Like any true Vancouverite I adore sushi. In fact, I am in love obsessed with it. I think about sushi at least a couple times a day and need to consume it at least twice a week to satisfy my needy cravings. It really gets me wondering what they put in the soy sauce….
The problem with Vancouver, though, is that there are so many sushi restaurants that it has become difficult to distinguish between the so-so quality sushi and that which is unforgettable.
Lucky for you, my sushi cravings have led me to find some of the greatest Sushi joints in Vancouver. One of my all time favorites being Sushi Bella located in the heart of Lonsdale, North Vancouver. It is a remarkable restaurant which offers something beyond what other Vancouver sushi joints have to offer: a menu inspired by the fusion of both French & Japanese cuisine.
The ambiance of this restaurant is lovely and has a rather cozy at-home feel. Most importantly, however, this place looks clean and doesn’t cause you to second guess ordering the tuna sashimi.
Here is a little taste of what I got to try:
Starting from the far left is the..
1.Crazy California Roll ; Deep fried California roll with crazy sauce $7
This roll is absolutely amazing! The concept is similar to the Captain Crunch roll at the Eatery -but much better in every way possible. The crab was fresh and even with being deep fried this roll was still able to maintain its delicacy. The crazy sauce was mind blowing– seriously wish I could buy containers of it and dip everything and anything in it all day long.
In the middle of the plate we have..
2.Crunchy go-go Roll; Double prawns and yam tempura, avocado, crunchy flake, chili mayo $6
At first, we had agreed on ordering this roll but had a change of heart right before the waiter had walked away. The waiter however had misunderstood and brought the roll for us anyway. When we had informed him of our change of mind- he kindly let us keep the roll and “try it out”. I am grateful I did get to give this a try- it was a great roll. The soft yam was a great combination with the crunchy tempura flakes. The sweet chilli sauce was to die for and really brought the whole dish together. Without the sauce, the roll would not be worth ordering.
Lastly- on the far right we got to try…
3. Spicy Tuna Roll $4
This was not a specialty roll- however, I would call it more than just your typical spicy tuna roll. Much more credit needs to be given! I could tell the tuna was top quality as it just melted in my mouth with each bite. The spicy sauce had a great bite to it and was not overwhelming.
I have also visited the new Sushi Bella on West 4th, Kitslano and found the quality to be just as great. I will say however, that I enjoyed the setting & service of the Kits location much more. The staff at both locations were extremely friendly, however, at the Lonsdale location our server seemed in a frenzy and made no effort to check up on our table once the restaurant started to pick up for it’s dinner rush. This was rather dissapointing to me- as I heavily rate the success of a restaurant upon performances during stressful situations. I particularly keep an eye out for dinner rushes and then observe how the employees handle the scenario- most important being whether their stress emits to the diners.
Overall, Sushi Bella is one of my top Sushi Good Eats in Vancouver. Although the service is not always consistent- the food has always been top quality. It is one of my favorite sushi joints and I highly recommend that you die hard sushi fans give it a try.
xo romina
