Sushiful, Vancouver's hidden Sushi gem

SUSHIFUL

#7 - 3490 Kingsway  Vancouver, BC

(604) 451-5177

Sushiful is pretty much the underdog of Vancouver sushi. They're newly established, located in a quiet, low traffic plaza and owned by a pair of two young guys who are passionate about sushi. And what they make is amazing. A lot of reviews on urban spoon mention how their sushi is similar to Sushi Garden's (the super popular sushi spot on Kingsway across from Metrotown). This is probably because they used to work at Sushi Garden and learned the ins and outs of making quality sushi. I'd argue to say that Sushiful tops Sushi Garden, with both better food and better service. Everything is super fresh and they use high quality ingredients. Prices are lower than standard and the portions are quite generous. I was really impressed with their salmon sashimi! (Photos below) Before I thought the Sushi Garden sashimi was amazing, but Sushiful's was just as good, and they give you a bigger portion.

Usually I'd get the standard rolls for take out (spicy salmon roll, california roll etc.) and I always enjoyed those. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they've crafted some amazing speciality rolls as well. The first two photo in this post are of the Fiji Mountain roll. Avocado sushi filling topped with chopped scallop, tempura shavings and sauce. My new favorite! Just above is the Red Dragon roll, one of their most popular specialty rolls.

A must try is their house salad. I dont know what sauce they use or how they make it taste so good but this salad is SO GOOD! Crisp iceberg lettuce, thin shavings of radish and carrot, a touch of red cabbage and an amazing tasting sauce. Seriously. Try it.

All in all, an amazing sushi place. Great service by the owmers (one of them wears an antler hat with Sushiful written on it.). It's an East Van dining spot with personality and delicious food.


 

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Kishimoto - The Drive's high style sushi spot

 

KISHIMOTO Japanese Kitchen & Sushi Bar

One of the newer dining spots on Commercial Drive, Kishimoto quickly grew into one of the busiest sushi spots on this busy street. You can guarantee to find a line up outside and expect a 15-30 minute wait if you decide to come and visit. The restaurant's interior was well designed, with decorations such as giant white paper lanterns that giving it a trendy yet casual feel. It's good fit for such a hipsteresque neighbourhood.

wait time: 15-30min (for seats)
 dining chatter volume: high
 food: 4/5
 specialty: Oshisushi, Abrui

From my experience, I think a lot of the hype surrounding Kishimoto is more about their presentation than their food. The actual sushi comes in really small portions and, although are well made, aren't particularly rave worthy. They definitely have a large selection of specialty rolls and their Oshisushi (pressed sushi that comes in a square shape) is something else. The one dish that really wowed me was the Spicy Tuna Oshisushi, the tuna is nicely seasoned and cooked in a way that made it melt in my mouth. Now there's something special.

Otherwise, I found the atmosphere of the restaurant more memorable than the food. It's a bustling quant dining spot, filled with chatter and trendy guests. The perfect place to have a catch-up date that's nice but still casual. Because the portions are so modest, the food felt like more a side to the conversation, rather than a full meal. If you wanted too really leave full you have to order enough to make this a pretty expensive visit. We left paying $30 each and stomachs that were just satisfied, but not quite full. 

Overall, highly recommended as a date spot for the cutely decorated dishes or for a girl's night out, for the trendy feel of the place. 

 

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