a peek inside the fishbowl

10 Jan, 2009

Sarah talks about her favourite food

Posted by andrea tomkins in: Multimedia experiments|Recipes and Food

 

The video above was taken before we went to 1000 Sushi Islands on Carling Avenue here in Ottawa. It’s been Sarah’s deepest desire to go there for some time, You see, they have these special hand rolls called Temaki (or Temike), which aren’t available at our regular sushi place. Sarah’s favourite temaki is made from a sheet of seaweed (nori) that’s wrapped in a cone shape, filled with rice, tempura shrimp, and cucumber. (They look like this.) It’s a perfect meal for kids (especially ones who don’t know how to use chopsticks) because they can hold it in their hands without making a huge mess like they would with ordinary sushi.

Despite the lure of temaki, Mark and I have decided never to return to 1000 Sushi, or any all-you-can-eat sushi places. We like sushi TOO MUCH to go to any of them ever again. (There are three in Ottawa now. )

The AYCE sushi concept is really only good for the kind of people who:

  • a) who know exactly what to order
  • b) don’t care and/or are willing to compromise on quality
  • c) don’t know where to get the good stuff
  • d) all of the above

At first I was excited by the AYCE sushi concept, but I’ve realized the quality of the sushi suffers at these kinds of eateries, as does the service and the general attitude all ’round.

Sarah’s special hand rolls looked okay (she ate two and said she liked them) but most of the sushi we ordered was just mediocre. It may have been the kinds we ordered. They were heavy with fried bits of tempura and whatever they use as mayo for the spicy ones.

The service was indifferent, to say the least. We were greeted near the door by a young woman wearing a heavy down parka.

“You got a reservation?”
It was only about 5:15. I peered behind her at a restaurant which was nearly empty. “Ah, no, we don’t.”

Young servers stood around in groups of three or four, chatting right near where we ate. The feeling I got from it was this: we don’t care about you.

Melamine cups of lukewarm green tea, lack of refills (why not just leave the pot?), warm ginger ale, mediocre sushi plunked down in front of us without care or explanation, plastic spoons (!) for our scoops of mango ice cream, the waitress who stood near our table and just stared off into space while we waited for our bill… all reasons never to return.

Check out what other people had to say about 1000 Sushi Islands at Ottawa Foodies.

We’re sticking with MHK from now on (there’s one here in Westboro!). We’ve learned our lesson. We get our money’s worth here, and the food is savoury, fresh and delicious, and it’s made and served with the kind of care that makes us happy we spent our money.

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11 Responses to "Sarah talks about her favourite food"

1 | Meagan Miller

January 10th, 2009 at 9:58 pm

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I too have had some mediocre experiences at 1000 Sushi Islands. A *slightly* better AYCE sushi place is Hockey Sushi in Kanata.

I also love MHK, but if you’re ever in Kanata and going to see a movie at AMC, Sushi Kanata across the walkway is FANTASTIC (and not AYCE).

2 | Virtually There

January 10th, 2009 at 11:46 pm

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Well, I haven’t tried 1000 Sushi Islands and now it’s fair to say I likely never will.

I haven’t tried MHK either but I’ve heard good things. We’re in the habit of making sushi at home when we have it (to save money). I don’t think Emily really knows there are restaurants that are JUST SUSHI. If she finds out, it will blow her mind.

It is, like Sarah, her favourite food by far. She’s only 4. How did I get so lucky?

3 | porter

January 11th, 2009 at 12:10 am

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We are a sushi loving family, all four of us (my kiddos are 3 1/2 and 5 1/2)…ask em where they want to go for lunch and dinner and they will pick our fav sushi place everytime! The kids know all the servers and chefs by name, and they know the kids. I love that they know us and I feel we get special treatment (they give the special treatment to lots of people because they have lots of regulars). The chefs like to make items that aren’t on the menu and send them to us for free…so fun to try completely new items.

I have had similar experiences with all you can eat sushi as well. Really, how can they pump our quality for cheap. The fish is never is melt in your mouth good, and I find even the rice isn’t seasoned as well as the higher end places. The place we are regulars at is pricey but I’d rather have great sushi less often than kinda okay sushi all the time.

I LOVE hand rolls…our place makes the.best.spicy.tuna.handrolls I’ve ever eaten…oh my gosh I could easily eat some right this second, or every single day of my life!

Funny you should mention the melamine tea cups, it’s just not the same!!!!

4 | porter

January 11th, 2009 at 12:13 am

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I didn’t even say how cute Sarah’s description of sushi was! She totally suits her glasses now, I don’t think I could picture her without them. Also, loved listening to your voice!

5 | Gliding through motherhood

January 11th, 2009 at 9:08 am

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I actually really like the AYCE sushi places, although we prefer Sushi Kan to 1000 Sushi Island by a long shot. I’m not a huge sushi lover so I like that I can try a lot of not terribly fishy things for cheap – so that’s probably a big part of it. I also find it better with a big group of people so can share a lot of stuff…
But I can see how it’s not ideal for REAL sushi lovers. My husband likes it, but would much rather go somewhere else.

6 | andrea

January 11th, 2009 at 9:47 am

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re: the melamine cups and plastic spoons. Funny how tea/ice cream does’t taste as good served in/with plastic. It’s like drinking wine out of coffee mug. It just doesn’t work!

Sakura Sushi is probably the best AYCE sushi I’ve tried around here. And it’s expensive for us. We end up spending less at MHK for better food.

7 | andrea

January 11th, 2009 at 9:49 am

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Ha, Porter. I hate hearing myself on tape! I can’t possibly sound so corny when I talk!

8 | Ginger

January 11th, 2009 at 10:15 am

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Ahhh….Sushi. I haven’t had any quality sushi since before I was pregnant. So so sad. I am the only one who likes sushi is my family. I really hope that I can impart my love of sushi to the boys!

9 | Tali

January 11th, 2009 at 12:56 pm

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Sushi kan is much better than 1000 islands, but, yeah, it’s the mcdonald’s of sushi…my kids love sushi and can eat a ton, and they eat for free at sushi kan, so it’s a cheap treat for us if we go for a weekday lunch. I order simple rolls or nigiri and tempura, and it’s pretty satisfying.

MHK is ok, but none of the sushi places I’ve been to in Ottawa match the quality I could get for cheaper either in Vancouver, or back home in Boston. I mean, we have spent around $100 at Kinki and the sushi was just alright, so we go to sushi kan so I don’t feel as ripped off :)

10 | The Veg Next Door

January 11th, 2009 at 5:53 pm

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I agree about MHK. We love the food and service. I agree with you regarding the AYCE places. We’ve been to only one near our old place twice and I found the food mediocre. You get what you pay for.

11 | LO

January 11th, 2009 at 7:48 pm

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Kanata Sushi is good-and service is good and not AYCE

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