Arrived last week in Vancouver - useful facts (I hope)
#61
Re: Arrived last week in Vancouver - useful facts (I hope)
I sort of understand but I think there's more to it than that. Selecting the freshest and best part of the fish, knowing what flavours to combine, presentation of ingredients, speed of technique to name but a few. I find that, unlike western food, the Japanese food experience is a lot about aesthetic sensations rather than filling up the tank. Of course I might simply be romancing the concept too much.
#62
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: Arrived last week in Vancouver - useful facts (I hope)
I am not sure I agree. I don't know what Thai food "should" taste like. I would chose a restaurant where the staff spoke Thai rather than Cantonese in the belief that I am more likely to get authentic tasting Thai food. Of course, I could be completely wrong - but then I would never know in any case.
I want a roast dinner with Yorkshire pudding. There are two restaurants and I poke my head around the door of each. In the first I am greeted with "irasshaimase", in the second "ay up chuck". I am eating in the second.
I want a roast dinner with Yorkshire pudding. There are two restaurants and I poke my head around the door of each. In the first I am greeted with "irasshaimase", in the second "ay up chuck". I am eating in the second.
(Thai food here is generally adjusted to the local market even if it's got thai people running it. Typically it's remove the spiciness and increase the gloopiness - I suspect for Canadian and Chinese tastes respectively. I don't necessarily think adjusting food in this way is necessarily a bad thing, although with thai food it is, but with 95% of chinese food it's a bloody good job that they adjust it for western tastes imo).
#63
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: Arrived last week in Vancouver - useful facts (I hope)
I sort of understand but I think there's more to it than that. Selecting the freshest and best part of the fish, knowing what flavours to combine, presentation of ingredients, speed of technique to name but a few. I find that, unlike western food, the Japanese food experience is a lot about aesthetic sensations rather than filling up the tank. Of course I might simply be romancing the concept too much.
#64
Re: Arrived last week in Vancouver - useful facts (I hope)
Generally, Japanese trained sushi chefs have about ten years of training while Billy Bob on a Canadian equivalent of a YOP working in a low end restaurant isn't going to have the same level of skill, judgment and dare I say, dedication to quality. It's not really about ethnicity, it's about competency.
The point was made that locals had to start sweeping floors and spend years, perhaps 10, working the way up the ladder, whereas the Europeans could fork out (or chopstick out) $20k or so, and get qualified in 12 weeks.
#65
Re: Arrived last week in Vancouver - useful facts (I hope)
I'm no expert, But this 10 years training thing is a bit suspect. I recently saw (perhaps in the UK, I'm not sure) a documentary about European chefs taking training in Japan to become accredited sushi chefs.
The point was made that locals had to start sweeping floors and spend years, perhaps 10, working the way up the ladder, whereas the Europeans could fork out (or chopstick out) $20k or so, and get qualified in 12 weeks.
The point was made that locals had to start sweeping floors and spend years, perhaps 10, working the way up the ladder, whereas the Europeans could fork out (or chopstick out) $20k or so, and get qualified in 12 weeks.
Last edited by Oink; Sep 13th 2010 at 10:54 pm.
#66
Re: Arrived last week in Vancouver - useful facts (I hope)
Did you know that osmosis causes spotty-faces?
#68
Re: Arrived last week in Vancouver - useful facts (I hope)
I started eating sushi when i lived in vanouver for 9 1/2 months back in 07/08 when I was studying at SFU for 2 semesters, then I came back to the UK and its so expensive and the ones in supermarkets are gross in comparison i mean the tuna sushi here is made from tuna mayonaise!!!
Cannot wait to have real affordable sushi when i move over on my 12 month work visa in november
Cannot wait to have real affordable sushi when i move over on my 12 month work visa in november
Last edited by Londonuck; Sep 14th 2010 at 7:12 am.
#69
Re: Arrived last week in Vancouver - useful facts (I hope)
We visit Yo! sushi in the Uk because you can get miso soup and noodles which means he can eat raw fish while we still have a meal.
He is looking forward to moving to Vancouver next year as sushi is far more common than in the UK. In the cotswolds where we live you have to resort to going to tesco and buying a crappy little pack for a high price just to have something.
Sushi is really one of those things that you either like or don't. I can't stand it myself.
#70
Re: Arrived last week in Vancouver - useful facts (I hope)
Our family cannot stand it aside from my 13 yearold son who if he could would live on it.
We visit Yo! sushi in the Uk because you can get miso soup and noodles which means he can eat raw fish while we still have a meal.
He is looking forward to moving to Vancouver next year as sushi is far more common than in the UK. In the cotswolds where we live you have to resort to going to tesco and buying a crappy little pack for a high price just to have something.
Sushi is really one of those things that you either like or don't. I can't stand it myself.
We visit Yo! sushi in the Uk because you can get miso soup and noodles which means he can eat raw fish while we still have a meal.
He is looking forward to moving to Vancouver next year as sushi is far more common than in the UK. In the cotswolds where we live you have to resort to going to tesco and buying a crappy little pack for a high price just to have something.
Sushi is really one of those things that you either like or don't. I can't stand it myself.
Will attempt to find a decent one (if there is such a thing) in Edmonton, and revisit the taste
#71
Re: Arrived last week in Vancouver - useful facts (I hope)
Our family cannot stand it aside from my 13 yearold son who if he could would live on it.
We visit Yo! sushi in the Uk because you can get miso soup and noodles which means he can eat raw fish while we still have a meal.
He is looking forward to moving to Vancouver next year as sushi is far more common than in the UK. In the cotswolds where we live you have to resort to going to tesco and buying a crappy little pack for a high price just to have something.
Sushi is really one of those things that you either like or don't. I can't stand it myself.
We visit Yo! sushi in the Uk because you can get miso soup and noodles which means he can eat raw fish while we still have a meal.
He is looking forward to moving to Vancouver next year as sushi is far more common than in the UK. In the cotswolds where we live you have to resort to going to tesco and buying a crappy little pack for a high price just to have something.
Sushi is really one of those things that you either like or don't. I can't stand it myself.
Yo Sushi is all thats wrong with sushi in UK!
#72
Re: Arrived last week in Vancouver - useful facts (I hope)
I saw Rick Stein hack up a mackerel while it was still kicking on a fishing boat and serve it as sushi to some fishermen on the boat. They had mostly nee tasted it before, but seemed to like it a lot. I am sure that fresh, it is fantastic, but that is true for all fish really isn't it?
#73
Just Joined
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 4
Re: Arrived last week in Vancouver - useful facts (I hope)
After having a medical in June and are currently waiting a responce, it is nice to read a first hand account on what to expect on your arrival as it is always the samll things that can cause the most problems.
It is nice to see that you can now exchange your car licence so easy in B.C. now.
Many thanks
It is nice to see that you can now exchange your car licence so easy in B.C. now.
Many thanks
#74
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: Arrived last week in Vancouver - useful facts (I hope)
I made a double mistake a week ago. Firstly, I let down my guard and was influenced by other people's recommendations (most people have crap taste) and secondly, I went to an all-you-can-eat place for the sashimi, yuck, its was disgusting. From now on, and depending on budget, its either Tojo's, Yoshi's or Kibune, the rest can go and have a ride on a donkey.
My wife likes Kaydoya on Davie and thurlow which is pretty good for a cheaper place.
#75
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: Arrived last week in Vancouver - useful facts (I hope)
Of course that argument falls down because we do know better and we do know what it should taste like - otherwise why would we make the effort to find these 'authentic' places in the first place. Given a recipe and the right ingredients anybody who is good with food can make anything.
You wouldn't read "I went to a steak house and it was really good because all the chefs were white north americans" and I find it odd that we insist on it for other cuisines. I'm guilty of this too - experience has taught me that most thai restaurants in Vancouver are really chinese restaurants in disguise. It doesn't have to be this way though; plenty of people with chinese bankgrounds operated good thai places in bangkok (also when I was there and I wanted some western food I didn't seek out those places that had white european chefs).
You wouldn't read "I went to a steak house and it was really good because all the chefs were white north americans" and I find it odd that we insist on it for other cuisines. I'm guilty of this too - experience has taught me that most thai restaurants in Vancouver are really chinese restaurants in disguise. It doesn't have to be this way though; plenty of people with chinese bankgrounds operated good thai places in bangkok (also when I was there and I wanted some western food I didn't seek out those places that had white european chefs).