Sushi California (501A North Rd, Coquitlam, BC, Canada, phone: 604-931-8284) is a small but very popular Japanese sushi restaurant at the corner of Austin and North Road, across from Lougheed Mall in Burnaby. It’s within walking distance of the Lougheed Mall skytrain station.

The restaurant has very reasonable prices, and quite fresh ingredients. [On my visit in 2008] I enjoyed the Tako Sunomono (octopus, $3.25, pictured below), the Alaska Roll ($3.75, also pictured below), and the Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Roll ($3.95, pictured below). I also added two pieces of nigiri sushi, the Tamago (egg) and Inari (sweet bean curd wrapper), which were only $1 each.

The restaurant also caters to vegetarians, with a good selection of vegetarian rolls (also pictured below). For more info and another photo, view Part 1.

Update: Jan. 24th 2010. I visited Sushi California again and made a video of my visit. Watch on Youtube or use the player below.

Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese sushi roll ($3.95) and Tamago and Inari nigiri sushi ($1 each)

Tako sunomono (octopus salad with rice noodles and sweet vinegar broth) – $3.25

Japanese Vegetarian sushi rolls at Sushi California

More of the sushi feast. Delicious Japanese food!! The total bill per person before tax and tip was only $12.95.

Fish On Rice Japanese Cuisine (website) is a popular Japanese “all you can eat” restaurant chain with two locations in the Vancouver area.

Their location in Burnaby (map, #201-4361 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC, phone: 604-439-8882) is about a 5 minute walk from the Patterson Skytrain station.

Fish on Rice’s Vancouver restaurant (map, 1414 W. Broadway, Vancouver, BC, phone: 604-732-0112) is located at Broadway and Hemlock (one block from Granville), and has a patio.

“All you can eat” sushi is a very popular phenomenon in Vancouver, and Fish on Rice does it well. The Japanese buffet at Fish and Rice costs $11.95 for lunch (served from 11am to 2:30pm) or $20.95 for dinner (served between 4:30pm and 10:30pm). Their happy hour ($13.95) is between 4:30pm and 6pm.

At Fish on Rice, similar to other All You Can Eat places in town, you make your order by writing desired quantities next to items on a little piece of paper. Pass the paper to your server, and the food will start arriving as it’s ready. Take care: if you write an order that’s too large, the food will just keep coming! Or if you didn’t order enough, you can request more forms when you need them.

At the Burnaby location, there are many large private tatami booths with inset tables (where you take your shoes off to dine while sitting on cushions) – these are great for large groups or families. There are also a bunch of regular booths and tables for couples or smaller parties.

Below are some pictures of the delicious sushi and other Japanese items we ordered. Note that the restaurant serves all the popular kinds of sushi such as California Roll and BC Roll, but being sushi aficionados we ordered a bunch of less common items to explore the large and varied menu.

Nigiri Sushi pieces from Fish On Rice Japanese Cuisine Restaurant

Assorted Tuna and Salmon Sashimi from Fish on Rice Japanese Cuisine (all you can eat) in Burnaby BC Canada.

Teriyaki Vegetables from Fish on Rice Japanese Cuisine (AYCE sushi) in Burnaby BC Canada

Vegetarian Udon Noodles from Fish on Rice Japanese Restaurant in Burnaby BC Canada (All You Can Eat).

Inari (sweet bean curd wrapper) nigiri sushi (from Fish on Rice All You Can Japanese Cuisine in Burnaby)

Vegetable Tempura (pictured in front) plus other assorted Japanese dishes (from Fish on Rice Japanese All you can eat buffet restaurant).

Toyama Japanese Restaurant (web site, map, 757 Seymour Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-688-3256) is a new “all you can eat” sushi restaurant that is open from 11am till midnight every day. Price is $11.95 for the all you can eat menu at lunch time, and $20.95 at dinner time. (They also have a late night price that is reduced to around $11 as well).

Toyama has been getting good reviews from visitors on the website DineHere.ca (click here to read), including galvinkuo2 who writes:

We really like this place and are considered regulars. Food is always fresh and very tasty. This is the best place for the price you can find in Downtown, too bad they don’t have all you can eat sashimi during lunch time, But Our suggestion is to go for a lunch all you can eat menu option. We always go for a lot of salmon sushi since this is the best place to get it. And of course the Oyster Motoyaki are “the must try” and the New stuff “BBQ Korean Pork” spicy and tasty!!

Pictured below are some of the items we ordered. I’m definitely going to go back to Toyama Sushi, maybe even on a regular basis!

Nigiri sushi from Toyama Japanese Restaurant

Sushi cones from Toyama Sushi - All You Can Eat Japanese restaurant downtown

Alaska roll and chopped scallop roll sushi

Assorted sushi from Toyama All You Can Eat Chinese/Japanese food

Assorted Nigiri Sushi from Toyama All You Can Eat Sushi restaurant downtown.