Wasabi Sushi Wonton House — Restaurant in Prince George

This is not a positive review so if that is a turn off, give this a miss.

I was in pg yesterday from 4 hours away. Until just recently, I have not eaten out much in the past 10 years: even before minimum wage went up and then everything else too, as I don't like to pay for what I can do at home just as well or better. I had planned to try the other Chinese buffet in town, but decided it started too late for me to get home at a good time. I love sushi and had looked at the photos and reviews of what was in pg.

I arrived before noon. A small simple place with a couple of available tables and I was quickly seated. In the short wait I had before things started coming, I noted a lot of walk ins for the prepared take out in a display cooler and a fair number were regulars from their interactions. And aside from the bento boxes I saw, there a couple of things that looked really good: specifically salmon sashimi on what looked like lettuce - I don't know if there was some dressing to it.

I like what I like and usually get the same thing wherever I go. If I liked it the first time enough I would return and try other things.

Miso soup - I like it flavored strong, this was on the side of watery. Not bad, just not how I like it. I had better at all you can eat in kamloops.

Unagi and Toro sushi - neither stingy nor generous, though more rice than average. As the unagi is usually lightly grilled, I had that first in one bite as is how most do it. It was cold. And huh, it made me stop: when I first saw it, it looked different from expected - instead of a light translucent glaze, a viscous dark brown/black covering 60% of it - oyster sauce, right out of the bottle... what the heck, why not ketchup. More on that later. It was only yesterday, but I don't remember how I found the Toro - must neither have liked or disliked it - either way, not a repeat for me.

Both the 2 piece prawn 4 piece tempura and the 10 piece karaage was $2 off as it was the lunch menu which was a bonus, nicer still was the karaage wasn't even on it but the server said they could do it. The tempura was battered, deep fried and then repeated, a practice common at buffets and lower end sushi places - the dipping sauce was too sweet to my liking, but I think most non Asians prefer it so. The karaage, seasoned then deep fried, in this case chicken, ought to be tender and juicy. It wasn't. Not burnt black, it was nonetheless approaching the crispness of potato chips. The 10 pieces were small, no doubt they would have been larger with less frying time. The last and largest piece I had was almost an inch cubed - it wasn't as hard as the others: it had the taste of chicken that was spoiling...

Now my major criticism:

For those who do not know, oyster sauce is a Chinese condiment with a strong taste. Why would you mask the taste of the fish? Together with the karaage, was it was an effort to save/make money off what should be tossed, not served. Heating ingredients release flavour, so don't grill the unagi, smother it with oyster sauce send it out. The chicken I am most offended at: the spoiled taste I could pick out even after it has been seasoned and mega deep fried. It takes a while for uncooked chicken to get there so the cook would have known it has been there a while: it would certainly have smelled off.

I could have said something at the time, but I am an idiot and it would only come together and then kept me awake later. I invite the owner(s) to respond as I notice some do. Unlikely, as the only acceptable response is to be accountable and publicly now.

I try to be fair and took some effort on this post. And I know things are tough on everyone. But a line has been crossed when a customer enters in good faith and the cook and/or owner thinks it okay to feed and charge that person for what they personally would not likely eat/pay for themselves. Plus a tea and a forced tip, this lunch was...

I’ve returned to Wasabi to offer it the persisted second chance. I’ve a lot to delve into, so let’s skip my lamented preamble and talk about the decor which--same as last time--looks to have been designed by someone suffering from agnosia (look it up)—irregular colored tiles, soccer flags from countries that never win the World Cup, and lamps plucked from a David O’Russel movie. So...yeah, typical for a sushi place. Likewise for the laminated oversized single page menu. I found my seat, was offered a menu, and was delivered my tea in only a few minutes. They defiantly cater to a rush.

And in a paper cup again—not sure why this is suddenly becoming a trend. I sat next to the heating duct so it felt like I was in a studio apartment in downtown Tokyo with a broken air conditioner. I ordered sushi and within minutes, I was served. That was a bit too fast, and my suspicions were proved immediately by warm rice. I repeat, the rice was warm, a cardinal sin for a sushi restaurant. And they STILL cut their sushi too large. Holy hell, I think these were larger than last time I was here. This is not value, people, and it’s not the habits of a good restaurant. To make matters worse, there was a flavour in the rice I couldn’t identify. Was the rice actually salted?

In defense, the miso was good. You know what, I am not sure people got what I was saying exactly 72 words ago. Each nigiri was like four inches long. Whose mouth can accommodate this? Please explain to me what makes Wasabi the often praised best sushi place in town. Disagree with my thoughts on Sushi Star, but Sendo, Tokyo—hell, the sushi bar at Superstore is better than this. You could add two more nigiri with the amount of fish on my plate. Lazy. I have recanted previous reviews based on repeated advice from friends. Only on a few occasions have my initial reviews been rendered incorrect. This is not one of those times. Wasabi either doesn’t read reviews or don’t pay mine any mind. And that’s okay. They are obviously successful so don’t require my criticism. But I cannot see myself returning with so many superior alternatives available. One thing is certain, Wasabi’s reputation as the best sushi restaurant in town is as deserved as 12 Years a Slave winning the best picture Oscar (Gravity all the way).

But let me end this review on a different note. I am getting increasingly annoyed at the judgement that non-Japanese cannot run a sushi restaurant. Let’s excuse the complete racist over/undertones of such a statement and state that some of the best sushi restaurants I’ve seen have been run by non-Japanese. It is honestly ignorant and factually incorrect—your ethnicity is not a requirement for culinary skill. In fact, sushi has spread so quickly throughout the globe, many neighboring nations to Japan can claim a lifelong training in the craft. So my criticism of Wasabi has nothing to do with the nationality of its owners.

By noon, this place was swamped, with the register constantly buzzing. Like I said; these people don’t need me...but given that same logic, most Chinese buffets in town are still in business. Catering to people who think nigiri is a country in Africa doesn’t make you the greatest restaurant in the world. Sushi places have an odd stratum to compare to. Are you better than Superstore sushi? Are you superior to what we can grab in thirty seconds walking into a big block retailer? If you cannot measure up, then you have a problem, and Wasabi has been left wanting.

Food: 2.5/5 Service: 3/5 Presentation: 3.5/5 Value: ...

After being away from PG for a couple years, I returned and went online to the Wasabi sushi menu online and noticed that they still had their Bento Box Chicken Teriyaki on special for $9.95. I called in and placed the order and was notified it would be ready in 10min. After arriving at the restaurant for pick up, the owner came out and told me it would cost over $15. I asked if they increased the price and he stated yes, by $1, with a rude and entitled demeanour! I didn’t want to cause a scene so I told him that’s fine. Then I informed him that the online menu is different from the menu that he supposedly updated. He didn’t even ask me if I would like a $1 off or anything. He said that we don’t have the time to update their menus online, which I thought was very unprofessional and unethical!

I tried talking to him about something similar and it seems like he was very condescending and didn’t want to hear it. So it went from $9.95 to $14.95; It’s not a special anymore. The only reason why I liked and recommended this place was because the prices were great! The sushi quality isn’t even that good, and the food taste bland! Not worth it without the old prices!

With the improper advertisement and the lack of responsibility and respect from the owner, I will definelty not be going back to this place! They start off by giving people deals than jack up the price when they attained enough customers! Way better places In PG than this little shady restaurant!!!

#not...