Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant
Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant (web site, map, 3302 Main Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, phone: 604-873-2220) is one of the few sushi restaurants on the east side of Vancouver that offers free sushi delivery within 5km. Check their web site for their menu and you can even order your sushi online. But how was the food, you might ask? Read on for more…
My friend and I are definite sushi aficionados, having tried many awesome sushi restaurants in Vancouver. We were originally in the area to try the Japanese food at Toshi’s at Main and 16th, which has a great reputation. Unfortunately due to its popularity there was a huge lineup outside Toshi’s. My friend’s friend (who lives in the neighborhood) gave us a hot tip that there is a sushi place near Toshi’s just a few blocks north on Main Street. We walked around and the only one we saw was Nikkyu, so that had to be the place. We were in for a real treat!
As a food photographer I always appreciate restaurants which put extra care and detail into their presentation of the food. Attractive and creative presentation is something I only expect at high-end restaurants, where the portions can be tiny and the food becomes more like edible art.
Many Japanese restaurants in town go for quantity over quality, and while I do enjoy all-you-can-eat and gigantic roll places, I don’t mind splurging for aesthetics once in a while.
But I was pleasantly surprised by Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant when the food arrived – the obviously very fresh sushi was presented in a simply beautiful fashion, with no grain of rice out of place, and the sprinkling of masago on the rolls put the finishing touch on some miniature masterpieces (pictured below).
Here’s what we ordered (all pictured below): 4 Saba Sushi ($4.60), Mango Smoked Salmon California Roll ($5.95), Chopped Scallop Roll ($3.85), House Roll ($4.75), Q.E. Park Roll ($7.50) and 6 pieces Salmon Sashimi ($7.95). Looking at these photos makes me hungry again!
Beautiful sushi from Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Sushi rolls from Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver.
Saba sushi (Mackerel) from Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver.
Salmon sashimi from Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant.
Chopped scallop sushi and saba sushi from Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver.
More delicious sushi from Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
March 1st, 2011 at 8:52 pm
The food looks good, but the table is dirty, so terrible experience.
August 5th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
I LOVE NIKKYU!
we call it “slow-shi” sushi because at times the service can be slow but it’s always worth it!
April 3rd, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Rick,
I’m not sure why I put fusion down for this restaurant, but I think it may have been because they have some Chinese dishes as well? I’ll have to go back for a meal to jog my memory!
Geoff
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:24 pm
What aspect of the food is fusion?
BTW, the all-you-can-eat sushi places are typically not Japanese. They are usually Chinese-run joints trying to cash in on the sushi craze here. I don’t think they measure up to the real McCoy. Nikkyu, however, looks good. I really like Toshi, but I won’t line up for dinner when there are good alternatives like this that can be found, e.g. why line up at Stephos when Takis a few doors down is equally good?
December 4th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Hey Geoff,
Just wanted to say thanks for you restaurant reviews, particularly the recent one on Nikkyu. A group of us went there a few weeks ago after I couldn’t resist trying it from the awesome pictures and description. We all loved it so much we went back the next week and I’m going to order from them for our next work lunch.
I’m going to have to catch a show of yours one of these days!
Take care.