The Atmosphere:
I'll be honest; if you were to describe the design of Sushi & Roll, well... Just don't. There is absolutely nothing special about the interior (or the exterior for that matter) of this place. There are chairs, there are tables, there is a sushi bar, and there are washrooms (thankfully not in the same area). You do not get greeted by every employee there with an, "irasshaimase!" (in fact, I believe this restaurant is family business owned by Koreans), or have a hostess at the front bowing to anyone that walks their way. I usually write more about the atmosphere and design of a restaurant, but there really is nothing that stands out. There are booths on the side that sit about 6-8 depending on the size of each person and how comfortably you want to sit, there is an awkward pillar the is situated near the middle of the restaurant (which of course is part of the structural integrity of the building... I hope), there's even a tacky wallpaper with pictures of different types of sushi on the back wall... That's it.
The Food:
I'm going to go right ahead and skip straight to the food. This is why you should come to this place; you won't revel in its design glory, or be mesmerized by well, anything here... Except for the food. Now let me start by saying this. I am not saying this place offers the best Japanese cuisine in the Lower Mainland, and I sure am not comparing it to a place like Tojo's or even one of the Guu chains; this is a place that offers the stereotypical type of Japanese food that most North Americans imagine (such as rolls, sashimi, and udon), and they do it amazingly well for the price they ask for.
Their cones are decent, with a good fish to rice ratio and a nice flavour to it. They are not anything special, but if you are in the mood for a sushi cone then by all means go for it.
Again, for the price that you are paying, the tempura udon is not bad at all. The udon (whether packaged or self made) has a nice bouncy texture to it, and the soup is not too overpowering with MSG. They give you an abundance of ingredients, and the tempura that accompanies it has a light batter that does not taste too oily at all.
The miso soup a decent amount of ingredients in it, but again is nothing special. In fact, it tastes quite similar to the soup base in the udon... Won't recommend ordering just the miso soup by itself unless you have a massive craving for it.
The special rolls really stand out at Sushi & Roll. My two favourite rolls are the Volcano roll and the Flying Unicorn roll. The Volcano features spicy salmon and tuna sashimi with cucumbers surrounded by a deep fried California roll, covered in tobiko, green onions, and a mixture of mayonnaise and a bit of what I believe to be teriyaki sauce. The Flying Unicorn roll (not sure how they come up with these names) is actually no longer on the menu, but you can still order it if you ask the servers. It is a California roll covered with cheese, tempura batter flakes and green onions, then it is heated up until the cheese melts all over the roll. These rolls do not exactly scream originality, nor are they exactly health conscious choices... But if you are looking for that rich, full of flavour roll then definitely order at least one of these rolls. I come by here quite often, and I will always have that craving at least once a month to order one of these mouth watering rolls (I'm sure consuming these rolls have effectively cut down my lifespan by about a couple of years, but personally... It is totally worth it).
Overall:
Not going to lie, all that Sushi & Roll has going for it is the value you get for the amount of money you spend on the food. The restaurant itself is clean but boring, most of the servers are not very good with English, and the liveliest staff members are the chefs behind the sushi bar (who still are not too lively). What you get from Sushi & Roll though is excellent food for what you pay, and the quality is very consistent. If you're looking for the next Miku, look elsewhere; but if you want a solid roll or two for lunch or dinner, I would highly recommend dropping in for a bite if you're around the area.
Final Thoughts:
I think I've reiterated myself enough in this food bite already, but to sum it up - Come to Sushi & Roll for the best bang for your buck deals for typical North American Japanese cuisine; if you want an authentic Izakaya experience or Japanese fine dining, look elsewhere.
- Malffej
From my "food bite" on my blog: http://ffejiebytes.com/2013/12/08/food-bites-sushi-roll-psi/ read more