Zenya — Restaurant in Vancouver

A bit let down by this onigiri food stall as the filling quantity and quality is very inconsistent. Maybe 1/3 onigiri have an adequate amount of filling, but 2/3 has almost minimal filling. If you've had any of the prepackaged onigiri before- they have much more filling than the onigiris here.

That being said, the onigiris are freshly made, when they do add enough filling inside, they're pretty good. The soup you get when you order 2 onigiris is great- has kelp and may be the best part of the meal.

If they could improve the consistency and amount of their fillings, this place could be pretty good, as is... maybe will hit the spot if you're craving onigiris, but personally I would get the premade ones instead.

Edit: in response to owner's comment, tried again today. Even with an order of the same onigiri (2x spicy tuna), filling amount was minimal in one, and good in the second one. Again, not a bad place to go, especially for the price, but would really appreciate consistent well-filled onigiris which would bump the rating up. At the current price and questionable filling consistency, I think the premade ones available at other Japanese places like ebiten and...

Located in the food court of International Village, formerly known as Tinseltown, Zenya Japanese Kitchen is a hidden gem for quick and comforting Japanese food. The star of the show here is their onigiri, and they offer a wide selection.

Onigiri, or Japanese rice balls, have a deep cultural significance in Japan. They have been around for centuries, originally used as portable meals for travelers, farmers, and samurai. Long before bento boxes became popular, onigiri were the original packed lunch. They represent care and home cooking, often made by hand for loved ones. To this day, they remain a symbol of comfort and tradition in everyday Japanese life.

At Zenya, prices for onigiri range from two ninety nine to three ninety nine. As of this visit, if you buy two onigiri, they include a miso soup with a strong and bold flavor that really hits the spot.

The way they wrap the rice is a little loose, so it helps to gently press the onigiri before peeling off the plastic. Take your time unwrapping it so you do not...

Kazu the owner and his awesome happy staff make the best fresh onigiris in town. Was attending my nieces birthday and wanted to bring some specialty items and this was a HIT at the party....people were wanting to pack one home for lunch tmrrw. Kazu San is an amazing kind soft spoken man ..he makes the labels as you order and makes the onigiris as you order too so they are nice and warm. We had spicy tuna ( not that spicy), spam, unagi (eel), salmon, and a seaweed/kelp . They were all super good....I actually really liked the kelp , spam and spicy tuna ....lol I left my phone at home so didn't have many pictures of the onigiri but a welcome addition to the Vancouver food scene. In the food court of the chinatown mall called Tinsletown. When u buy 2 onigiris you also get miso soup for free. Hopefully u visit this place soon. Free parking underneath the mall. Again apologize no photos of the...