Carp Sushi + Bento

Wow.  I actually got a text from Vandelay!  For a moment there, I considered calling in a search party because he has been MIA for about 1/2 year.  That was the last time we met up for lunch.  Nothing to worry about since he is living and breathing.  In fact, he asked if I had time for a quick bite at Carp.  Yes, it is C-A-R-P, not crap.  Located across from Kingsgate Mall on Prince Edward Street, this lil' takeout spot serves up a simple menu that includes probably the next fad in Vancity - Poke Bowls.

We dug into the Tuna Poke Bowl first and the dominant initial flavour was that of sesame oil.  Then it gave way to light soy and then the mild sweetness of the soft tuna itself.  Although there was a heavy sesame oil presence, that is my personal preference, so it worked for me.  I wasn't a huge fan of the amount of raw onion as it was a bit too sharp.  I loved the crunch of the little tempura bits as it added texture.  The rice was a touch on the drier side, but that worked well with the wet ingredients.  Next, the Chirashi Don featured an array of appealing sashimi atop the same sushi rice.  For the price, I thought this was a decent offering.

We also got a Bento which included Miso Soup, Nigiri, California Roll and Chicken Curry.  With similar ingredients as the chirashi don, the nigiri was pleasant enough with chewy rice and fresh pieces of salmon, tuna and ebi on top. As for the curry, it was sweet, but not too much so.  It was rich and full of tender shredded chicken.  I could taste the curry, but it was rather muted.  Again, the drier rice served its purpose going along with the curry.  Seeing how I was enjoying poke, Viv wanted in on the action, so I got a Salmon Poke Bowl to go.  It was very similar to the tuna poke bowl except with a more robust texture with the salmon.  Also, it was a bit sweeter.   Interesting that this was the first time I visited Carp since it has been up and running for a year.  Should've done it earlier!

The Good:
- Decent eats
- Reasonably-priced
- Friendly people

The Bad:
- A little rough around the edges (but I didn't mind)
- Limited seating