowl). Concatenated to make Katsu-don. It's normally top with egg and maybe some onion or scallions. Kaz doesn't do the best in town (that's for a later entry) but it is well cooked, the right amount of warm fluffy rice and a cooked egg that's actually gelled and not still solidifying from the heat of the rice.
The rest of the fare is also competent. The tempura is lightly battered and not greasy, the salmon nigiri fresh and well portioned, and the BC roll is always tasty. It's never too busy, and the surroundings are perfect for a mid-afternoon lunch, a cup of green tea and chat. Plus you can people gaze at the world going by down Store Street.
If, and it's a big if, the service is on form. Sometimes I have waited for the menu, the tea, the food and the bill far longer than necessary when I've been one of two tables. I've known things are ready, as the chef has placed them ready to go. The staff have just been hiding, or slow. And painfully slow. This makes me seem like an impatient moody customer. Maybe I am, but I like to settle up and get going relatively quickly.
Other times, the service has been spot on, and I've gotten in, fed and out in a reasonable, relaxed manner. You just can't tell.
Kaz doesn't fail on any of these steps and does a competent Katsu-don. Tonkatsu is breaded pork cutlet (think wiener-schnitzel but pig not calf), served on donburi (a rice bowl). Concatenated to make Katsu-don. It's normally top with egg and maybe some onion or scallions. Kaz doesn't do the best in town (that's for a later entry) but it is well cooked, the right amount of warm fluffy rice and a cooked egg that's actually gelled and not still solidifying from the heat of the rice.
The rest of the fare is also competent. The tempura is lightly battered and not greasy, the salmon nigiri fresh and well portioned, and the BC roll is always tasty. It's never too busy, and the surroundings are perfect for a mid-afternoon lunch, a cup of green tea and chat. Plus you can people gaze at the world going by down Store Street.
If, and it's a big if, the service is on form. Sometimes I have waited for the menu, the tea, the food and the bill far longer than necessary when I've been one of two tables. I've known things are ready, as the chef has placed them ready to go. The staff have just been hiding, or slow. And painfully slow. This makes me seem like an impatient moody customer. Maybe I am, but I like to settle up and get going relatively quickly.
Other times, the service has been spot on, and I've gotten in, fed and out in a reasonable, relaxed manner. You just can't tell.
Location : 1619 Store Street
Telephone : (250) 386-9121
Website : None
Telephone : (250) 386-9121
Website : None
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