Sushi Oyama

By virtue of having a late lunch, we weren't hungry until around 8:30pm. By then, you start to run out of dining options, especially out in Burnaby. I did a little Internet reading and came across Nathan's which is in the oddest of locations. It's behind the soccer fields at 8 Rinks. Unfortunately for us, there was a UFC fight night and the place was packed. Now without a backup plan, we were a bit lost as to where to eat. No fear, I whipped out my Blackberry and went to Kim's blog (I'm Only Here for the Food!) and found my destination - Sushi Oyama. Yes, the best way to get ideas is from other bloggers! We were lucky to arrive before last call. Sushi Oyama is located in an old mansion which used to house a few different restaurants including the last one which was Korean. Heading up to the entrance, I was really impressed with the semi-outdoor seating around the promenade around the house. I also noticed that they did extensive renovations as they knocked down some walls to create a more uniform dining space. We were greeted kindly by the staff and I was seriously impressed at our server. She was busily sweeping the floor; but before she came to take our order, she washed up first. These small little things are actually quite important in terms of cleanliness.

We started with the Tako Yaki (Octopus Balls) first and they were very soft and fluffy. There was just the right amount of sauce; thus it didn't overpower the delicateness of the dish. Arriving while we were still munching on the Tako Yaki was the 9 pc Salmon Sashimi. You might not be able to tell from the picture, but the slices of sashimi were very thick and large. Moreover, the salmon was fresh, sweet and not mushy. Only minor problem was the remnant of the salmon skin. To my amazement, on the menu, there was a Filet-O-Fish roll. If you know my love of Filet-O-Fish, then you will also know that I needed to order this even if it wasn't good. Well, it was pretty good. The fish was fried up really crispy and added a nice texture contrast to the rice. Arriving on the same plate was the Spicy Scallop Roll and it was spiiiicy! We like spicy, so we enjoyed it, but for some it might be overkill. The last item we ordered was the House Roll and it looked like quite standard; however, there was only a very thin layer of rice on the outside. I really like the fact there was more filling than rice.

For all the food we ordered, it only cost us $23.90 before tax and tip. If you take into account the food quality, ambiance, cleanliness and service, the meal was a fantastic value. I'm not even sure why people line up at Sushi Garden. They really should just take a walk up the street and dine at Sushi Oyama instead. Moreover, how can you not like a place that has a Filet-O-Fish roll???

The Good:
- Food was tasty and well-portioned
- Spacious and clean restaurant
- Reasonable prices
- Friendly service

The Bad:
- Minor problem: they should have trimmed the sashimi more carefully