I saw Sharon of @sk_sfoodaholic fame post about this take out and delivery only spot, calling it a hidden gem. So immediately I booked marked it for the next time I was craving real good sushi in Burnaby. And today was that day.
Sharon described her reel as being of “low quality” in comparison to the “high quality” sushi. Stating that she originally was only going to mention it in her stories, but the sushi was so good that she had to share it on her feed, for more to enjoy. And honestly that was the case for me today.
I write and review everything I see and do. And only give myself a pass on Uber and Skip the Dishes delivery orders. I consider them an indulgence and treat, reserving them for meals in, spent watching movies and playing video games. So basically they are a break from my hobby.
However, I had to share my new favourite spot for sashimi. But given the above, I only took one photo of the entire order, so bare with this wordy review.
When deciding on what to order, I was eyeing their most expensive and luxurious menu items. However, decided to order more in the mid range for my first taste. So if I liked it, I would order from them again, focusing on their more premium items.
Premium, like the Bluefin nigiri: generously cut bluefin tuna topped with sea urchin for $20 a piece. And the Ultimate Seafood Sashimi Rice Bowl: their most luxury seafood rice bowl, served with a whole Japanese spiny lobster tail, bluefin trio cut, giant scallop, sea urchin, and salmon caviar for $88.
Although in truth what we did get, the Deluxe Sashimi rice bowl, seemed of greater value. 18 pieces of assorted sashimi that included salmon, tuna, wild sockeye, tuna belly, salmon belly, yellowtail, spot prawn, surf clam, scallop, and octopus. Everything was so fresh and delivered at the perfect temperature. We took bites and savoured, really appreciating the creamier textures and the lush mouthfeel. Each piece a different story and taste.
In hindsight, I would have forgone the Deluxe Adventure nigiri combo. This was described as 10 pieces of the nigiri that is of the Chef’s Choice, where the “Value is Guaranteed”. What we had here was the same fish that we also had above, just over perfectly formed rice for easier eating. It tasted the same as the above, and without the choice of how much or little rice you pair it with.
Worth noting is the quality of the soy sauce, wasabi, and fresh ginger served with our order. None of it overwhelming and great at accenting all our fresh fish.
When I order from them again, I will only be sticking to their sashimi. We did not find their specialty rolls or fusion sushi all that tasty by comparison. It was not what I couldn’t get else were at a fraction of the cost.
The Aburioshi Salmon is 6 pieces of torched salmon topped with jalapeno and their house special sauce. Tasty enough with the thick sauce, but heavy. The rice was dense and the fish lost. Whereas it was bespoke above.
Similarly and even heavier and smothered more in flavour hiding sauce was the Dragon Roll. This was part of their Fusion Core specialty roll selection. 8 pieces of BBQ eel over top of tempura prawn, avocado, and cucumber roll. Heavy and dense, you were mostly chewing through mushy rice. The pops of fish roe did offset the texture a little. But all you tasted was sweet and tangy unagi sauce.
And seeing as I am currently on the hunt for the best Japanese curry in the city, I also ordered their Katsu Curry Rice Bowl Curry to try. This was generous amount of crispy breaded fried pork served over rice with a side of roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli. Upon reflection, I should have known this was not authentic; given the photo on the delivery site and the fact that it was broccoli and potato, which is very westernized. The curry sauce was served on the side to ensure that the fried pork cutlet kept crispy. The sauce itself was thick and quick to gelatinize. It was tasty overall, but did not speak to the tradition of sweet Japanese curry.
In short, order the sashimi or nigiri for fine quality raw fish at a relatively reasonable price. I highly recommend, as this is my new favourite place for sashimi in Burnaby.
Fusion Core Japanese Eatery
7894 6th St, Burnaby BC V3N 3N3
604-524-6596
fusioncorejapaneseeatery.com
