Kishimoto

To be honest, I never really thought much of this place as I walk by it quite a lot. I was curious as to why it seemed busy all the time, but I figured maybe they were one of the better sushi places on the Drive. However, recently more and more people have been raving about this little place and I just had to check it out. I’m glad I did.

Kishimoto is authentically Japanese and serves up all different types of food you’d find in a typical Japanese izakaya, but bigger and better. The wait sometimes can be an hour and upwards, but if you’re looking for a great experience in taste, its worth the wait.

I visited once on my own and again with Brian. It is possible to have dinner by yourself here as they have a sushi bar. Sometimes I’d like to have dinner on my own when Brian is busy but there are not many places you can do so without feeling uncomfortable.

Anyway, back to the review. The first time I came here by myself I tried the Oshi Sushi (pressed sushi). The one I ordered that evening was the Sockeye served with creamy sauce and jalapeño ($10.75).

This deliciously pressed sushi had all the great characteristics of the higher end sushi places like Miku. Slightly buttery and had a bit of a smokey taste – the black pepper crackling and sliced jalapeño really gave this sushi that extra kick it needed. The presentation of this dish is also very beautiful and meticulous. I would say this is in my top 3 places in Vancouver for pressed sushi.

I ordered some nigiri, salmon, toro and hotate (scallop). These were by far the most freshest, delicious morsels I’ve ever experienced in town. Wow.

The second time I came with Brian so we could order more. We also ordered the Sockeye Oshi and the same nigiri (salmon, toro and hotate) for comparison. Still as amazing as the last visit. Great plating too.

We ordered two other rolls the Spicy Tuna roll and the OMG Roll. The Spicy Tuna roll was good, fresh tuna with no fishy taste to it. Our OMG roll was great because it had such good crunch to it with the toasted sesame seeds on the outside and a little bit of a crunchy tempura in the inside. This roll has crab and avocado as well.

I definitely recommend checking out Kishimoto, the service is fantastic and the food is just as stellar. The wait like I mentioned can be a little long, but worth it. I’d definitely come back here to try their mountainous salads, hot stone bowls and other Oshi and speciality rolls.