Wonderful Waterloo Archive

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Sushi in Waterloo Region

Post #3743 04-02-2010 12:03 PM Duke-of-Waterloo Metropolis Member	Sushi in Waterloo Region A thread to discuss the Region's Sushi bars and restaurants.
Post #3744 04-02-2010 12:10 PM Duke-of-Waterloo Metropolis Member Waterloo Joined Jan 2010 1001 posts	I ate at the Ye's Sushi at King/Northfield last night, and noticed a sign at the bar counter that announced they will be opening a third location in the Region by Sportsworld/Gateway Park. They had a map of where the new location would be, and it looks as if it will be in some of the new buildings at Sportsworld Crossing (kind of where the old McDonalds used to be), but I wasn't too sure. The restaurant was packed, and had a considerable wait at the front door when I left, so business looks good.
Post #3754 04-02-2010 12:46 PM Spokes Conurbation Member Kitchener Joined Dec 2009 5030 posts	They always do well, part of that migth be because they don't have a ton of competition. I wonder if they're new location will be in the 2nd phase of sportsworld crossing. Thats what Id guess if their map is accurate.
Post #3758 04-02-2010 05:26 PM IEFBR14 Transportation Moderator H2OWC Joined Mar 2010 1028 posts	Good thread subject. Is there anywhere in Waterloo Region to enjoy good sushi? Something along the likes of Hiro or Kaji in Toronto or Tojo's in Vancouver.
Post #3772 04-02-2010 11:01 PM Spokes Conurbation Member Kitchener Joined Dec 2009 5030 posts	Not having had either of these, from what I hear, sushi in KW is good only as so far as KW goes, by comparison there really isnt a comparison. Not sure if anyone can confirm that though
Post #3780 04-03-2010 12:26 AM plam Town Member Joined Dec 2009 187 posts	Originally Posted by IEFBR14 Good thread subject. Is there anywhere in Waterloo Region to enjoy good sushi? Something along the likes of Hiro or Kaji in Toronto or Tojo's in Vancouver. I don't think there is, but I think I've had the sushi in Casa Mia (near Seagram's Lofts) once, and it was better than the other places in town. I like japango in Toronto and pretty much anywhere in Vancouver.
Post #3785 04-03-2010 03:56 AM uptownfoodcritic Town Member Joined Jan 2010 114 posts	There is no good sushi in Waterloo region. I would also say that there is no good sushi in Toronto. However, both places have adequate sushi for locations that are so far from the ocean. Sometimes you have to accept your food option limitations given where you live.
Post #3787 04-03-2010 07:40 AM IEFBR14 Transportation Moderator H2OWC Joined Mar 2010 1028 posts	Originally Posted by plam sushi in Casa Mia Thanks, I'll check it out. Originally Posted by uptownfoodcritic I would also say that there is no good sushi in Toronto. There isn't any inexpensive, good sushi but there sure is good sushi if you're prepared to spend the money. Have you eaten at Hiro or Kaji or even Katsura at the Prince Hotel? While not sushi, there's also Zen and the Art of Kaiseki at $300+ a sitting. I doubt Waterloo could support something like that. Bbut then again that's only 4 shares of RIMM
Post #3794 04-03-2010 09:35 AM Spokes Conurbation Member Kitchener Joined Dec 2009 5030 posts	From what I've heard the only REALLY good sushi is in Vancouver or Montreal. Proximity to the ocean is key.
Post #3815 04-03-2010 03:20 PM TripleQ Village Member Joined Jan 2010 93 posts	I wouldn't say there's really good sushi in town, but there is acceptable mid/low end stuff. Quality of the raw ingredients seem pretty similar across the board, so it's mostly the preparation and execution that would affect your experience. There aren't any fancy Japanese places in town, and I doubt the tastes here would support it. Here's my view of things: Ye's - about the lowest you can get. Not that you'd expect more, I mean if you're going to all you can eat, you're there for quantity not quality. Fish is cut very poorly (some times not at all!), rice not formed properly, only the salmon can be considered anywhere close to "fresh". Most other raw ingredients come out half frozen or not trimmed properly. Consistency is not their strong point either... they seem to throw whatever they feel like into their special rolls. It's really like McDonald's.. you get these irrational cravings for it, but regret it every time you go.. but once the memory fades you'll be back. Yummiyaki - slightly better preparation, but very busy especially at lunch time. A bit more expensive than Ye's and less variety. Casa Mia - They seem to put more care into the product, and the few times I've had take-out there I've been pretty happy with it. Mr. Sushi - haven't been there in a long time, but I used to drop by there for a quick take-out meal. High turnover so even the pre-packaged boxes were reasonably fresh. Portions were decent and prices were reasonable as well. Niko Niko - probably my current favourite place, a bit out of the way for me so we don't go there often. More interesting/innovative rolls, very nice plating and execution, reasonable prices. Soul Seoul - again it's been awhile, but never had a good experience there service wise, so I'm never going back. Sakura Island - used to go here frequently, but I've only been back once since they've renovated. I remember the prices being pretty expensive compared to the newer places that have opened up, and it didn't seem worth the premium. Mac Sushi (Conestoga Mall) - acceptable quality at inflated food court prices. Cheaper after 5pm though as they clear out stuff. High turnover so fresh at peak times. Taka - years ago used to be the only place we'd go, but back then there wasn't much choice (this was before the sushi really took off in the mainstream). Had a good Korean menu along with decent Japanese stuff. I know they've gone through a few sushi chefs so I can't comment on how it is now. Used to see lots of Japanese workers from Toyota there, so that's probably a good sign. Supermarket sushi - actually this is as low as you can get. Stale product, dry rice, soggy seaweed, ugh. Avoid. Overall I guess I can't complain if I can list 10 places in just KW... not bad for a landlocked meat & potatoes town!
Post #3822 04-03-2010 08:29 PM Shawn City Member Kitchener Joined Jan 2010 520 posts	Niko Niko is also my favourite Sushi and rolls restaurant in KW. I generally go there for lunch where they have a special for $8.95. It includes their "Roll of the Day" (usually one of their lower priced rolls - but not always) and 5 piece assorted sushi, salad and miso soup. It's always busy at lunch and sometime the service is a bit slow, but at least you know everything is fresh! I've also gone for dinner taking friends from out of town, and they've all said it was a "a great place" (add in the "for KW" depending on where they're visiting from... cough cough toronto cough cough) in their tone, but I'm always happy to go and I'm never disappointed!
Post #3833 04-03-2010 09:20 PM Spokes Conurbation Member Kitchener Joined Dec 2009 5030 posts	Wow TripleQ that's quite a list/overview. Thanks! I've heard good things about Niko Niko, so I'm going to check it out, and it being downtown is just a plus!
Post #3835 04-03-2010 09:30 PM taylortbb Town Member Waterloo, Ontario Joined Jan 2010 306 posts Taylor Byrnes	I'd add Sushi Star to the list. On the busy nights (Friday/Saturday) the preparation suffers because they're so busy, but if you're there on another night that's the best all you can eat sushi I've had anywhere (including Toronto). My only complaint is their rolls, which are often made with poor technique. The salmon sushi and sashimi is however quite good and I'll often eat 15-20 pieces, depending on the quality on a specific night. Does anyone have thoughts on Tokyo Ichiban? It's right near my place, but I've only had sushi from there once and it was a platter of things I'm not fond of. Been meaning to try it again.
Post #3863 04-04-2010 07:47 AM IEFBR14 Transportation Moderator H2OWC Joined Mar 2010 1028 posts	Thanks for the suggestions above. Looks like lots of opportunities for test testing. Kanpai!
Post #3865 04-04-2010 08:49 AM garthdanlor Town Member Uglyopolis Joined Mar 2010 336 posts	I'm not a huge fan of the Sportsworld area so I doubt I would ever make a trip to this location (would prefer to see them open somewhere in downtown Galt or Preston) but it is nice to know they are thriving. I'm vegetarian so I can't speak to the quality of the fish at sushi places in Waterloo Region but I do go to Ye's, and Sushi Star, etc. reasonably often because I get the luxury of choice far beyond the normal 1 or 2 veggie options that are offered at most area restaurants.
Post #3949 04-06-2010 10:47 AM CompassRose Hamlet Member UpTown and downtown, for the last 20 years. Joined Mar 2010 42 posts	I think the best quick "supermarket" sushi is at Vincenzo's. At lunch and supper hour, the sushi-maker is there, and he'll put together fresh rolls for you. Not too expensive, more variety than most, and no weird seafood salad in rice things.
Post #3951 04-06-2010 11:05 AM Urban_Enthusiast86 Town Member Joined Mar 2010 339 posts	As a 23 year old recent graduate who doesn't have a lot of extra money to spend, perhaps I'm a bit biased, but I LOVE Ye's! I burn 1000+ calories a day in my workouts and I have an appetite. I find I can get quality sushi along with bang for the buck in quantity at Ye's. Now, if we're talking about service, I can't say I'm impressed with the large and chaotic King/Northfield location. I've never had any issues with service at the downtown Ye's though, due to its manageable size. I'm very excited to hear that their third location will be accessible to the Cambridge market! I have to agree with the previous assessment of supermarket sushi. It's disgusting and overpriced. I haven't been to many sushi places throughout my life, so I'm mostly comparing the quality of Ye's to the supermarket...no competition there.
Post #3956 04-06-2010 12:25 PM IEFBR14 Transportation Moderator H2OWC Joined Mar 2010 1028 posts	Originally Posted by Urban_Enthusiast86 As a 23 year old recent graduate who doesn't have a lot of extra money to spend, perhaps I'm a bit biased, but I LOVE Ye's! I burn 1000+ calories a day in my workouts and I have an appetite. I find I can get quality sushi along with bang for the buck in quantity at Ye's. For that Ye's and Yummi's are fine. So it Vincenzo's take-out. (I've also seen "sushi-grade" salmon and tuna for sale at the Caudle's at Vincenzos. And Vincenzo's also carries sushi rice as well as other essentials like nori, so you might even want to try to "roll your own.") Those places are good value for money to be sure and we do eat there from time to time. But the places I mentioned above are something else altogether. They use only the freshest ingredients which they import according to season. Their chef uses his creativity and skill to create dishes you can't get elsewhere. For the best experience you order omakase or "chef's choice." This sort of meal isn't cheap and it's not something you'd scarf down after a 1,000 calorie workout. It's something you'd do on a special occasion or on expense account and you'd spend a couple of hours to savour every morsel. I would think that Waterloo region is sufficiently large, wealthy and ethnic to support at least one such restaurant as evidenced by the likes of Bhimas Warung. That's why I asked if there were places like that around here.
Post #3957 04-06-2010 12:26 PM Duke-of-Waterloo Metropolis Member Waterloo Joined Jan 2010 1001 posts	Originally Posted by Urban_Enthusiast86 I'm very excited to hear that their third location will be accessible to the Cambridge market! I think the third Ye's should have actually been in Cambridge to spread things out a bit. That would have been a perfect distribution of North, Central, and South in the Region's urban areas. I could have so easily seen them leasing a unit similar to the Waterloo location in a strip plaza along Hespeler Road.
Post #3961 04-06-2010 12:57 PM mpd618 City Member Waterloo, ON Joined Jan 2010 954 posts	Originally Posted by Duke-of-Waterloo I think the third Ye's should have actually been in Cambridge to spread things out a bit. That would have been a perfect distribution of North, Central, and South in the Region's urban areas. I could have so easily seen them leasing a unit similar to the Waterloo location in a strip plaza along Hespeler Road. A place called Sakaye (formerly Samura) serves sushi and teppanyaki out of a former diner on Hespeler Road by Cambridge Centre.
Post #3990 04-06-2010 08:29 PM plam Town Member Date Dec 2009 Posts 107 Urban Reward Points 508	Originally Posted by Spokes From what I've heard the only REALLY good sushi is in Vancouver or Montreal. Proximity to the ocean is key. I'm from Montreal. I wouldn't really say that the really good sushi is in Montreal. Although there are a few good places, it doesn't compare to Vancouver in general.
Post #4012 04-06-2010 11:40 PM Urban_Enthusiast86 Town Member Date Mar 2010 Posts 198 Urban Reward Points 4	Originally Posted by mpd618 A place called Sakaye (formerly Samura) serves sushi and teppanyaki out of a former diner on Hespeler Road by Cambridge Centre. There's at least 3 sushi places on Hespeler Road alone. There's Sakaye, California sushi roll, and I believe there's one called "Sushi feast" in the same plaza as Cora's. And don't forget the Nagano Japanese Restaurant at Hespeler Road and Pinebush. So the issue isn't that there's no sushi in Cambridge. There's just no Ye's. And I was cheering for the fact that Ye's will soon be easily accessible for the Cambridge market, even if it wipes out some of the less popular ones. At least from where I live, it's phenomenally easier to get to King and Sportsworld (5-10min) than it is to get to the DT Kitchener location (~20min)
Post #15658 10-03-2010 08:11 PM nchlswu Hamlet Member Date Jul 2010 Posts 3 Urban Reward Points 2	Just noticed "New" Sushi place on Northfield Dr. near Yumiyaki, the same plaza as Benh Thanh, called Sushi 99 - anyone try?
Post #15662 10-03-2010 09:15 PM Duke-of-Waterloo Senior Moderator Date Jan 2010 Location Waterloo, ON Posts 658 Urban Reward Points 8	Originally Posted by nchlswu Just noticed "New" Sushi place on Northfield Dr. near Yumiyaki, the same plaza as Benh Thanh, called Sushi 99 - anyone try? I have plans on going there this/next week. I will maybe snap a few pics and let everyone know how it is.
Post #15664 10-03-2010 09:58 PM UrbanAndUrbane Hamlet Member Date Jul 2010 Posts 4 Urban Reward Points	Originally Posted by nchlswu Just noticed "New" Sushi place on Northfield Dr. near Yumiyaki, the same plaza as Benh Thanh, called Sushi 99 - anyone try? I just went last night. Since it's only a block away from Ye's, a comparison is in order. Ye's is on the bottom of my list for sushi in KW. The fish is sliced too thinly. Except for the salmon, the pieces of fish are often semi-frozen, with the taste dulled by the cold. The proportion of fish to rice in the sushi is wrong, but more profitable for Ye's. The sauces for many of the dishes from the kitchen is overly sweet and gelatinous. And then there's the servers, cafeteria runners mostly. On average, 25% of your orders will end up on someone's table and 25% of the food they bring you are things you didn't order. Complain for all the good it will do you. Fine dining, this is not. Actually, it's not even acceptable for a $23 meal. But we put up with this either because we think that this is what sushi should be or this place can accommodate our group of 12 from work. Now just one block away, there is a much better choice. The menu is more interesting, with items that I haven't seen anywhere else in KW. Service is excellent. Not only are the servers polite, attentive, and helpful, the manager stops by periodically. Clearly they are trying hard to win business from the shell-shocked patrons of Ye's. Unlike Ye's bright and glaring cavern, Sushi 99 has some atmosphere. The furnishings are new and stylish. It feels more like a mid-priced restaurant than it does a cafeteria. For KW, this sushi is great. Yes, I've been to Tojo's in Vancouver and yes, there's no comparison. However, it is still enjoyable and it is very good compared to our other choices in this area. Among other items, I had the salmon sashimi. The fish was cut thickly and served at the right temperature. What a difference that makes. The texture was velvety and the taste was wonderful. The variety of fish was larger than Ye's list. The red snapper wasn't half frozen as it in Ye's. I also had the kalbi (3.5 stars out of 5) and the salmon kama (5 stars out of 5). The salmon skin hand roll used salmon skin broiled just right (4 stars out of 5). There was so much that I wanted to try but didn't have room. I'll be back for another trip very soon.
Post #15665 10-03-2010 10:25 PM Duke-of-Waterloo Senior Moderator Date Jan 2010 Location Waterloo, ON Posts 658 Urban Reward Points 8	Thanks for the review UrbanAndUrbane. Good to hear that there's some good competition in town for sushi. One thing I've noticed at Ye's is the servers don't smile (downtown location or Northfield location). They seem severely overworked and flustered. On a recent trip to Sushi Star on King East, the servers are quite polite and actually smile, along with the manager checking in. Amazing what a difference that makes.
Post #15669 10-03-2010 10:50 PM plam Town Member Date Dec 2009 Posts 107 Urban Reward Points 508	I'll have to try Sushi 99. Speaking of sushi, I was really disappointed a few weeks ago when I went to Niko Niko and they didn't do a la carte orders of nigiri sushi. Rolls and combos only. ?!?!
Post #15672 10-04-2010 09:50 AM WatDot Town Member Date Feb 2010 Location Waterloo Posts 190 Urban Reward Points 4	Originally Posted by UrbanAndUrbane Now just one block away, there is a much better choice. The menu is more interesting, with items that I haven't seen anywhere else in KW. Service is excellent. Not only are the servers polite, attentive, and helpful, the manager stops by periodically. Clearly they are trying hard to win business from the shell-shocked patrons of Ye's. Unlike Ye's bright and glaring cavern, Sushi 99 has some atmosphere. The furnishings are new and stylish. It feels more like a mid-priced restaurant than it does a cafeteria. For KW, this sushi is great. Yes, I've been to Tojo's in Vancouver and yes, there's no comparison. However, it is still enjoyable and it is very good compared to our other choices in this area. Among other items, I had the salmon sashimi. The fish was cut thickly and served at the right temperature. What a difference that makes. The texture was velvety and the taste was wonderful. The variety of fish was larger than Ye's list. The red snapper wasn't half frozen as it in Ye's. I also had the kalbi (3.5 stars out of 5) and the salmon kama (5 stars out of 5). The salmon skin hand roll used salmon skin broiled just right (4 stars out of 5). Was at Sushi 99 yesterday as well, and will echo this review. I may even bump up the stars on the Kalbi. 4 out of 5 for me. The sushi is much better than Ye's as is the service. Will be going back for sure.
Post #15674 10-04-2010 10:26 AM Rowe Village Member Date Aug 2010 Location Doon Posts 63 Urban Reward Points	Sushi Star. I hated sushi until I had it there.
Post #15681 10-04-2010 12:28 PM UrbanAndUrbane Hamlet Member Date Jul 2010 Posts 4 Urban Reward Points	Originally Posted by Spokes From what I've heard the only REALLY good sushi is in Vancouver or Montreal. Proximity to the ocean is key. In today's global economy, proximity to an international airport is more important than proximity to the ocean. Neither Montreal nor Toronto are seaside cities. And while Vancouver is by the Pacific Ocean, little of the sushi that is served in that city comes from the waters nearby. The most highly prized bluefin tuna served in sushi restaurants throughout Tokyo start the day flown in through the Narita Airport and sold as entire frozen tunas at 5:00 AM in the Tsukiji fish market to restaurateurs. They might have been caught one or two days earlier in the North Atlantic. The excellent book "Sushi Economy" by Sasha Issenberg presents a good picture of the global markets created by our appetite for sushi. So if it isn't local access to the Pacific Ocean that allows high end sushi restaurants to succeed in Vancouver and not Waterloo, what is it? For one of these restaurants to succeed, there must be enough of a core population of Japanese sushi chefs, similar to the chef at Tojo's. Most, if not all, of the local sushi restaurants are run by either Chinese or Koreans. While Korean cuisine shares some items with Japanese cuisine, the same is not true for the Chinese. Besides talented chefs who really understand sushi, a high end restaurant also needs steady business from those who are willing to pay top dollars for superb food. This can be sustained in Vancouver with its large Asian population, tourists from throughout the world, and business people with more extravagant entertainment budgets. I've paid more for my dinner at Tojo's than I have for a table of four at Ye's. Are there enough people in Waterloo Region who are sufficiently sophisticated that they would pay $80 for a fine meal instead of $20 for all you can eat? The situation in Waterloo Region is improving. Not that long ago, there were no sushi restaurants at all. The Tien Hoa was regarded as exotic Asian dining. As our local work force have now traveled throughout the world in search of global business, they return with enlarged appetites. Even our Mennonite population can be found in our more "exotic" restaurants. At some point, there may be a very good sushi restaurant. But don't expect it to be an AYCE.
Post #15682 10-04-2010 12:57 PM ruud Hamlet Member Date May 2010 Posts 8 Urban Reward Points	I had lunch at Sushi 99 today for the first time - just like the others it was much, much better then Ye's.
Post #15683 10-04-2010 12:57 PM plam Town Member Date Dec 2009 Posts 107 Urban Reward Points 508	Originally Posted by UrbanAndUrbane So if it isn't local access to the Pacific Ocean that allows high end sushi restaurants to succeed in Vancouver and not Waterloo, what is it? For one of these restaurants to succeed, there must be enough of a core population of Japanese sushi chefs, similar to the chef at Tojo's. Most, if not all, of the local sushi restaurants are run by either Chinese or Koreans. While Korean cuisine shares some items with Japanese cuisine, the same is not true for the Chinese. I've heard (and understood) a lot of Vietnamese in (non-high-end) sushi restaurants too. There might be more Vietnamese people making sushi than pho. Originally Posted by UrbanAndUrbane Besides talented chefs who really understand sushi, a high end restaurant also needs steady business from those who are willing to pay top dollars for superb food. This can be sustained in Vancouver with its large Asian population, tourists from throughout the world, and business people with more extravagant entertainment budgets. I've paid more for my dinner at Tojo's than I have for a table of four at Ye's. Are there enough people in Waterloo Region who are sufficiently sophisticated that they would pay $80 for a fine meal instead of $20 for all you can eat? Another point is that even inexpensive Vancouver sushi can be quite good. But I think that there has to be a lot of local competition for that to be the case. Part of the problem, though, is that people might say "well, if I'm going to pay $80, then I might as well go to Toronto and do that."
Post #15684 10-04-2010 12:59 PM plam Town Member Date Dec 2009 Posts 107 Urban Reward Points 508	Originally Posted by UrbanAndUrbane So if it isn't local access to the Pacific Ocean that allows high end sushi restaurants to succeed in Vancouver and not Waterloo, what is it? For one of these restaurants to succeed, there must be enough of a core population of Japanese sushi chefs, similar to the chef at Tojo's. Most, if not all, of the local sushi restaurants are run by either Chinese or Koreans. While Korean cuisine shares some items with Japanese cuisine, the same is not true for the Chinese. I don't think I've seen the sushi counter in Casa Mia's (Watta Mia) mentioned in this thread. But they are Japanese, and my colleague who lived in Japan for a few years said that the fish was "the real thing".
Post #15689 10-04-2010 01:40 PM IEFBR14 City Member Date Mar 2010 Location H2OWC Posts 506 Urban Reward Points	Originally Posted by UrbanAndUrbane For one of these restaurants to succeed, there must be enough of a core population of Japanese sushi chefs, similar to the chef at Tojo's. Toronto also qualifies, e.g. Kaji, Hero and (at least when it was owned by Japanese) the Katsura sushi bar at the Prince hotel. Most, if not all, of the local sushi restaurants are run by either Chinese or Koreans. While Korean cuisine shares some items with Japanese cuisine, the same is not true for the Chinese. That's also true of most smaller, neighbourhood sushi restaurants in the GTA. Are there enough people in Waterloo Region who are sufficiently sophisticated that they would pay $80 for a fine meal instead of $20 for all you can eat? We seem to have quite a few high(er)-end restaurants in the region, e.g. Langdon Hall, but also Janet Lynn, Bhimas Warung and many others (even PI's Black Hole Bistro) where you can easily pay $80/pp for a fine meal. How do they manage to thrive? I rarely eat sushi in the region because I've been unable to find anything comparable to Toronto, let alone Vancouver. I'd rather save my money for quality sushi when I'm in those cities, rather than "waste" it here on cliché all-you-can-eat sushi. You may be able to eat it, but I can't
Post #15699 10-04-2010 03:23 PM waterloo_local Village Member Date Jul 2010 Posts 71 Urban Reward Points	I like Taka down on Bleams and Homer Watson, where the KFC/Tim Hortons is. Pretty consistent. Obviously not as good as Toronto / Vancouver, but not bad for the area.
Post #15740 10-05-2010 12:27 AM goblinshaman Hamlet Member Date Oct 2010 Posts 1 Urban Reward Points	Originally Posted by nchlswu Just noticed "New" Sushi place on Northfield Dr. near Yumiyaki, the same plaza as Benh Thanh, called Sushi 99 - anyone try? I went there with a few friends on Saturday night (the second night that they were open). I wrote a blog post about it, and included some pictures. It's a pretty nice place, and by far better than Ye's. If you're interested in some pictures, you can see it here: http://implicitlydefined.tumblr.com/...note-container
Post #15759 10-05-2010 11:49 AM Section ThirtyOne Town Member Date Feb 2010 Location Waterloo, ON Posts 100 Urban Reward Points 2	Originally Posted by goblinshaman I went there with a few friends on Saturday night (the second night that they were open). I wrote a blog post about it, and included some pictures. It's a pretty nice place, and by far better than Ye's. If you're interested in some pictures, you can see it here: http://implicitlydefined.tumblr.com/...note-container Thanks for the review, sounds like some place i'll have to check out. The fact that there were decent sized slices of fish served for sashimi is promising. I also have to check out Watta Mia, sounds like it is one of the top spots in town. Hope it's good, as it's next door to me and that would be awfully convenient.
Post #15780 10-05-2010 02:33 PM Shawn Senior Moderator Date Jan 2010 Location Kitchener Posts 353 Urban Reward Points 20	I'm definitely wanting to check it out. I love sushi and there's not many "quality" places locally. Everyone raves about Yee's, but I don't really think it's all that wonderful. It's good value for stuffing your face, but I prefer quality over quantity. It just doesn't feel "right" leaving a a sushi restaurant feeling stuffed and bloated and having to loosen your belt. I'd rather have a super quality meal and yes, be hungry again 2 hours later.
Post #15781 10-05-2010 02:54 PM Section ThirtyOne Town Member Date Feb 2010 Location Waterloo, ON Posts 100 Urban Reward Points 2	Originally Posted by Shawn I'm definitely wanting to check it out. I love sushi and there's not many "quality" places locally. Everyone raves about Yee's, but I don't really think it's all that wonderful. It's good value for stuffing your face, but I prefer quality over quantity. It just doesn't feel "right" leaving a a sushi restaurant feeling stuffed and bloated and having to loosen your belt. I'd rather have a super quality meal and yes, be hungry again 2 hours later. Totally agree! In fact, that is one of the things I enjoy most about a good sushi meal. That feeling of being satiated, but not so much as to be looking for a place to take a nap.
Post #15782 10-05-2010 03:13 PM IEFBR14 City Member Date Mar 2010 Location H2OWC Posts 506 Urban Reward Points	+1 Quality over quantity every time. Besides, sushi/sashimi or other raw fish/meat (rare hamburgers, steak tartare) isn't something you want to "cheap out" on. In the, um, long run, you'll pay for it many times over
Post #15873 10-06-2010 10:49 AM sebastian_dangerfield Hamlet Member Date Oct 2010 Posts 1	Originally Posted by plam I'll have to try Sushi 99. Speaking of sushi, I was really disappointed a few weeks ago when I went to Niko Niko and they didn't do a la carte orders of nigiri sushi. Rolls and combos only. ?!?! The first time I went in to Niko Niko just after it opened, I asked the waitress (who seemed to be the owner) if she had a menu for nigiri. She looked at me blankly for a second, then I repeated my request. Then I described what I wanted and she looked relieved and said, "Oh, you mean SUSHI. No, we don't have that". That's like going into an Italian restaurant, asking for penne, and being told that what you want is PASTA.
Post #16062 10-08-2010 03:44 PM snowrose Hamlet Member Date Oct 2010 Posts 3	I might get laughed at or blasted out of the thread, being a newbie and asking this, but how does the sushi at Mandarin compare to the "real" thing? It's the only sushi I've had.
Post #16065 10-08-2010 04:02 PM garthdanlor Town Member Date Mar 2010 Location Uglyopolis Posts 247	Originally Posted by snowrose I might get laughed at or blasted out of the thread, being a newbie and asking this, but how does the sushi at Mandarin compare to the "real" thing? It's the only sushi I've had. IMO, the maki at the Mandarin is pretty poor and any of the restaurants mentioned in this thread, including the AYCE sushi places (and even the grocery stores(if fresh)) would be of a higher quality. I seem to recall sort of blindly picking up a few pieces of maki at the Mandarin once and it turned out to be chopped up egg/spring rolls wrapped in nori...not awful but not really something I was expecting to taste...
Post #16072 10-08-2010 04:40 PM Urbanomicon Senior Moderator Date Feb 2010 Location Kitchener, Ontario Posts 671 "Only the insane have the strength enough to prosper. Only those that prosper may truly judge what is sane."	Originally Posted by snowrose I might get laughed at or blasted out of the thread, being a newbie and asking this, but how does the sushi at Mandarin compare to the "real" thing? It's the only sushi I've had. That makes two of us. I tried sushi for the first time at the Mandarin and I came to the conclusion that I didn't like it. Maybe I should try it in a more dedicated sushi place first before I rule it out completely.
Post #16080 10-08-2010 06:56 PM taylortbb Town Member Date Jan 2010 Location Waterloo, Ontario Posts 224 Taylor Byrnes	Originally Posted by snowrose I might get laughed at or blasted out of the thread, being a newbie and asking this, but how does the sushi at Mandarin compare to the "real" thing? It's the only sushi I've had. It's like real sushi in the same way that a McDonalds hamburger and a fine steak are both beef. I'd recommend a visit to Sushi Star or Sushi 99 if you want to try real sushi. They're my recommendation for new sushi eaters as they taste good, you can try a bit of everything, and they have a decent non-sushi selection if you don't like it.
Post #16096 Yesterday 07:57 AM IEFBR14 City Member Date Mar 2010 Location H2OWC Posts 504	Also newbies should realize that not all sushi is raw fish. Some fish (e.g. eel, shrimp, scallops, crab) is cooked and some sushi has no fish in it at all (e.g. egg, cucumber, oshinko.) If you've never tried sushi, go with someone who has and can introduce you to sushi "gently."