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(3.1) (3.5) (3.1)So this is my go-to place for cheap take-out sushi in Coquitlam. If you guys are reading this, I'm the one who always orders tuna/salmon rolls and asks for extra ginger (after 8:00PM on a Friday night)!
I usually order the tuna rolls (6 pieces for $2.50) - and there is lots of tuna inside. They don't skimp out like a lot of other places, it's actually very impressive. The sushi sometimes isn't made / wrapped very well though, bits of seaweed can be found hanging off the roll. For what I'm paying though, I don't mind it. The quality of the food is decent - it's not as good as the top sushi joints, but definitely better than Sui-Sha-Ya (one of the worst places in the Tri-Cities).
They're pleasant enough on the phone when I'm ordering, and the food is always made quickly. I can pick it up within 10-15 minutes of ordering.
As for value, 5/5. Large pieces of tuna inside the roll, for $2.50 I've never come across a better deal.
Highly recommended for cheap take-out, the place is open until 9PM every day, but get your orders in before 8:30.
I work close to here so I decided to drop in one day since I'd heard about this place from co-workers.
I ordered the apple-cinnamon pannekoek, cost a little under $15 with tax. I was expecting a big portion if I'm paying that kind of money for breakfast, but the pancakes weren't that big. Not to mention that it took a long time (20 minutes) for the food to come out, there weren't even that many people in the restaurant! Pretty sure they only have one, mayyybe two cooks working in the back, and I can only imagine what it's like when the place is full.
At least the lady serving me was nice (said she was one of the owners).
The decor is nice, and the view of the Fraser River is even better since the sun was out.
So the pancake tasted good, it came with whipped cream on the side. But I can't justify spending nearly $15 on a breakfast that didn't completely fill me up.
Basically how this place works is you grab a cup, fill it up with whatever frozen yogurt you want, add as many toppings as you want, then get it weighed by the cashier.
Service is usually just the person working the counter, sometimes there is an employee walking around to help people.
If you don't watch how much frozen yogurt you put in the cup, you might end up paying something like $7 for frozen yogurt... I made that mistake once. I like the 'fruit burst' jelly things, it's hard to find them at any other frozen yogurt shop. There's also the usual crushed smarties, bits of fruit, etc.
Nothing really special about the shop layout, at least they have tables and chairs so you can sit down
I usually try to make it to Qoola if I'm shopping in Metrotown, makes for a fairly healthy snack, depending what kind of toppings you put on. It's closest to the skytrain exit by the way.
Been here a couple times, thought I'd weigh in:
The food is all right, nothing really special comes to mind. Typical pub food with burgers, fish and chips, etc. I've got a complaint about their long island iced tea pitcher though - none of the people (even the girls) at our table felt even a slight buzz after drinking it. Not sure if this is a recurring thing with mixed drink pitchers here... so we stuck with beer and shots for the rest of the night.
Service is so-so, I've found it to be difficult to flag down a waitress, seems like they're a bit understaffed.
The atmosphere is by far the best part, it's like what the others have said, it's like a big lodge / chalet. Top marks here. I almost want to come back just for this, but since I'm living in Coquitlam it's a bit of a drive just to go to a bar. I'd probably visit more often if I lived closer.
FYI it seems to be a bit of an older crowd here, 25+ for the most part.
so i've eaten here pretty much every time i go to ikea, it's just a big cafeteria and the over-worked employees running the counter. At least they let you mix and match items.
the mashed potatoes and meatballs are all right
bad items: the pasta (the sauce SUCKS), roasted chicken (overcooked both times i've had it)
the best deal is the unlimited refills of pop/coffee for $1
I've been going to Fuji Sushi for years and years now, but decided to try Matoi Sushi due to the reviews on this site, and it didn't disappoint.
Put it shortly, everything is better than Fuji Sushi:
1) Food - the best sushi in Coquitlam, if not arguably one of the best in the province. And I've eaten sushi everywhere...can't be bothered to write reviews for all of them.
For nigiri sushi we ordered: egg, ikura (uhhh salmon roe??) .. they're generous with the amount of salmon roe, tuna, salmon, ebi. And a sashimi platter, I forget the name of it.
Probably a couple of things I'm forgetting, but everything was excellent.
Very good quality tea too, the crappy places tend to give you watered down tea or even oolong tea. And yes, they still do give out a small packet of Pocky at the end of your meal.
2) Service - the wait staff are very polite and attentive, they refilled my tea every time before the cup was empty, I didn't have to wait very long for the food to arrive, and if I had to flag down a server, they would be with me right away. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for Fuji Sushi... it can sometimes be rather difficult getting a server's attention (maybe they don't put enough staff on at once?)
3) Alcohol list - aside from the usual Asahi or Kirin beer + sake, they also have vodka mixed drinks (maybe even a screwdriver if you ask for it, they probably have OJ somewhere)
4) Price - actually this one is about the same. For 2 people the dinner bill came to $35 for various sushi + sashimi orders.
5) Ambiance - like Fuji Sushi, there is a bar where you can sit and watch the sushi chefs work. Also is a private tatami room - might need to reserve this though, it was being used when I was there. Wallpaper has some Japanese photo on it, there also was a TV with a little Canucks thing hanging from it lol (it's playoff time). GO CANUCKS GO!!!
I plan on being a long-time customer as long as they can keep this up.
The only real criticism I have is that they should put some more effort into their website - if it wasn't for the recent reviews on dinehere.ca, I would have thought this place was closed down.
I used to eat here years ago whenever I was in Vancouver. The ramen was excellent, and great value. But now they took a nose dive. The ramen just doesn't taste as good anymore...
Service can be quick or slow, it depends what time you get there.
Even though it doesn't taste as good, you'll be full for less than $10.
Decor is so-so... I prefer to see the chefs actually working like at Benkei or Kintaro.
I've been here twice and both times:
Ramen wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. I ordered the miso ramen.
Service was quick and friendly, drinks were filled up before they were empty.
Good value for money... for less than $10 you will walk away full.
The decor was okay.
You get a stamp card as well... buy 10, get 1 free.
Maybe I'll come back if I'm in the area.
The food here is great. I had some sashimi and rice, while my friend ordered the teriyaki chicken.
I was kind of disappointed with our portions though... it tasted good but there just wasn't enough for the price.
Service is solid, can't complain.
The decor is nice... they even have a tatami room (which you might want to reserve) for larger groups.
There are places where the food is just as good for a cheaper price.
Bubble tea is good, nothing to complain about. The service is always quick. You get a buy 10 get 1 free stamp card.
The last time I went into Pearl Fever, I saw they had a new dessert section... tiramisu, etc. I guess that's a good idea but when I go to a bubble tea place I go there for the bubble tea.
Like Bubble World (on the other side of Coquitlam), it's packed on Friday / Saturday nights.
I like the atmosphere there. The thing that really stands out is the mini-chalkboard on the wall. Sometimes there are interesting drawings.
First off, if you go in on a Saturday night like I did, there are TONS of Asian teenagers inside... seems like a favourite local hangout.
The service was pretty fast considering how many orders there were, and the bubble tea was good. You get a stamp card... buy 10, get 1 free.
Interesting decor / atmosphere as well.
This place is comparable to Pearl Fever.
This place was formerly known as Fujiya. I guess it changed owners or something, but nevertheless the sushi-cafe's food is still very good.
Service and ambience, what can I say? It's not a restaurant, just a place to get some good Japanese food.
It's a small cafe with take-out available. I go here for the take-out. There's a Japanese food store in the same building, so while I wait for the food, I do a little shopping in here if need be.
I've been to this place a few times now, and everything has been consistent.
Service can be a little bit slow if the restaurant is packed, but it is always friendly.
The food is good, but the spring rolls are the best thing on the menu.
The restaurant has a cozy feel to it.
I can't really find much to complain about, and I will be returning again. Go support this small, local restaurant next time you're in the area!
I finally went to this hot dog stand after hearing the reviews of this place. I was hesitant to go, since I am not a big hot dog fan, but I can honestly say this was the best hot dog I have ever had.
I recommend the terimayo. They use teriyaki and mayonnaise instead of the regular mustard and ketchup, and I know, it sounds weird, but ends up tasting great. I liked it so much I had another one. It cost $4.25.
Service was quick and friendly.
Obviously there isn't going to be much atmosphere since this is a hot dog stand, but it's fun to look around at what other people are eating (they sit down close to the stand).
On a side note, this place had a small sign that said they would be closed from around November 19th to January 31st of next year. These might not be the exact dates, but the thing to remember is that they are closed for the winter.
This is the restaurant that I eat at the most often, and it never disappoints.
Service is always quick and friendly, but a reservation is a good idea on weekends, since it is a rather small place.
Food is very good, definitely the best sushi in the area.
One can get a private tatami room (a reservation is a must). The main seating area has tables that are quite close to each other. Also, there are bar / counter seats where one can watch the chef make sushi.
The portions are always large, very good for your money. I always order the ginger beef. Food is served quickly, always within twenty minutes or less.
As expected from a diner, there's not much atmosphere.
Service is all right, nothing out of the ordinary.
Ordered a pizza, and it arrived barely warm. Aside from that, it didn't taste very good, and the cheese was rubbery. A little disappointing.
Everything else was good, service, ambiance, etc. The other people at my table seemed to enjoy their meal.
I had the misfortune of eating there a few months ago.
The waiters looked very uninspired; a reviewer aptly called them "zombies". It was difficult to get their attention sometimes.
The sushi is not good at all; Sui Sha Ya obviously does not have a Japanese chef (and if they do, he could use some training).
Possibly a quick bite to eat, but there are better places than this.
The entrance to this restaurant is nice, but once you see the dining area, it is a complete difference.
It is simply a very big room, with no walls separating one section of the room from another; no atmosphere at all. Loud clinking sounds can be heard from all directions, and the customers all talk somewhat loudly because the room is quite lively.
The waiters are worked like slaves; they are constantly running from one table to another, pouring tea, bringing dishes, etc.
The food is nice, and the menu is quite large.
Don't expect a romantic evening.
I went to Akari about nine months ago, and everything was outstanding. However, I went there two weeks ago, and disappointingly, the food has gone downhill. I ordered the deluxe sushi entree, it wasn't bad, but also wasn't great.
Service is still fast like before, and the decorations are the same.
On a side-note, the sign inside the front of the restaurant had Korean text on it, and they had spicy tofu on the menu - this might be a sign that it is not in fact, truly authentic, for all the purists out there (I am not one).
