Kamei Royale Japanese Restaurant — Restaurant in Vancouver

Kamei Royale used to be housed in a building on Burrard for the longest time. I would meet my aunt there for lunch quite often, and I would always get their Noodle Combo B. How many years later, I finally decided to try out their new location. If you've been, then you know it is simply astounding how much decor they have managed to cram into the place, and it all looks like it belongs, there's nothing that looks out of place.

I went with my girlfriend for dinner and received exceptional service. Just as fast as we put in our orders, the food seemed to arrive at lightning speed. And this isn't to say that the food was undercooked or there was anything wrong with it, they were seriously just that fast with both our drinks and the food.

They basically peppered the table with dishes, and it was pretty overwhelming initially the number of items that were presented to us. But as I am a picky eater, it turned out that there were only a few dishes that I ended up eating. The rest I gave to my girlfriend, which she thoroughly enjoyed alongside her Happy Sushi Platter, I believe it was.

The Saikyo Beef Steak was divine, and the novelty of cooking it yourself made it all the more fun. I underestimated how hot the pot was going to be, though, as the beef cooked ridiculously fast. So fast, most of them turned well done before I could snatch them off at my preferred medium rare.

I grabbed a Tequila Lime Jello to try because it looked so peculiar, and I was curious how it would taste. Both my girlfriend and I vouch that you can not taste the lime at all, so if you just want tequila jello, grab one of these cubes. With the exception of the jello, everything else was beyond delicious.

Kamei definitely has my respect and gratitude, as there was a misunderstanding with the bill where I overpaid by more than a mile, and our server pointed it out to me. How many people are that honest anymore? Not only were our servers friendly and efficient, but they also had the kind of integrity that is sorely lacking in a lot of places these days.

Absolutely, I'm going to go back, and I recommend you try this place out if you...

TL:DR - good atmosphere but for the price you pay, it’s quite underwhelming.

Heard quite a bit of nice review prior to coming to the restaurant, but the overall experience were disappointing.

The outside and the inside decoration/atmosphere has some nice Japanese touch to it with a nice hint of Izakaya vibe. The restaurant itself is a bit “hidden” away from the main road and can be a bit difficult to find depending on which direction you are coming from.

Now, the most of the disappointment of this experience came from the quality of the food, which again, is quite disappointing for a Japanese restaurant. They didn’t have Uni at the time of visit, so they substituted the Uni with a diced blue crab meat with some mayo mixed together. Additionally, a whole bunch of sushi (without naming them individually) selection from the deluxe sushi platter is just meh at best. Fish doesn’t really have the freshest taste to it, and some of the toping is questionable. For one, what’s the purpose of the gold flakes on sushi? I mean if it’s Otoro or Uni or something a bit fancy/pricy I can understand, but none of the one that feature gold flakes are worth the effort. For the price we paid, I rather have the $ going towards higher quality fish/cuts. And just to add some salt to the insult, the one “sushi” that we enjoyed the most from the set was the torch seared wagyu, that we end up ordered another one, which speaks a lot how bad the fish quality is. The spring limited king salmon sashimi was good, but again, it’s not something that I would rave about either.

Something I do want to highlight is their sake. If you like sake, I HIGHLY recommend trying Kamei Royale’s original “Kamei Sake”. It’s one of the best I had in a while. And if I wasn’t traveling from the state, I would had brought a few...

Having heard rave reviews about Kamei Royale Japanese Restaurant, I was excited to experience their unique fusion of authentic Japanese cuisine and Canadian-inspired dishes. After my recent visit, I can confidently say that this restaurant offers an intriguing blend of flavors that caters to a variety of tastes.

One of the highlights of my meal was the sashimi. The quality of the fish was exceptional, with each piece expertly sliced and incredibly fresh. The flavors were delicate and well-balanced, truly capturing the essence of authentic Japanese sashimi. It was a delight to savor each bite, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying this traditional Japanese delicacy. Another standout dish was the lychee ball, which I found to be a delightful fusion of flavors.

However, I must admit that I was slightly disappointed with the lobster rolls. While they seemed to be a hit among local Canadians, I found the addition of asparagus to be an unconventional choice. While it may appeal to the local palate, I felt that it deviated a bit far from the authentic Japanese taste I was seeking.

Despite this small disappointment, Kamei Royale Japanese Restaurant offers a diverse menu that caters to both traditional Japanese food enthusiasts and those looking for unique Canadian-inspired dishes. The quality of the sashimi was exceptional, and the lychee ball was a pleasant surprise. If you're in the mood for a culinary exploration that combines both authentic Japanese cuisine and Canadian influences, this restaurant is worth a visit. Just be prepared for a few unconventional twists...