Bikkuri!

Today I couldn't face my lunch of leftovers, so Tanya and I went around the corner to Bikkuri, which literally means something like 'surprise' in Japanese.

I'd been there a few times before and I wasn't very impressed with their sushi (messy presentation), but I was craving it today so I had the Sushi and Tempura lunch special that came with salad and miso soup for $17.99. A lot of food, I know, but I was hungry. Tanya was much more sensible and ordered the Sushi lunch special that came with some nigiri and maki plus salad and soup for $13.99.

The salad came with the usual miso-ginger type dressing and was decent. The leaves were passably fresh and they were definitely generous with the dressing. The miso soup was also fine with little, tiny bits of silken tofu.

My tempura came before the sushi like an appetizer and it was pretty good. Two large shrimps, sweet potato, green bean, and some other things that I can't remember. The batter was crisp and light and not too greasy and the dipping sauce was tasty, but not too salty.

Unlike previous visits, the sushi was beautifully fresh and artfully presented. I was so impressed. The thing about making judgments on a restaurant is that it's only as good as the cook who makes your food on that day. The tuna and salmon were buttery smooth. It would have been such a nutritious lunch if I hadn't had the tempura. Guilt. Guilt.

Bikkuri is a bit more expensive than other lunchtime sushi places downtown, but it is good quality. I've had the soba noodles there in the past and they were lovely. If you're in the neighbourhood, it's worth going.