Sherman's Food Adventures: Ichiro

Ichiro

There are times when some restaurants are just not that accessible for me. Well, I do go out of my way sometimes to try some places, such as Ah-Beetz in Abbotsford. However, that is not my usual MO. Take Steveston for example. It's not necessarily far compared to some other places; yet it is not really "on the way" from anywhere. It's just one of those places that is an intended destination. Touristy and quaint, Steveston Village possesses a good amount of eats in a small area. The last time I was here with Pomegranate, we tried out Kisamos and for good measure, grabbed a pizza from Steveston Pizza. Today, I was relatively close by with a meeting in Ladner. Thus, I made a slight detour for lunch. Now, it's obvious that I do not hide my feelings towards Richmond traffic. Some people might think I exaggerate; but honestly, things that happen... are exactly how they happen. Either I have bad luck or Richmond traffic is what it is. Am I the only one who thinks this? I'm pretty sure not. With that being said, it is not even remotely close to NYC or LA, so maybe I should look at it that way. Also, with so many eating options, it would be foolish to avoid Richmond. Of course with all this being said, guess the speed of the car I was following as I made the turn into Steveston? If you answered 30km/h, you are correct... At the very least, if there was an accident, it would be in slo-mo.

After I got past the Corolla (why is it always a Corolla???), I got the last parallel spot at the side of the restaurant and also got the last window seat as well. So everything was looking on the up and up. To get a decent selection of items to sample, I went for the most expensive lunch combo (Sushi & Sashimi Set) for $15.95. Considering what I got, it is actually a relatively fair price. In addition to the obligatory miso soup, I started with the Ebi Sunomono. This was a very good sunomono with vermicelli exhibiting that nice "rebound" texture while having a nice balance of sweet and tart. I also liked the full size ebi on top. After that, I made my way to the Chawan Mushi. This particular one was much more "custardy" than soupy. It was super smooth with only a moderate hint of seasoning. There was yet another full-sized ebi on top.

Probably the highlight of the combo was the sushi plate consisting of 3 pcs bass, 2 pcs tuna and 2 pcs salmon sashimi, California roll, 1 pc each of ebi, salmon and tuna nigiri. As you can see, everything looks fresh and is prepared nicely. Although a tad on the dry side, the sushi rice was good with some "bite" and sweet vinegar flavour. As for the Tempura, it was also quite good. The veggies were fresh and the batter was light and crispy. I particularly liked the ebi, it was large and juicy. I wasn't a huge fan of the Chicken Teriyaki though. Nothing inherently wrong about it since it was not over-sauced or overcooked. However, it was a bite dry and lifeless. Maybe someone else would like it; but I didn't. Again, that is my personal preference. Yet, on the whole, the food here at Ichiro is pretty good. There is an obvious attention to detail and emphasis on freshness. Not the best Japanese I've ever had; but definitely something worth trying if you are in the neighbourhood.

The Good:
- Food is made with care
- Items are fresh
- Friendly service

The Bad:
- A tad expensive
- Not really close to anyone but the locals

Ichiro Japanese on Urbanspoon

5 comments:

TanyaM said...

No, it isn't just you. Richmond traffic really is like that. I work in Richmond and try to avoid it at all other times. As I have often said to people after adventuring out to No 3rd, the rules of the road do not apply in Richmond. People do what they want and no one honks because that gives them the right to make equally stupid traffic violations!!

Sherman Chan said...

TanyaM, thank you... I've been told that I'm too hard on Richmond. But all the stories I tell are completely honest and not exaggerated... It's plain awful!

Claire said...

I agree with you, Sherman, about the driving in Richmond. We only go there if we absolutely have to, and breath a sigh of relief when we arrive home safely in Burnaby.

Sherman Chan said...

Thanks Claire. I sometimes think people assume I'm making it up. But obviously it has a reputation for a reason...

wahid said...

hmm.. delicious..

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