Here we go. The 3rd kiddie party in the past 2 days. The first was at Stanley Park and then the second ended up in Coquitlam. If you thought that was enough driving around, it gets even better! Try Abbotsford. That's right, we were doing the grand tour of the GVRD this weekend. Other than the time I went with Kim and Anita out to Ah-Beetz, I'm normally not out in Abby. However, we make the trek roughly 2-3 times a year since we have some friends out here. It had never occurred to me to eat out in Abby despite the repeated visits. Originally, with the suggestion of Cassandra Anderton who writes Good Life Vancouver, I had my sights set on Restaurant 62. Alas, it was not meant to be since we had the kiddies with us and apparently they no longer have mac n' cheese on the menu. On to plan B, which was Japanese food. I know, Abby is not synonymous with Asian cuisine.
Anyways, we took our chances and ended up at Yummy Sushi. It wasn't our first choice, but Sagano down the street was not open on a Sunday. Naturally, due to its location, we were the only Asians other than the staff and one other table. So, the "let's judge the place by counting all the Asians" does not apply here. After we had ordered, something strange happened. We got a complimentary appetizer, much like all the other tables in the restaurant. It turned out to be the Volcano Roll which is basically a California Roll that is deep-fried with sweet n' sour hot sauce and teriyaki sauce. We'd really wish they would've told us this since we had also ordered a similar roll. Thus, a double-whammy of fried sushi! Well, the roll wasn't too bad with a nice crispy coating. Due to the sushi rice being cooked by the frying, it was hard to tell if it was actually good or not. From what I can gather, it was a tad on the gummy side. We much preferred the spicy sauce over the bland teriyaki.
Now when we got our order of the Appetizer Sashimi, something looked a bit odd. To me, the slices of fish appeared to be "stiff". Furthermore, the tuna exhibited a slight discoloration at the edges. I mean, everything tasted okay, albeit on the chewier side. When I went to go to the washroom, the mystery was solved. Believe it or not... Each slice of sashimi had been pre-cut and were just sitting in the refrigerated display. That is a serious no-no! Just for that, I will declare their sushi-making blasphemous. I can't even begin to explain why that should never be done. Let's just say that texture, flavour, appearance, freshness and moisture are all compromised. Yes, I wondered about the authenticity of the place after discovering that; but to really drive it home, we got the Bulgogi. Isn't that a Korean dish? Yes it is and that explains a lot about the place. And you know what? The bulgogi was actually quite good. Lots of tender, well-seasoned meat served with rice.
Back to Japanese food, or what they pass off as Japanese food, for a minute here. We got the Oyako Don and if you've ever had this rice dish before, you might be confused at the picture. Why are there various vegetables on top of what are the normal ingredients such as egg, chicken, onion and sauce? If you care about authenticity, you might be inclined to cry foul; but to be honest, it was also decent. The rice was not too soft and completely sauced with the obligatory mirin, sugar, and soy mixture. The myriad of ingredients actually worked providing texture and flavour. It just wasn't an oyako don, that's all.
Well, the next dish was practically a repeat of the complimentary appetizer. We really regretted ordering the Double Dynamite Volcano Roll. Too much of the same! So if you go, don't order this, since you'll get it anyways. As always, we get the Tempura Udon for the kiddies. As for the tempura, it was decent. Crispy, not too oily and not overcooked, it was enjoyable to eat. Only complaint would be the excess batter on the ebi. The kids love it, I don't. As for the udon, I am very pleased when the tempura is served on the side since it just becomes a soggy mess otherwise. As you can see, it is served on the side. Then why on Earth did they add an obscene amount of tempura bits into the soup??? What ultimately transpires is that each spoonful of broth yields soggy bits that are akin to wet snot. The addition of veggies with the overly soft udon made this a complete miss. Honestly, the food was edible and some of it was quite alright. However, the atrocities committed against Japanese cuisine here are quite troubling because it ultimately affected the outcome of the food. Normally I use the phrase, "it's okay for (insert city)". But not in this case really since the sashimi thing just turned me right off.
The Good:
- Friendly staff
- Free appetizer
- Decent portions
The Bad:
- Authenticity shouldn't matter if the food is not negatively impacted; but in this case, it was
- Prices are a bit high
9 comments:
Wow that's nasty, dude. Pre-cut sashimi slices in the cooler ?!? If I saw that I would have yanked my family outta there just like that. Not that it's necessarily a health hazard ('tho it could be) but it just makes you wonder about their other health/food handling practices.
Speaking of which, go here:
http://www.healthspace.ca/Clients/FHA/FHA_Website.nsf/Env-Frameset
And click on the "Restaurant Inspection Reports" link on the left ..... the rest is easy (but not always easy to swallow).
Hmmmmm.... So, next time Chilliwack? :)
LR, I can't begin to express my dismay over the pre-cut sashimi...
Kim, sure, but not for sushi...
oh no... sorry to hear about your sashimi let down. unfortunately this is as good as it gets in abby... almost. i've eaten here and don't mind. the prices are in the average range for the area and my thoughts were that the food was okay... passable. i really enjoyed the agadashi tofu though. sagano, i've also eaten there... it's DEAD quiet and much like yummy... okay sushi, higher prices. if you're ever in the area again, try mura off clayburn road. i added a menu to urbanspoon for them. better sushi, same higher prices. you just can't win in my neighbourhood. :P
that being said... thanks for paying a visit to the area!
Trisha, honestly, the food wasn't bad. However, I can not let them live the sashimi thing down. It is akin to taking a steak, cooking it and then reheating it in a microwave. That precut sashimi is a huge no-no. With all that being said, I do realize that we need realistic expectations considering location. I will be back to Abby. Don't know where I'll be eating tho!
yes, the sashimi issue is horrible. :( i think this place changed hands earlier this year because the quality and service was much better last year. i haven't had sashimi from there this year (starving student budget) and i certainly won't now. thanks for the heads up.
No probs Trisha, I only wish I could be out in Abby more often!
This place was AMAZING back when it was the Ken Japon Bistro. Ever since they changed to Yummy Sushi, there has been a steady decline in quality.
Apparently Mars Bistro in Abbotsford has delicious sushi. I haven't been, but I've heard great things.
If you want sushi in abbotsford I suggest Sui Sha Ya in the Safeway complex on South Fraser Way. Best quality sashimi i've had. You must also try restaurant 62! (Obviously not for their sashimi) Anything you order is amazing, if you do go you must try the citrus creme brule! It's a must.
Post a Comment