Meiten Japanese Katsu & Bar — Restaurant in Richmond

A Symphony of Flavors and Textures

From the moment I stepped into Meiten for lunch, I was swept into a calm, cozy escape that I hadn't dared to hope for. After seeing some of the recent disheartening reviews, my expectations were muted, but what unfolded before me was nothing short of a culinary revelation—one of the most satisfying all-you-can-eat experiences I've had in a very long time.

The menu at Meiten is a beautiful dance between the familiar and the wonderfully unexpected. Imagine biting into a crisp Gyoza, its delicate wrapper giving way to a savory filling, perfectly complemented by a bright, juicy ponzu that awakens your palate. Then there's the sashimi, each piece a testament to freshness: the buttery, thick-cut salmon melting on your tongue, the Hamachi Sashimi offering that pristine, ocean-sweet aroma that whispers of the sea.

As each dish arrived, it wasn't a rushed delivery but a gentle presentation, allowing you to savor every moment. You could almost hear the soft, inviting sizzle of the Chicken Karaage as it landed on the plate, still wonderfully hot from the fryer—its golden exterior giving way to incredibly tender, juicy chicken within, elevated by a punchy spicy mayo. The maki rolls were a work of art—cleanly cut, tightly rolled, and exquisitely balanced in flavor, a world away from any sloppy, hastily assembled creations.

It's the small, thoughtful details that truly steal your heart at Meiten. Take the Zaru Soba, for instance, served on a bed of glistening ice with a perfectly chilled dipping sauce on the side. It's a subtle touch, but it speaks volumes about the meticulous care poured into every single dish. You can taste this dedication in the Salmon Oshi, where the gentle smoky char adds a captivating depth to the buttery texture, and in the Salmon Tataki, which was pure silk on the tongue with just the right kiss of sear.

Here, service isn't about lightning speed; it's about allowing you to truly immerse yourself in the journey. You're not meant to devour your food; you're encouraged to relish each bite, each flavor, each moment. Meiten makes every second worth it.

Honestly, Meiten isn't just a restaurant; it's an experience that gives its neighboring competitor, Daimanya, a serious run for its money. My heart is already longing to return for dinner, eager to discover what other culinary...

Today on my day off, my family and I went out to explore and for lunch, we arrived at the Aberdeen Centre in the Richmond. I was hoping to find a restaurant that was simple, comfortable, and served delicious food. To be honest, I didn't have high expectations for the Aberdeen Centre as I didn't think there were many unique or tasty restaurants there. However, we stumbled upon a Japanese restaurant called "Mei-Ten" located at the southern end of the second floor.

Upon entering the restaurant, we were impressed by how spacious, clean, and well-lit it was. The seats were also generously spaced apart and we were greeted with a warm and authentic welcome in Japanese. Shortly after we were seated, a Japanese staff member brought us hot tea and the menu. However, after about ten minutes, we noticed that the sushi that was brought to us didn't match what we had ordered. As we were confirming the order with our server, the owner of the restaurant, a lady who I assume to be the proprietor, quickly came over to inquire about the issue. When she learned that we spoke Cantonese, she introduced herself as someone from Hong Kong who had taken over the restaurant a few months ago and was still in the soft-opening stage. She was extremely sincere in her apologies and immediately replaced our order while also offering us some Japanese snacks to enjoy.

As for the food, I would highly recommend their salmon sushi. The thinly sliced raw fish was bursting with flavor and much more delicious than the thicker-cut salmon sushi you would find at some other so-called Japanese restaurants in Vancouver. Additionally, their soy sauce was perfectly balanced with a sweet and savory taste, unlike the overly salty soy sauce that some other Japanese restaurants use. I ordered the chicken cutlet set meal and my granddaughter enjoyed the salmon sushi so much that she ended up eating half of my chicken cutlet as well. She said it was delicious! At around $19 CAD, you can enjoy an authentic Japanese set meal that includes a main dish, miso soup, rice, tofu, and pickles. Compared to other restaurants in Vancouver such as Hong Kong-style tea restaurants, this is an extremely good value for the price.

Ultimately, what sets this restaurant apart is not just the comfortable atmosphere and tasty food, but also the exceptional service. It truly was worth...

We Went to "meiten Japanese restaurant" for My mom's birthday dinner.

​We had tried...

hamachi toro and salmon toro sushi --- we like salmon toro more

​Deep fried jumbo oysters It's over cooked and chewy

​baked jumbo oysters My hubby likes their sauce. Jumbo oysters with sauce only, Didn't mixed with spinach and onions, But their oysters overcooked, too chewy.

Sashimi salad Few things sliced of salmon and 2 small Cube of tai and 2 small cube of tuna top of mixed greens Not worth for $19.

Agetashi tofu It's tasteless and They used hard tofu, Instead of soft tofu

​Prawn tempura Their batter too thick We don't like it...

BBQ pork jowl meat It's taste like eating pork fat to us.. Extremely salty

​BBQ short ribs 1st layer looks nice, got some meat 2nd layer mostly bones Too salty

BBQ salmon belly Put way too much sea salt on top

​Wagyu beef lobster oshi Thin sliced of half cooked tasteless beef on top of tasteless rice with tiny small piece of shrimp or lobster meat inside.. So disappointed. Not worth for $27

​Unagi cheese roll It's tasty, taste better than deep fried California roll and wagyu beef lobster Oshi

​Deep fried California roll Too oily

​2 glasses of Sapporo beer, ​1 bottle of premium sake.. ​ We are the only customer at dining area Around 8 pm, One group of people sat inside the VIP dining Room... It's not busy at all.. 😅

Even they got 15% off after 8 pm, excluding today special and alcohol.

They gave us 2 free baked oysters, Because we ordered over $100, But it's over cooked and too chewy, We cannot eat it, even my hubby Likes their sauce 😅

Service was good, because of we are only customer there. Paid $235 for 4 people after discount.

We used to go there for lunch, and always busy at lunch time .. used to be good food.. this is our first time to try their...