Morimitsu's Sea Bream Rice and Yasubei (Hirome Market)

On our stop in Kochi, we visited their shopping district as well as their location of Daimaru.  We actually had a purpose there as Viv's only dressy sandals broke.  We were able to score something that was reasonably-priced and we made our way to the Hirome Market for some lunch.  We ended up at Morimitsu's Sea Bream Rice for Kochi's specialty, Katsuo no Tataki (or Seared Bonito).  There were many stalls in the market that served this dish, but in reality, we ended up at Morimitsu's because there was a table available.  You see, the certain tables are reserved for specific stalls only.

Naturally, we went straight for the Katsuo no Tataki in 2 forms.  The first was the Seared Bonito Rice Bowl and the second was the Seared Bonito Set Meal.  The beautiful bonito was lightly-seared and hence, it was still plenty rare in the middle.  Texturally, it was sort of buttery but definitely more meaty.  It was a bit smoky from its preparation while being lightly sweet.  I enjoyed how it wasn't fishy.  The side of soup was a clean-tasting sea bream and mountain yam.

To get some variety into our meal, we had the Sea Bream Sashimi Set Meal with the same accompaniments as the Seared Bonito.  With a beautiful sheen, the sea bream was fresh and naturally sweet.  It was a bit firm, yet still was easy to eat.  The side of cooked bonito was rather firm and chewy, but it was tasty with sweetened soy.  I liked the clean taste of the sea bream broth as it was lightly sweet and refreshing (even though it was a hot soup).

I went for a variation of the last set meal with the Torched Sea Bream on Rice.  If you can imagine, the texture on this was quite different where the slices of fish were almost buttery, yet still with a somewhat firm texture.  It was naturally sweet and had a fresh taste.  Nice char on the outside which was a bit smoky.  It was simply topped with nori and green onion, which added brightness and umami.  When mixed with the rice, it was a light meal.

Of course that wasn't enough food for me, so I had to get a Kochi specialty at the nearby Yusubei stall - Gyoza.  These were small little ones which were uniformly seared on the bottom.  Hence, they were crispy with a thin wrapper.  Inside, the meat and cabbage filling was almost airy and super light.  Really enjoyed these and we should've ordered more!  Gotta say that this was a fun experience, if not a bit chaotic.  It is part of the deal and we would do it again when in Kochi!

The Good:

- Fresh ingredients

- Reasonably-priced

- Nice people

The Bad:

- Finding a free table is nearly impossible, unless you stand by one and wait

Honke Shibato 本家 柴藤

While in Osaka, we wanted some interesting eats and although we weren't in Nagoya, we wanted to get some Unadon (or some form of Hitsumabushi).  So why not visit one of the oldest spots in town?  Honke Shibato has been around since the Kyoho era (which is the early 1700s!) and dishes up authentic Osaka-style grilled eel.  This family-run operation is on its 15th generation It is pretty unique where the eel is crispy, firmer and isn't precooked prior to grilling.  They are on the pricier side, but hey, we were on vacation, budget doesn't count right??? (Yes, Viv was complaining about the prices...).

For my meal, it included a few starter items including Uzaku (Vinegared Unagi & Cucumber) and Umaki Tamago (Unagi Omelette).  Being tangy with some crunchy cucumbers, the vinegared unagi was refreshing and appetizing.  The umaki was fluffy and stuffed full of unagi.  The inside of the omelette was still runny and hence the texture was silky.  Since the grilled unagi was stuffed inside, the texture was softer, unlike the crispier ones found in the unadon.

On that note, here we found the Osaka Mamushi featuring plenty of crispy grilled eel.  There are three options for the amount of eel.  This one is Sakura, which is right in the middle at 7450 yen.  Atop of the fluffy, yet still chewy rice, the grilled eel wasn't melt-in-our-mouths tender.  Rather, it had a chew to it with some crispiness while the inside was indeed soft.  Due to the minimal sauce on the eel, it was not as sweet, so we could get the smokiness.

So the most unique way of eating grilled eel is in the form of Hitsumabushi or what is called here: Ohitu-Mamushi.  This involves a four-step process.  First, you eat the eel with the rice to get baseline flavour.  Second, you add the wasabi, green onion and nori for a different taste.  Third, you pour the dashi into the bowl and eat it like a soup.  Last step is to eat it however you like!  I've done this a few times before and my favourite step is adding the dashi as it soften things up and adds an extra level of aroma.  When it was all said and done, we were full and satisfied.  My wallet was quite a bit lighter too.  The staff there are super nice, they even took pictures for us in front of the restaurant.  Depending on your budget, this would be worth a visit.

The Good:

- The eel is prepared differently being crispy on the outside and not oversauced

- Focused menu serving only eel

- Like everywhere we have gone, the people are super nice

The Bad:

- Expensive

- May be hard to get a table during peak times

Gamamaru Shokudo

Normally, late night spots dishing up eats that go well with beers and the sort are reserved for Downtown Vancouver or small enclaves of restaurants on Main and Fraser Streets as well as Central Richmond.  So when we found out that Gamamaru Shokudo is doing that very exact thing, but in Fleetwood, it piqued our interest.   In addition to soju and beers, they have a menu that is a mix of Japanese and Korean late night favourites.  We ended up trying a bunch of dishes to go with our soju.

On the topic of Soju, we had a bit of a sampler consisting of peach, grape and mango.  Really dangerous as these went down easy.  I liked the mango the most as it was lightly sweet and tropical.  This went well with the Kushikatsu including baby crab, cuttlefish nugget, snow crab, pork belly, garlic beef, scallop, cheese menchi and teriyaki menchi.  These were really good with the 2 menchi skewers being the most flavourful.  The meat was tender and hey that slice of processed cheese!  Made it taste like a cheeseburger.  Crabs were crispy and briny while the snow crab was delicate.  Scallops were buttery soft despite being fried.

We had 3 different Oshizushi including Saba, Salmon and Unagi.  The one thing that they all had in common was the generous amount of the main component.  They were sliced a bit thicker than usual which resulted in more impact and texture.  The rice itself was a little on the denser side, but it wasn't a deal-breaker.  Nice torching on the top and for me, the salmon was my favourite with smokiness and sweetness.

On the menu, they have a section of share plates that included the LA Galbi.  This was a decent portion of meaty shortribs.  I really liked how they had marinated these so they were tender but still retained a considerable amount of chewiness (in a good way).  Too often, these are over-tenderized and hence, are too soft.  In terms of seasoning, they were a good combination of savoury and sweet with good caramelization from the grilling.

One of my favourite items was the the Clam Nabe.  The broth was so clean and pure tasting with the natural sweetness and brininess of clams.  The clams themselves were plump and buttery.  They were just barely cooked through.  All of them were open and the broth was not sandy.  We also had the Tako Bomb which was colourful with its combination of green onions, octopus, salmon, garlic chips, diced tsukemono and quail's egg yolk.  As expected, there was varied texture and flavours when mixed together.  We ate this with strips of nori.

We got a bunch of carbs to round out the meal including the Mentaiko Yaki Udon.  This was a good version due to the perfect texture of the noodles.  They were prepared properly where each strand was chewy with a nice rebound.  Beyond the great mouth-feel of the noodles, the creaminess of the dish was also on point.  It was creamy without being too heavy.  Of course the cod roe was at its fishy briny best completely flavouring the dish.

So I'm sure you've heard of Omurice before, but how about Omusoba?  Same concept but with noodles instead of rice!  The yakisoba was covered with a soft omelette while aggressively drizzled with yakisoba sauce and kewpie mayo.  As much as it looked like to much sauce, it was actually not that noticeable after mixing everything together.  The soba, much like the udon, was perfectly cooked with a springy chewiness.

We got the Sukiyaki Nabe for good measure and being a nabe, it was not as salty and sweet as the regular version.  Hence, the soup was drinkable and lightly flavoured.  The beef was marbled and hence was tender while the veggies added some relief from the heaviness of the other items.  Last dish was an Unagi Don and yah, they loaded up with so much buttery unagi, that we couldn't see the appealingly chewy rice underneath.  The unagi was evenly seared and drizzled with just enough sauce.  Simple, but well-executed.  As you can see, the food is pretty solid here at Gamamaru.  The prices are also quite reasonable, so you can order lots to share without breaking the bank.  Nice addition to the Fleetwood neighbourhood of Surrey.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Well-prepared eats

- Reasonable-pricing

- Open late and lots of parking

The Bad:

- Sushi rice could've been less compacted in the pressed sushi

Guu Toramasa

Back in June, we attended the OMD concert at the Orpheum.  It was actually supposed to be in 2024, but Andy McCluskey needed a knee replacement.  Okay, that was a legit reason and we hung onto our tickets for almost a year to see them perform.  Before that, we needed to get some eats and once again, we didn't have a plan.  We wandered around Robson and noted down some options, but eventually settled on the Osaka-themed location of Guu, specifically Guu Toramasa.  For those who are unfamiliar, the Guu chain of restaurants are Izakayas, where people grab some drinks along with little plates to share.

We got a bunch of classic dishes as well as some we've never had before.  Of course we've had the Salmon Yukke on many occasions and this version was rather familiar.  The cubed Atlantic salmon was tossed in a sweet teriyaki sauce with garlic and sesame seeds.  There wasn't a touch of spice as per usual but this way, the natural sweetness of the salmon was still apparent.  I personally love shrimp chips and this was a light and crispy vessel for the salmon.

I think we might've had the Jellyfish & Mustard Green Stems on Tofu before, but not in such a big portion.  In some sense, the amount of tofu was a bit overwhelming considering that the topping wasn't able to flavour it all.  Hence, we were eating big chunks of plain tofu.  Now about that topping, the combination of tangy and crunchy mustard green stem along with the delicate crunch of the jellyfish was delicious.  There was a bit of spice as well.

The tofu dish was one of three for only $18.00 with the other two being the Grilled Capelin and the Seaweed Salt French Fries.  I thought the capelin was pretty good with a well-seared exterior and still moist interior.  As for the fries, they were surprisingly good.  They were the starch-covered variety, but deep fried to perfection.  The outside was crispy and light while the inside was creamy potatoey.  Nice flavour on them too.

Probably my favourite dish was one of the simplest.  This was the Sake Steamed Clams with yuzu in a dashi broth.  As you can clearly see, those were actual yuzu rinds.  Hence, we weren't just looking at some yuzu extract.  So we got the tangy and floral nature of yuzu, but also with the rind present, there was a bit of bitterness.  Sitting in a subtle broth, the sweetness and brininess of the clams came through.  They were buttery and plump.

Another good dish was the BBQ Eel Omelette which was quite large.  It featured folded soft cooked eggs which were fluffy and a bit runny.  That was the perfect texture in our opinion.  Inside, there was a decent amount of buttery unagi that was sweet and a bit smokey.  On the outside, it was topped with bonito flakes, nori strip, green onion and a drizzle of unagi sauce.  So there was no shortage of umami as well.

You might be wondering at this point, why there wasn't any takoyaki nor okonomiyaki...  Well, yes, those are Osaka favourites, but we just wanted to eat other dishes like the Kaki Fry.  These breaded oysters were fried properly where the coating was crispy while the oyster itself was still a little rare in the middle.  Hence, they were soft with creamy centre and plenty of briny sweetness.  They were drizzled with tonkatsu sauce and served with tartar.

Completely covered in scallions, the Tontoro was actually a pretty large portion.  However, I felt this dish was lacking.  The pork jowl was not that fatty and also a bit dry.  Not the desired texture for this cut of meat.  It was grilled decently though and it did also taste quite good with enough seasoning and it was also sitting in a bright yuzu ponzu sauce.  I just wished the tontoro was bouncy and fatty like it should be.

Another classic Izakaya dish we had to get (or specifically "I" had to get) was the Ebimayo.  These decently-sized prawns were coated with a light batter than was crispy and didn't feel like it was there.  Inside, the prawn was meaty and had all of the good taste of prawns (sweet and a bit briny).  It was drizzled with a balanced amount of chili mayo so I could taste the creaminess (with some spice) without being doused in sauce.

Now look at the picture above.  Does that look like Otoro to you?  Well, it certainly didn't eat like it either.  Not sure what they served up, but it was the worst otoro we've ever had or it wasn't otoro.  Whatever it was, I checked the receipt and we were charged for otoro.  Since we were in a rush to finish, I didn't bother complaining about it.  However, this is completely unacceptable given I spent $23.00 on 3 pieces.  Granted, this was "Marinated Otoro" and obviously seared on the outside, but it was not fatty nor buttery.

We decided to add some veggies into the meal but regretted doing so.  The Baked Broccoli was super lifeless and not very delicious.  The positive was that they were cooked perfectly being crunchy and completely vibrant.  Despite being topped with teriyaki sauce and mayo, there was just no impact nor taste.  It was like plain boiled broccoli.  I would skip these if I were you.  So overall, we had some good dishes but also some bad dishes.  With all of the other options for Izakaya (including better Guu locations), I'm not sure if Guu Toramasa should be at the top of any list.

The Good:

- Excellent service

- Pricing is ok for Downtown

- Unlike most Izakayas, this spot is roomy

The Bad:

- Food was fine, but some dishes were plain bad

Marry Me Mochi (Kensington Market)

I'm sure, at the very least, you have seen a mochi donut before.  I'm hoping that you have tried one too!  I personally love the chewy texture of the "balls" that are neatly arranged into a donut.  My first experience with them was at Dochi in Seattle and I will forever compare anything else with it (since they are also really good!).  So while walking around Kensington Market and after some Jamaican patties, we stumbled upon Marry Me Mochi.  They have 13 locations in the area and in fact, I visited the Eaton Centre spot when I returned a few months later.

Now on my first visit, we dipped our toes into the pool lightly and only got one donut in the form of the Crème Brûlove.  Yes, this was a crème brûlée, but they just liked to do a play on words.  First off, this was much less sweeter than it appeared.  Now it was still sweet mind you, but I could definitely eat it without reaching for my water bottle.  There was caramelization that provided a different layer of sweetness.  As for the texture, it was soft with a classic mochi chew.

We were happy with the mochi donut we tried, so a few days later, we made our way back and got 3 more to try.  These included Berry Obsessed, You Had Me at Chocolate and Matcha Made in Heaven.  The berry was a featured donut with raspberry glaze and dark chocolate.  Really enjoyed this as it as fruity and just sweet enough contrasted by the bitter chocolate.  The chocolate donut had a Pocky stick and was pretty typical with a silky milk chocolate glaze.  Balanced and not bitter, the matcha was purposefully sweet and aromatic.

Our next visit yielded the Dubai Chocolate, The Nut to My Heart and Strawberry Marry Me.  Also a featured donut, the Dubai had chocolate mixed with some pistachio glaze.  On top, we found the crunchy kadayif.  Completely covered in sweet and nutty pistachio glaze, the Nut to My Heart also featured chopped pistachios on top.  Definitely a nutty donut...  Last one was basically strawberry Pocky glazed donut with Pocky pieces on top.  Again, not as sweet as it looked and did have Pocky vibes.  Overall, we thought the mochi donuts at Marry Me Mochi were solid with a wide variety of flavours.  Pretty close call between them and Dochi!

The Good:
- Soft and chewy texture
- Sweet, but only sweet enough
- Lots of locations

The Bad:
- If you arrive later in the day, some of the more popular donuts will be sold out (much like any other place)

OZen Japanese Restaurant

Typically, when we want good value sushi (that is actually decent), we look at places such as Sushi Garden or Sushi Town.   Sure, there are others, but I won't list them all here.  However, as much as the 2 aforementioned spots are acceptable for casual eats, there are limitations as to how satisfied you will be.  What I mean by that is that their menu is fairly basic with not a lot of unique dishes.  I'm not going to get into the argument about them not being Japanese-run because I don't care who makes my food, as long as it is prepared properly.  This brings us to OZen Japanese located in the T&T shopping complex on 152nd.  Taking over from Maguro, they offer large portions of well-made dishes that are reasonably-priced.

Before we got to the larger plates, we started with the Assorted Tempura.  Now this was a pretty large portion despite not being a main.  It consisted of 4 ebi, 2 yam and 1 piece each of sweet potato, kaboucha and asparagus.  The batter was relatively light while being crispy on the outside.  It was easy on the greasiness, even after biting into each item.  The ebi was buttery and sweet with a slight snap.  The other items were fully cooked while not being mushy.

We had something a bit different in the Deep Fried Sablefish Collar.  Now I've had kama many times before, but not battered and deep fried like this.  Personally, I enjoy grilled kama, but this was still good.  Due to the fact it was fatty sablefish and also that the batter locked in the moisture, the meat was super juicy and buttery.   It was also well-seasoned, only needing a squeeze from that lemon for acidity.

Neatly arranged on a sushi boat, we had the Assorted Sashimi.  This was plenty appetizing to look at with fresh slices of fish.  Colour and sheen were appealing with the hamachi being the best of the bunch.  It was super buttery with a natural sweetness with a taste of the sea.  We also found tuna, red tuna, Atlantic salmon, hokkigai, saba and tako as well.  As much as Atlantic salmon gets a bad rap, I liked this one as it was soft and fatty.

We didn't end there with the raw stuff as we also added the Deluxe Nigiri Combo consisting of Atlantic salmon, tuna, ebi, tamago, sockeye salmon, hamachi tako, unagi, ika, chopped scallop and ikura.  Much like the sashimi, the fish was fresh and visually-appealing.  They ate well too, with once again, the hamachi being the highlight.  But the salmon (both kinds) were good too as well as the tamago.  It was fluffy and layered properly.

For our one specialty roll, we selected the Aburi Popping Roll consisting of a imitation crab, cucumber and aburi salmon inside with aburi sauce, tobiko and jalapeno on the outside.  I found this quite pleasant with chewy sushi rice (that was also not laid on too thick) encasing soft salmon and creamy imitation crab mix.  The aburi sauce on the outside was creamy with a bit of a tang.  Since it was torched, it was caramelized with some smokiness.

On the topic of aburi sushi, we went for both the Aburi Saba and Aburi Salmon Oshi.  As you can see, the torching was evenly distributed.  Hence, we got the smokiness right off the bat with each bite.  The creaminess of the mayo-based sauce complimented the fish.  About that fish, the slice of saba and salmon was thick enough for impact.  Really liked the flavour of the saba as it was richer than the salmon.  I thought the jalapeno pepper slice could've been thinner though.

Now the best things to order here are actually "Sets".  For their Unagi Donburi Set, you can see that they include a considerable amount of food.  For $34.40, you get a large bowl of chewy rice topped with buttery slices of sauced unagi.  Then you also receive salad, miso soup, agedashi tofu, karaage, chawanmushi tsukemono and daily dish (this one was aburi oshi).  The unagi was buttery and soft with enough glaze to help flavour the rice.  Side dishes were solid where the karaage was juicy with crispy rendered skin.

We also ordered the Grilled Gindara Kama Set consisting of salad, miso soup, karaage, agedashi tofu, chawanmushi, onigiri and aburi oshi.  So I got my wish for grilled sablefish collar and it was fantastic.  Nicely marinated, these were buttery and flavourful with smokiness and caramelizatoin.  Sides were essentially same as the other set.  Overall, the food at OZen is above average and well-portioned.  Prices are reasonable for what you get too.

*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*

The Good:

- Above average eats

- Large portions

- Good value

The Bad:

- Super busy, prepare to wait