To hell with mercury poisoning!
I’m eight courses into an omasake dinner at RawBar — the new seafood restaurant at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel (fairmont.com) in Vancouver — and I tell chef Takayuki Omi to keep his sushi coming. Reaching over the counter, the boyish-yet-seasoned Japanese chef hands me a plate of nearly transparent slices of sea bass, accompanied by a pat of freshly ground wasabi root, diced scallions and ponzu sauce. Barely a minute later, I’ve gobbled it all down. Next up is a roll of spicy chopped local sockeye salmon, cucumber and a seared dollop of miso motoyaki sauce. Pure bliss!
Some assert that Vancouver actually beats Tokyo in the sushi department. I won’t dip into this minefield, but I will say that this Pacific Northwest city absolutely rules North America.
Sushi venues are ubiquitous city-wide. “Sushi is like Vancouver’s sandwich,” Omi says. Options run the gamut from dirt-cheap $1.99 rolls and all-you-can-eat deals to pricey, high-end omakase lairs. While traditional sushi can easily be found, fusion style dominates — which the Yaletown district’s Bistro Sakana (1123 Mainland St., bistrosakana.com) deliciously exemplifies. We’re talking creations like the Caprese Roll (mozzarella, tomato, basil, balsamic-oil drizzle), the tangy-sweet-savory Prosciutto Roll (prosciutto ham, mango, goat cheese) and the buttery-smooth Tuna & Avocado Crepe.
Aburi (sushi seared and topped with sublime sauces) is the house specialty, meanwhile, at Miku (70-200 Granville St., mikurestaurant.com). The contemporary, glass-enclosed harborfront space has splendid views of both the port and the open kitchen. Their Aburi Oshi — seared rectangles of pressed, layered rice and fish — is a mouthwatering must, particularly the wild sockeye salmon with senses-stirring lime sauce and jalapeno slivers.
Sister venue Minami (1118 Mainland St., minamirestaurant.com) also traffics in Aburi Oshi, only with a clubbier atmosphere. The difference between Japanese Aburi style and Vancouver’s, I’m told by a server, is that, “In Japan, the sauce is subtle and made to show off the fish more. Here, we make the sauce the star.”
Rather than sear, Blue Water Cafe + Raw Bar (1095 Hamilton St., bluewatercafe.net) uses smoke to imbue its albacore tuna tataki with an intoxicating deliciousness. This slick, rustic Yaletown space features exposed brick walls, an open kitchen and a 10-seat sushi bar. Their halibut tataki, bathed in wasabi oil and yuzu kosyo, and West Coast sablefish with baby bok choi, edamame and quinoa, are crazy-licious.
On the more budget-friendly side in the largely gay Davie Village district, there’s Kadoya (1063 Davie St., kadoya.ca) — whose chef Lin is Chinese, and offers true novelties such as bacon and tempura shrimp-loaded Canada roll.
Meanwhile, at the other side of the spectrum is Tojo’s (1133 West Broadway, tojos.com), which draws a crowd of VIPs, celebs and budget-be-damned foodies to its Fairview neighborhood location. (“The Real Housewives of Vancouver” famously shot here.) One of Vancouver’s true culinary stars, with 42 years of experience, 63-year-old chef Hidekazu Tojo reportedly invented the California roll. “Reportedly” is the operative word.
Tojo’s seafood is strictly top-shelf, local and as sustainable as possible: most upscale venues adhere to Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program to combat overfishing. His omakase dinner (starting at $80 for five courses) includes signature dishes like Tojo’s Tuna, cubed raw tuna marinated with secret sauce and sesame seeds, along with a scallop-stuffed tempura zucchini flower and generous three-bite slabs of toro sushi.
What’s sushi without sake? Vancouver’s Granville Island is home to a wonderful boutique brewery, Artisan Sake Maker (1339 Railspur Alley, artisansakemaker.com). Owner Masa Shiroki crafts incredibly good varietals — tasting flights and tours are available — with rice he grows just outside the city. “The conditions here are similar to Hokkaido,” he notes. Leaving nothing to waste, he puts sake’s earthy by-product, sakekasu, to use in a line of juices, sauces and chocolate-covered truffles.
Shiroki’s sake is on tap at PiDGin (350 Carrall St., pidginyvr.com), a hip new Asian fusion bistro on the fringe of lively Gastown. Bar manager Robyn Gray is a mad scientist, with concoctions like the Sazer-Quak — which incorporates umeboshi syrup and duck fat-washed brandy — while head chef Makoto Ono’s tender bison tataki, with smoked potato salad, wasabi vinaigrette and crispy chips, is a revelation. Indeed, with its ultra global menu and artisanal sakes, PiDGin epitomizes Vancouver’s new cuisine scene at its tasty — and innovative — best.
Where to stay
The Shangri-La (from $255, shangri-la.com/vancouver) has a city-center location, CHI The Spa and restaurant MARKET by Jean-Georges.