Taste of Yaletown - Honjin Sushi

Almost exactly a year ago I tried the Honjin Sushi Taste of Yaletown menu. With Brix closed for a private function and therefore not taking walk-ins, I ended up at Honjin Sushi again for a very late dinner (after 9pm).

Being across a courtyard opposite Urban Fare, Honjin Sushi is much less visible in Yaletown, but definitely worth a visit. Their Taste of Yaletown menu this year is much stronger than last year's, which had rice as part of your main.
Nothing wrong with it, but it stopped the momentum of a great meal after some really nice appetizers and a delightful sushi roll.

This year, their $29 menu (same as last year) did away with rice and yet still so very filling so that you will probably be grateful the dessert is just one scoop of ice cream.

APPETIZER
Honjin Tuna TsunamiChunks of Tuna, Mango, Avocado and cucumber in a fruity spicy sauce surrounded with three pieces of

Salmon Tartar:chopped salmon, avocado and cucumber served on a shisho leaf tempura
OR
Negitoro on toast:Chopped Tuna Belly and green onion on toast

SECOND COURSE
Choice of Roll:
Sunshine RollYaletown RollRainforest RollWest End RollRound House RollCaterpillar RollNHL RollButterfly Roll

MIXED MAIN DISH PLATTER (you get all items)
Chicken Teriyaki with mixed vegetable
Two pieces of Sakura Ebi Tempura:Tempura style Crispy Dry Shrimps on a piece of seaweed
Two pieces of Beef Enoki:Japanese enoki mushroom wrapped in beef
Two pieces of Ebi Mayo:Fluffy prawn with spicy mayo

DESSERT
Coffee Jello or Ice-Cream
Pair with a glass of white wine for the total of $33 (RIESLING DEINHARD)

It was just me tonight so I went with the Salmon Tartar, Yaletown Roll, and Green Mango Ice Cream.
TIP: Under NO circumstances should you use the soy sauce provided at the table, nor ask for any wasabi. Most items already come with their own special sauce, and I recommend you take the time to pay attention to the flavour of that as well.

Salmon Tartar

• I should have gone with the Tuna Tsunami because I had the Salmon Tartar before, and though it was delicious, I do like to try new things.
• Anyway, this fun-to-eat appy has a refreshing mixture on a fried leaf that is typically firm enough to pick up. Don't wait too long to do that, though. The mixture on top is wet, so be careful, and have your napkin handy.

Yaletown Roll

• Went with server recommendation on this one.
• Presentation is ACE. Not your usual roll where everything is tucked in and every piece looks the same. Here, the prawn an fish are draped artistically on the outside, and the tail of the prawns are used as well. Beautiful to look at and every bite is slightly different.

Mixed Main Dish Platter

• All pretty decent. The weakest item here, which you might want to eat first and wash down with tea, is the ebi mayo, which had a startlingly oily crust on it.
• The most interesting item was probably the Tempura Style Crispy Dry Shrimps on a piece of seaweed. Despite how it looks, you can pick it up like a cracker. Really interesting and tasty.

Dessert - Green Mango Ice Cream

• Not as sweet and intense as a regular mango ice cream.
• You can taste the very slight hint of sourness that comes with green mango, which makes it different and interesting from a "regular" mango ice cream.
• Just one scoop. Nothing fancy in presentation here.

Overall, Honjin Sushi gives beautifully prepared food, interesting to look at and eat. Honjin Sushi's 2014 Taste of Yaletown $29 promotion is superb value for what you get -- a filling meal, tasty food, artsy presentation. There's still time to go as TOY ends Thursday.

Late night service was attentive. Tea topped up regularly. No complaints there!