Makoto Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Burnaby

A Gem Tucked Away in Burnaby

This past Friday night, I stumbled upon a hidden gem in Burnaby: Makoto, a charming little Japanese restaurant with a warm, family-run atmosphere. Stepping inside, the decor was unpretentious, focusing on clean lines and a comfortable ambiance. It became immediately clear that the focus here was purely on the food.

Despite being a two-person operation, the service was surprisingly swift. The husband, who skillfully doubled as both bus boy and server, was incredibly efficient. While the wife worked her magic in the kitchen, he expertly handled the floor, his genuine warmth adding to the homey feel of the restaurant.

Now, onto the star of the show: the food! I started with the agedashi tofu, a classic Japanese dish that can be a true test of a restaurant's skill. Makoto's rendition was nothing short of delightful. The tofu was perfectly cooked, achieving that delicate balance between soft and firm. The light, flavorful dashi broth it was bathed in was a symphony of umami, and the accompanying crisp panko crumbs added a delightful textural contrast.

Next up were the crispy California rolls. I have to say, these are a must-try for any California roll enthusiast. The seaweed salad (a delightful surprise!) added a touch of freshness and a delightful crunch, while the avocado and cucumber offered a cool counterpoint to the savoury crab meat. The true star, however, was the tempura batter — perfectly light and airy, it encased the ingredients without overwhelming them.

Finally, I couldn't resist the ten tama don, a dish featuring plump shrimp tempura and a perfectly cooked, fluffy egg. Each spoonful was a delightful combination of textures and tastes, with the delicate sweetness of the egg and the savory pops of the shrimp.

The entire meal was surprisingly affordable, which only added to the overall satisfaction. Makoto isn't a place where you go for fancy ambiance or a trendy scene. It's a place where you go for delicious, authentic Japanese food prepared with care and served with genuine hospitality. The husband-and-wife team at Makoto are clearly passionate about what they do, and it shines through in every aspect of the dining experience. I left feeling happy, content, and already planning my next visit. If you're looking for a hidden gem in Burnaby that offers fantastic Japanese food at a great price, Makoto is definitely worth...

Been here a few times over the years, but this restaurant seems to have declined. There are a few things that really set me off recently and probably won't be going back again out of practicality.

When we ordered over the phone, we knew what we wanted out of the special lunch menu, but we were asked to recite the item #. While looking up the online menu, we were promptly hung up on.

Then we called again, reciting the item # over the phone after checking the menu online again. Before confirmation of the items, the person over the phone said "20 mins" then hung up.

We had an item out of the lunch special for the kids, so we called back to confirm the item number. This time we received the confirmation "with Yes I got it" We had wanted to order another tamago nigiri later but refrained because we didn't want to deal with the 4th phone call for a single order.

When we picked up the order, the guy was fine. Seemed nice, but busy / distracted. After we got home one item was wrong. We had to explain to the kid why her lunch is missing.

The sushi portion is regular or on the slightly smaller side. Seems hastily rolled together. Taste is OK. We don't really expect anything out of the ordinary out of these North American "sushi" rolls.

The mom & pop that stations the restaurant seemed to be the only staff on site this may explain why the approach to phone orders.

As their neighbor I hope they survive, but I do not wish to risk my kid's lunch over the lack of phone order etiquette. So I will not order from this restaurant again. There are plenty other...

Upon seating, we were given a paper to write our menu items down. We wrote group 1, group 2 and group 3 because we had three couples. When he took the paper to the computer to input the order he told us that he couldn't do three bills and all three would be put on the same bill. we said sure because that wasn't really a problem.

The problem was when our food came. Instead of putting it in the groups we had listed because obviously, we had three parties with us. It was all mashed up and put together, we had to promptly move some of our items off the serving plate to our eating plates because we weren't sharing but eating within our own (couple's) groups. We even had to switch seats at one point because we were reaching across the table at our food on the other side.

We asked for tea three times. First time didn't hear us we assume, second time said he okay. When asked the third time he told us to help ourselves over by the table. He should have said that in the first place, no?

For the price, he is charging. The Sushi was alright. Nothing bad, nothing special. The beef yaki udon didn't seem to have any beef in it and was super small portion.

This place feels like an order at the counter and they bring you the food kind of deal because once you order and you get the food there is no service. When he brings the food he just "throws" it on the table closest to the edge he's closest to.

He is the only server and there are 3-4 tables going at once but service needs to be...