Hyack Sushi

Suffice to say, it isn't very hard to find a Japanese restaurant whether it be in Downtown Vancouver or a suburb like New West.  So when Hyack Sushi opened up across from the New West Skytrain station, I wasn't even aware of it.  However, with a tasting, I was about to find out if there was anything different.  I mention this as it has become increasingly clear that there needs to be something special for a Japanese restaurant to stand out among the sea of choices in the Lower Mainland.

Our first bite was a Deep Fried Poached Egg sauced with some spicy mayo.  This delicate creation was coated with panko and fried perfectly.  It was crispy and surprisingly not greasy on the outside.  Once past the crunchy shell, the egg in the middle was still appealingly runny and soft.  This was a textural delight where everything was done right.  The spicy mayo added just enough creamy punch for the silky egg.  Next up, we sampled some Aburi Nigiri consisting of salmon bomb (in the middle), ika, ebi, salmon, tuna and hotategai.  These were neatly-prepared and lightly torched.  Ingredients were fresh and textures were on point as well.  The rice was nicely chewy, but for me at least, the aburi could've been more caramelized (especially when there was sauce).

As a bonus, we also had the Aburi Salmon Oshi (which seems to be all the rage ever since Miku/Minami started the trend awhile back).  This was also neatly arranged and prepared.  There was a smoky flavour in addition to the natural essence of the activated salmon fat due to the torching.  The sauces were a bit much, but it certainly didn't eat as such.  Since the rice was served warm, it was softer and more moist.  Resembling a seafood salad, the Spicy Chirashi Don would be as such if one opted not to eat the side of rice.  For me, it isn't a charashi don without it, so after mixing the sweet gochujang dressing with the greens and slices of salmon and tuna (along with diced tako), it was a pleasant concoction.  The rice was nicely chewy and stood up to the sauce.

Probably the most interesting dish was the Gyu-Katsu featuring a panko coated and fried piece of rare beef.  One could technically eat it the way it was served, but ideally, we were supplied a small grill where we could cook it to our liking.  Even after the sear on both sides, the panko coating remained crispy.  Inside, the beef was meaty and tender.  Also on the plate was yam fries and pickled cabbage.  On the side, we were served house-made tonkatsu sauce, sesame and teriyaki sauce.  Lastly, we tried their Christmas Special consisting of Miso Sablefish atop lentils and mint yogurt, Chawan Mushi, Sablefish Miso and rice.  This was my favourite dish where the sablefish was prepared masterfully.  It was marinated just enough without compromising the buttery flakiness of the fish.  The chawan mushi was silky and not watery.  In a sea of Japanese restaurants, Hyack Sushi attempts to be a little bit different mixed in with the familiar.  Not bad for the burbs.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Beyond the ordinary dishes
- Fairly solid eats
- Spacious

The Bad:
- A little pricey