Review Furusato Japanese Restaurant - Edmonton

Twenty plus years ago I visited Furusato. It was the spot for sushi, I even drove once from Calgary to Edmonton and dining at Furusato was the highlight of the trip. Fast forward two decades, I brought my kids to enjoy the same sushi restaurant I enjoyed so much. The reviews were great and they got 4.5 stars according to Google. The only thing that seemed to remain the same was the decorations from 20 years ago. The ownership was changed, the place was less busy (Sat night). The seafood portion was good for the price, the major downfall was that the sushi rice was not seasoned with vinegar for the nigiri and the chirashi don. I was surprised most of the google reviews gave them a 5 stars despite this short coming. Other than that, the service was great and prompt. They even threw in a deep fried salmon head for free.

Food was below average, yellowtail was gross, squid was mushy. But if it was for the food itself, I would give it 3 stars. Service was horrible. Server kept coming to check on us every few minutes, which I can appreciate why, but was really annoying. She was taking away dishes that we haven't yet finished, as if she was in a rush to get us out of there at 8:00, and it was not busy at all. Then she brought us the bill and kept asking us to pay. Never going back again.

Wow have they gone downhill! Used to be pretty reliable quality. Fish was quite flavourless, not well prepared. Rice was not seasoned and the tempura in our maki roll was stale. We didn’t even finishing our food it was so disappointing.

One of my favourite Japanese places in Edmonton. Staff is very friendly and the ambience is very nice and cozy. The free salmon head is a nice gesture and the Dragon Roll is amazing. Would also recommend the Beef Teriyaki. So good!

This seems to be a hidden gem in Edmonton. The staff is sweet and kind. The food delicious and worth every penny. Try the butterfly roll at the end of your meal, it's a must. My best friend brought me here and as we got close I wasn't sure but after my first bite, I fell in love.

I wish I could write a positive review but alas ... if your concept of Japanese food includes a bento box with plain iceberg lettuce, a few orange slices and some salty teriyaki, then this would be the place. Also lots and lots of styrofoam packaging.

The rolls were delicious. The service was a little hit and miss. The worst part was my tuna taktaki was really fishy, i couldnt eat it and they still charged for it.

This place is a gem. We did pickup because of the whole covid thing. They did a great job ensuring our food traveled to our home without getting soggy. Food was fantastic! I highly recommend the chef's sushi picks.

Really good food. I had the chicken combo which comes with tempura, sushi or sashimi. My fiancé got the beef bento and it included the tempura plus sushi or sashimi. Quality of the fish was ok, it wasn’t as fresh. The wasabi was amazing. We also had a spicy tuna tempura maki which was out of this world! Our waitress even gave us some free desert which was tempura banana with some drizzled chocolate. Yummy fun with affordable prices!

extremely bad place, I would recommend to never go there. Rest. owner is worst person I have ever seen. extremely disrespectful GUY. He doesnt know what customer service is.

Huge variety on the menu. Plenty of choices for non fish eaters. Ordered many dishes and sushis and all were very tasty and well prepared. Service was excellent and prices reasonable. The teriyaki chicken was some of the best I've ever had.

Small, authentic and very good food. Tuna in ponzu was a little disappointing but overall was very good and fresh seafood. Good service. A little quirky in the order food was brought out. My daughter ordered a bento which included tempura while the rest of us shared items including an assorted tempura. The items listed as an appetizer in the menu came out last and my daughters tempura came at the end as well despite the other tempura coming much earlier? Food was all very good though. Fried bananas coming at the end as a free treat made our night. Price was very reasonable and staff were friendly and courteous . Will definitely return again.

If you are looking for great food and a cozy atmosphere on Whyte Avenue,  check out Furusato! The food came out decently fast and it felt like authentic Japanese cuisine.

Do not eat here, worst Japanese food I've ever had in Edmonton, portions are shit, prices are high. I ordered the yaki ebi (pan fried shrimp) and it came out as 4 tiny shrimps and it costed me 5.99. The sushi rolls were alright and the food came out slow, I noticed tables beside me got their food faster than us. The staff is also a shit show, everyone clearly being chinese, and some guy that looks like a manager a complete asscrack. The waitress made a simple mistake on an order and you can see and hear her getting told off. Complete disrespect for employees and staff. Do us all a favor and dont eat here, spend your money elsewhere. <br/>

Decent Japanese food, decent interior, and odd hours. The menu is just like every other average Japanese restaurant in Edmonton. Food quality is just okay. Nothing worth bringing me back

The food may be good but this place has the ambiance of a serial killers hunting ground. I could hear the theme of cops running through my head as I walked up and expected the swat team to come running up with a battering ram any second. What didn't help matters was the drug deal going down out front. They were so so comfortable that they weren't even trying to be shady. Will never go back. I prefer restaurants where it is safe to go to my car after the meal is done.

Best Japanese in the City. I have come here multiple times and I have enjoyed it every time. The food is quite good and the staff are very warm. I come here for the udon soup which is my favorite Japanese dish (I'd recommend the tempura udon). The downside is the food is quite expensive here. I know Japanese food is expensive in Edmonton but having to pay $15 for a bowl of udon is hard to swallow when its $2 in Japan.<br/><br/>Will be back!

Good atmosphere, highly disappointing food.. The atmosphere was quite nice. They got the japanese atmosphere down quite well. However, there were spider webs on the wood which made me scared. <br/>We spent $50, dinner for two. We had the beefdon and the yakisoba. The gyudon was passable. Didn't wow us however. The yakisoba.... was, something I am positively sure I will never eat again from a restaurant in north america. The fish cakes that came before were also passable. We had one of the japanese sodas at the front... and it was quite good. <br/><br/>I wouldn't recommend this to anyone in my entire life. <br/>After entering, it took them 20 mins to take our order. And then it took another 45 to get our food..... I can't...

Disappointed. I was disappointed with all employees were Chinese and they spoke their own language loudly. It is annoying. Only one Japanese worked there and her service was really good. She seemed to have had hospitality mind. However the others didn't even smile, just said something roughly when I visit there. So many Japanese restaurants are getting built in Edmonton nowadays. Even though this restaurant doesn't have originality, hospitality and careness. The foods were boring. There was nothing outstanding there.So I wonder how they keep their buisinese in the future.

With New Management comes a return to the Old Furusato we loved!!!. Furusato was the be all end all of Japanese food in the city of Edmonton for years. When the original owner's sold the restaurant years ago the service and consistent quality we had all grown to love also left. I'm pleased to say the restaurant has new ownership once more and these owners are making all the right choices to bring this restaurant back to all its glory.<br/><br/>This is once again by far the best Sushi I have had in Edmonton. Pleasant, quick and attentive service from the wait staff. The food was fresh and delicious. They even offered us a complimentary appetizers of fresh halibut tempura with plum sauce. It was a nice added treat and we left having eaten just the right amount of food to have felt not too full and not still hungry.<br/><br/>If you were a fan of this restaurant in the past but felt as though things had gone down hill, give them a chance again! I promise you won;t be disappointed!!!!! Highly Recommend!!!

Authentic Japanese Cuisine. I have often seen this restaurant driving down Whyte Ave but it looked very un-inviting from the street. The inside is very different. Cosy and authentic looking with warm wood ceilings.<br/><br/>My son who has lived in Vancouver states that their sushi and sashimi rivals the best he found in the "sushi capital of Canada". The miso soup was hands down the best we have ever tasted. I found the slices of sashimi a bit large but very fresh and delicious (salmon and tuna). The tempura was large and lightly battered. The eel roll was the best!<br/><br/>Very busy on a Sunday evening with many Japanese patrons including a Japanese Grandmother. Good sign of an authentic Japanese restaurant. We are definitely coming back!

Disappointing. I've been going to Furusato for a number of years now, tonight I was a bit disappointed with my most recent visit. The owner was working at the sushi bar and overall the quality was not as good as previous visits. In addition, a significant part of our order was missed. After a long wait and some confusion, we cancelled that part of our order. I was also disappointed that the owner did not seem to care about this, no apology or goodbye when we left. Considering the numerous new japanese restaurants opening in Edmonton, I will be giving those a try instead.

Decent sushi. Kind of overpriced. Try the black cod here.

Pleased.. The service was pleasant, fast and efficient. The prices are a bit steep but the food is delicious. The decor is strange and delightful.

Terrible service. I have been to this place a couple of times. Their service is always really really slow. The last time I went there, there were 9 of us. When they brought my meal AT LAST, everyone else's was finished. To make it up to me, they brought me one scoop of green tea ice cream, which I hate, without even asking me if I want it or not. <br/>It gets better if you are only two people and their food quality is acceptable for their prices. But overall, I was never satisfied with their service.

Worst Japanese Restaurant. This is without a doubt the worst Japanese place I have ever been to.<br/>The rice was horrible, service is not authentic Japanese, the menu has a short selection.

Didn't get the chance to even try our sushi. The waitress was so terrible and incompetent that we had to leave! The mistake she made was easily fixable but she decided do deal with it by loudly speaking to the kitchen explaining to them how she was right and we were wrong. For whole restaurant to hear! How are they still open with that attitude?

I have yet to find good sushi in this city! ...mainly my fave, a dynamite roll. On the West Coast, in this roll you would typically find daikon, avocado, tempura prawn, chili sauce and japanese mayo. I have found nothing even remotely close to this and am becoming deprived :( Suggestions would be greatly appreciated, Emontonians!

Great atmosphere!. Love coming here for the ambience and great service. The sushi is top 3 I've had in Edmonton and consistently good. Never a disapointment here.

I went here with hopeful expectations. Unfortunately I was very disappointed. Aside from getting our order wrong, the rolls had too much vinegar in the rice. Most disappointing was the katsudon. Of the pork and rice combo, the only thing I could eat was the rice. The pork was obviously old and dry. Completely in edible. I explained this to the server to no response. I can't say I will ever return. I have never posted review before. But, I felt I absolutely had to share my experience with Furusato. I hope this will be of help to you.

Great food, expensive though.. The meals are complete, the pieces of sashimi are huge and fresh, the selection is great. The price is a little on the expensive side, but that should not hold a sushi fan back.

Best sushi hands down in Edmonton! Black dragon roll best ever. Delighted they're open for lunch as well. Get down there people!

What happened?. This used to be my favorite Japanese restaurant but their service + quality has gone downhill. My family and I would go here all the time but our last couple experiences were awful. We haven't been back since

Not sure. A couple of years ago, I remember having to wait in line to get a table at this restaurant. When we got there at 6pm, it was virtually empty. <br/><br/>We ordered sake, sashimi, and tempura. The food was decent considering the price (by edm standards). But we got overcharged by 15 bucks. I just don't understand how mistakes like that can be made.<br/><br/>I would not go again.

Used to be my favorite go to place. It's switched owners and is now owned by Chinese people. Rolls are now just mediocre.

Delicious every time!. Furusato is definitely the best sushi restaurant in Edmonton. I have been to Kyoto, Mikado (overpriced), Maki Maki...and the freshness of the fish just doesn't compare to the amazing Furusato! <br/><br/>Might wait a little bit longer than usual for your food to come so order an appetizer like the Tuna Tataki (incredible).

Great place and great service. I work close by and eat here atleast twice a week , the prices are fair and the food is good , the only thing that drives me about the place is that there is no where to check the menu for take out . check this place out best sushi on whyte ave

Satisfactory. 2-stars.. The service was terrific (having a reservation might have made a difference) - we received a free appetizer of salmon balls, and a christmas gift for our host at the end of the meal. My favorite order (and barometer of a return-worthy Japanese meal) is the sunamuno salad. This one had barely any seaweed, and the dressing was bland. There were only two pieces of octopus. THe assorted sushi selection had a peculiar roll with green-colored caviar, which we regarded as something extraordinary, therefore given to our host. She went into a 5 minute coughing fit! There must have been pure wasabi underneath the green roe. [Incidentally, no staff was in sight to offer assistance]. Thankfully she recovered and was able to resume our good time together. The shrimp and vegetable tempura was somewhat greasy for my taste, but good nonetheless.The tuna sashimi tasted previously frozen. In spite of the food quality being marginal, we had a wonderful memory.

From Calgary, the overall experience is pretty good. Would recommend to the others. The assorted sashimi is one of my favorite. And I also like the setting in the restaurant.

Unimpressed - I have been to furusato a few times and have never had a problem ordering off their menu. The menu has changed a lot and I'm guessing so has the ownership. They had very little knowledge on what was gf in their menu and after asking brought me a salmon skin roll with Teryaki sauce on it... The sashimi is impressively huge still tho. We enjoyed our meal while listening to all the staff talk loudly to each other (we were the only people in the restaurant.) very sad this was the best sushi place in the city!!

It's... Barely Okay *shrug*. I've only tried this place in the last year so I don't know about how it used to be. What it is now however, is lacking. <br/><br/>I'm not really sure where to start. The service was slow (too many tables per server), the tea was just okay, the miso was barely passable, the rice had an odd un-sticky texture, the rolls were uninspiring, the tempura wasn't bad (better than some in Edmonton so far), the Kara-age was abominable (unseasoned, un-marinated, deep-fried chicken wings), the sashimi was alright, and the price was just too much all things considered.<br/><br/>Simply put, everything seemed to be missing something and the price has kept me away.

AWESOME!. One of the best japanese food I've had in Edmonton. It's a small and packed restaurant, but again the food was awesome. Service was average. Come early as you may have to wait, but it is so worth it!

Sashimi only please. Ever since they changed owners of the restaurant, I've been reluctant to go there because of fear the food would taste worse. The sashimi is decently priced and fresh as it always was. The rolls are ok but I've had many rolls that tasted better. I am usually a huge fan of chop chop (scallops with the mayo and fish roe), however it tasted awful here. The service is friendly, the restaurant is small and comfy. I would recommend this place for sashimi but probably not for any rolls. Thier cooked food is alright.

Meh.... On the whole, I was not very impressed with Furusato's flavor scheme. Our meal began with the BBQ squid, which while novel and full of potential, was dry and seasoned only with an all-too familiar cheap and salty creole seasoning. Our main course consisted of two pieces of unagi sashimi (eel) which were very flavorful and well-proportioned, as well as a large avocado roll that did not disappoint. The creamy avocado was great with the fried shrimp tempura. However, the other half of the meal was disappointing. Our spicy tuna roll, a staple of any sushi experience, was pasty and wet, almost a "too much mayonnaise" sensation. Our volcano rolls were similar. Any nuances of flavor were completely eclipsed by a hot, acrid curry sauce poured over the top of each roll. Overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere, but I wouldn't recommend Furusato to my friends.

Cozy atmosphere, great sashimi. Service: good<br/><br/>Atmosphere: cozy if you go during off-peak hours; overcrowded if you don't <br/><br/>Food: 1) assorted sashimi - big pieces for most part, fresh, tasty fish 2) I Love You roll - tastes great, great presentation (rolls arranged as hearts) 3) Green tea, chocolate, and vanilla ice cream - all flavors tasted great; very affordable as well at $1.75 for 1 scoop. 4) House white wine - dirt cheap at $4.50, good quality. <br/><br/>Bill: our choices were quite reasonably priced, on par with other restaurants of this caliber (e.g. Kyoto). Sashimi ran about $19 and the roll (12 pieces) was about $13. Total bill was around $45. However, there were a few menu items that cost quite a bit more than at other Japanese restaurants, so order wisely.<br/><br/>Verdict: will come again

It's getting worse everytime I go. I am going to avoid it all together until they up the quality of the food.

Awful & Rude. What is about this place? Crowded, basic, dirty. Rude staff, rude owners, no reservations possible, customers are treated with a standard contempt. Is it only about food, forget the rest? I hate Furusato with a passion. I hate that we are treated like cattle and are stupidly polite about their lack of professional standards. But do they know any better?

Furusato Japanese Restaurant is wonderful. I never ate at the Furusato as I confused its location with another Japanese Restaurant on Whyte Avenue that I did not like but I went this as a friend recommended it highly. I was so sorry that I had inadvertently avoided this modest looking restaurant all these years..The food is in a word..fabulous. For other words about it try,"fresh, delicious, well prepared, luscious, inexpensive, traditional" and the entire experience surrounded as I was with Japanese guests eating there also made it feel as if I had been dropped into a little home restaurant in Kyoto. I had the sashimi which was the very best I have had in Edmonton by far. It is not the fanciest place but it is surely as fresh as one can want and for sashimi, that is what one must demand..and here one gets it. The waitress was very sweet and the service was perfect. I loved the entire place and it is now my favourite restaurant which led me to write this. I am not free with my accolades for restaurants so treat this seriously.

Doesnt like it. We went there couple week ago for my siser s birthday, we were so disappointed for what we paid for , we ordered beef sashimi , only got maybe 8 very thin slices on the plate for $11.95, way over priced, and the ponzu sauce tasted different than what it used to be, we also got the beef teriyaki dinner that came with soup and rice, it was not a busy night but we still had to wait for 35mins for that, the steak was chewy and tough, we ordered medium-rare and we got close to well done. <br/>we got a bowl of some fish balls for appetitizer, it had a weird taste , like some old fish meat mixed with flour or something, didnt like that at all<br/>the only good thing we recommend to have is the chicken and tempura combo<br/> what comes the worse was when we were paying next to the sushi bar, we saw the woman who was making sushi had blue nail polish on her fingers and she didnt even wear gloves. we were glad we didnt order any that day. <br/>we will never go back aagain. better go mikado or yokozura better qaulity.

Loves it. Best sushi and japanese restaurant in this city.. <br/>Don't turn away from this place because it looks deceiving on the outside but once ur in its so cozy and hommie like...<br/>For the two of us ( my wife and I ) Our dinner came to about $50 dollars.. which was really cheap for the meal we had.. I had the special box which consists of tempura, salmon and tuna sashimi along with assorted pieces of sushi and to top it off, it came with icecream...My wife had the Chicken bento box which was also quite filling. <br/>Staff was really courteous and friendly.. will definately return..

Great food. If u haven't tried their food you should! Here is what I had with my sister for her 26th birthday there! Starters appetizers. 1/2 ebi tempura 9.95 gyoza 5.95 dinner rainbow roll 10.95 and 1/2 tuna sashimi 10.00 2 misos for 5.00!! They have the best miso in town they def aren't stingy on the tofu and greens some places charge 3.50 for a small bowl! All I am saying is that it was like a meal in it's own! My sister and I sat at a table for two along the sides of the resturant given it was a Friday night the service was top notch and friendly! The place is small and you can hear other tables converations but unless your really trying to listen it didn't even bother us! I researched the name and it means hometown! I found that very intresting because I felt at home very much so! I visited japan late spring of 09 and lived there for 6 months to fill a teaching position, I must say I felt like I never left walking into Furusato !! Thumbs up and koodos to the business!!

Awesome.. just awesome. I so agree with the last review... I too am a regular at Furusato and i've never had a bad meal.. Yes at one time or another food did take a while but you got to understand that when a restaurant is at full capacity u will have to wait...and as for the prices.. If you're complaining that the prices went up a buck or 2 then u shouldn't be eatin out.. that just tells me how cheap u are, so just stay home... <br/>I always order black cod, followed by a medium sashimi..mmm so fresh..and big slices.. my girlfriend is in love with the dragon roll and the avocado rolls.. so delicious...<br/>As for the new owners.. congrads to them cause i know maria and dave worked hard to get to where they are now..Besides.. i don't think Yuji would have sold it to any body else...<br/>Keep up the good work...

Furusato best Japanese restaurant in Edmonton by far. I have been going to Furusato for the past 5 or so years and have made it one of my regular places that I go to on a bi-weekly basis. During this time I have become quite close with the owners and got to know them on a first-name basis as well as a collection of some of the servers. I tend to really enjoy the entire experience when I am there, the food is exception, staff is friendly -though I agree with a few of the negative comments about the staff because occasionally I have had a server that is not really on point and things take much longer then usual. However as a business owner myself I know how hard it is to find good staff and when I have returned the issue seems to be sorted because they have found a much more suitable replacement. Currently based on my last visit a week ago I must say the staff now have never been better.<br/><br/>As for the comments regarding the change of ownership I am quite annoyed by the ignorance here and feel it my duty to let everyone know the whole story.<br/><br/>The restaurant was founded about 17 years ago by a man named Yugi, who is an excellent Japanese chef. The new owners are not new to Furusato but in fact have been working there for 17years and her son for 14-15years. Basically what I am trying to say is that its been the same people cooking this whole time that some of you reviewing on this site decided it was once good and not now. <br/><br/>I know its easy to jump on the hate bandwagon when a change of ownership happens but this is hardly a transaction where the new people in charge dont know what they are doing.<br/><br/>My favorites continue to be the salmon sashimi the pieces are huge, fresh and it has an incredible texture. lol @ the girl that said they were too big and that they tasted like raw fish, duh it is. Seriously.<br/><br/>The black cod, bbq squid and they have updated their wine list to have an incredible bottle of Sagaramoso Amarone 750ml for only $49.95, which if you know anything about wine is a total steal.<br/><br/>Another change that I just found out about is they are now open for lunch too but unfortunately I got there at 12:30 and the restaurant was fully seated, next time I better try to get there by 11:45 to avoid disappointment.<br/><br/>If you dont already know about it check it out furusatojapaneserestaurant.com.

Went there for my birthday & was totally disappointed in their food quality. Been there before but under new ownership & it's bad. Cucumbers in kappa maki were yellow so it's definitely bad cucumbers. Tuna was very stringy as they didn't know how to cut it properly. High priced for way too much rice & barely there sushi. It's bad when the centre piece of your California roll equals the inside of the cucumber roll. Can definitely tell it went downhill as we went during dinner rush & we were seated within 10 minutes, something which didn't happen under the old ownership 'cuz the wait was worth it. Now? Not so much. Won't be going back.

The new ownership, is taking the place to a wrong direction price increase and quality drop. The place is no longer pack like before, avoid this place if u want some decent jap foods try wasabi or mikado.

BEST TUNA EVER!!. Me and Boyfriend go to Furusatos once a month if not more. There Tuna Sashimi is the best I ever had. The peices are big it is always fresh and it melts in yoyr mouth like icecram. The service is great and the prices are not that bad. We have created the best meal.<br/><br/>Try this meal the next time you are there:<br/>Tuna Sashimi<br/>Spinach salad (Gomedare)<br/>Beef Sashimi<br/>Chop, Chop<br/>Your choice of a roll, (try there Spider Rolls)<br/>Green Tea and Saki<br/><br/>Everything works so well together.

New owners, below average sushi. Don't be deceived by their Vue weekly award for best sushi for 2009 - the review was done before the new ownership. Went for lunch today and it was very disappointing:<br/><br/>1) Sushi rice was mushy and SOUR.<br/>2) It took a long time for the food to arrive - and the restaurant was pretty empty.<br/>3) The sashimi was not very fresh - had a weird mushy texture to it... hope I don't get food poisoning.<br/>4) They have regular soy sauce at the tables - which is much too salty - instead of the ones used for sushi.<br/>5) The waitress didn't come to check on us and I had to go find her to get the bill. I did overhear her chatting the whole time behind the counter.<br/><br/>Edmonton pretty much lost another good sushi place. I will probably not go back again.

Owner change since summer 2009. Price went up, quality went down. Furusato used to be my best jap. Choice in town. Now I have to find a new place.

Great selection. Every time my boyfriend and I go here, we have troubles deciding what to get. Everything is so good. We always end up with a full table, full stomachs and a full doggie bag. =)<br/><br/>The decor is a bit blah, but IMO, I got to restaurants for food not decor. hahaha.<br/><br/>The fish is very fresh. The rice is okay, I've had better. Portion sizes and prices are decent.

Not the Best in Town!. Having lived in Japan for 4 years (in Osaka, no less - the culinary heart of Japan!) I had heard positive things about Furusato and finally gave it a go. <br/>I will never go again!<br/>The decor was so disappointing - tacky, uninspired! If I recall, the wallpaper was falling off in some spots. The tables are closely spaced together - we sat next to 2 young girls and could hear every word of their conversation!<br/>The miso was uninspiring, packaged stuff had more flavor. Our service was poor, the staff had too many tables. <br/>The food was absolutely nothing special - go to Edo Japan for the same fried noodle dish.<br/>Our meal for 2 people came to over 50 dollars. We were hungry 2 hours later. <br/>For the best sushi in the city- try Ichiban on 149st!

Hometown thing. Well, Edmonton is not like Brussels or Tokyo. It's a blue-collar city. With that kind of reservation, Furusato is quite good in its genre. First of all, 'Furusato' means hometown, something one would apply to a small town in the countryside. The place is blue-collar to the core; it's NOT supposed to be upscale. This is what a couple of negative reviewers here didn't get. It's a blue-collar sushi place, m'kay? Ask for a bowl of miso soup in some small town in Japan - it's going to be very much like Furusato. Ask for chirashizushi - the Furusato's is damn close, again. Why I like the place is because it actually is authentic, unlike those numerous generic sushi restaurants all over the would. Summing up: simple-minded but quality and, in a sense, true-to-life sushi place. Recommended.

Furusato review. This is typical of most Edmonton sushi restaurants - high prices for substandard food. Second time I have been to this restaurant (first was several years ago) and thought I would give it a go based upon the reviews that were posted. Unfortunately the reviewers have absolutely horrendous taste which what I have learned from this experience.<br/><br/>To start, there wasn't a line up and it was Saturday night so that puts to rest some of the reviewers statements that this restaurant is that popular. We were seated quite quickly, given menus and started to look over the available options. Standard fare was ordered (unlike the other reviewers who order western food and give their opinions) which consisted of tea, miso, sashimi, and a selection of maki rolls. Warm towels were provided so it looked pretty promising up to that point....<br/><br/>Tea was delivered in a steel pot. Dishes were plastic rather than some ceramic/pottery which is normal for a good sushi place. Then came the miso. Horrible. Tofu was very soggy and the amount of wakame was far too much. It also didn't separate after being left to sit which suggests that they 'over cooked' the miso paste.<br/><br/>Up next was the sashimi. It was probably the worst sashimi I had ever had for a multiple of reasons. First off, sashimi is intended to be an appetizer, basically bite size slices of raw fish that 'melt in your mouth' - what you got at this restaurant was these large pieces of what I would describe as 'gelatinous rubber' with fish flavor added. So first you had to bit a chunk off and then chew it like bubble gum; needless to say, not the most enjoyable of experiences.<br/><br/>As with most typical North American sushi restaurants the wasabi isn't real, but this place had the lightest colored wasabi I have see. In fact there was nothing to distinguish its taste from raw horseradish, which after you have had real wasabi is a dreadful experience. The ginger on the other hand was actually pretty good and sadly the only enjoyable part of this experience.<br/><br/>Maki rolls. Chop chop had no flavor until the last one which tasted (and smelled) not fresh. Spicy anything was a regular roll smothered in hot sauce like Frank's or some other brand. California rolls were nothing special. The special roll was actually interesting but would be much better off as a small maki roll.<br/><br/>The rice in all of the maki was poor and unfortunately there was far too much of it. It was tough, the vinegar lingered badly enough that you could smell it off the serving plate. All inside out rolls fell apart; even the small chop chop rolls weren't holding together well.<br/><br/>We sampled everything we ordered and couldn't finish any of it. I don't think this was due to us getting full; I think our stomachs were refusing to let u eat any more. In a sense it was kind of like chinese food - you are full and then 20 minutes late hungry again.<br/><br/>At the end our waiter seemed a bit disappointed in what we had left (we didn't say anything to her during the entire meal and are always courteous and polite) and was further surprised when we said no after she asked if we would like the remainder wrapped up to take home. I am actually accustomed to poor service from good sushi places so this didn't really bother me.<br/><br/>Anyhow, definitely not a sushi place I would recommend to anyone. Then again there isn't many decent place sin Edmonton at all; in fact I wouldn't consider any of the so called established (i.e. Mikado, Kyoto, Kobe, Yokozuna, Sushi Wasabi) decent since they are being recommended by people who have no idea what a good sushi restaurant is and/or just have horrible taste in general. <br/><br/>If you want decent sushi, you have to head to the coast - and not Vancouver, the more popular places are just hyped up and expensive like the ones in Edmonton, you have to go to Victoria or up he coastline where fish comes in fresh every day. That might be the main problem in Edmonton, not getting decent fresh fish, but it also is a problem in food preparation and presentation. <br/><br/>Around Edmonton, the only places we have been to that are somewhat edible are Sapporo on 97th (the young chef was good; owner as chef isn't so good), Ichiban on 149th every once in a while (fish isn't so fresh) and in a pinch maybe kobe but that is getting really desperate. I will be trying other places around town; in particular the ones without any hype, off the beaten track, hole in the wall establishments as they seem to do much better with what they have available to them.<br/><br/>In closing, the last thing I have to say is that I feel sorry for some of the people who gave good reviews to this restaurant as they haven't had the chance to experience great sushi. Mind you, if I hadn't got to experience great sushi under the guidance of some good mentors then I wouldn't know the difference either.

The Best Sushi Joint in Town!. This restaurant is by far my favorite sushi place. I live in Calgary, and no place Ive ever been to even compares. Not only is the food phenomanal, but I think the cozy space, and atmosphere adds a lot to it being such a success. The wall decos are a bit cheezy, but it really adds to the lovable personality of the place. The beef tataki is a must, everytime I visit. It is honestly the best beef tataki Ive had. The sushi is high grade, and tastes fresh and delicious. Their green tea is the perfect compliment to the meal. Anyone who really loves sushi would love this restaurant.

3.5 for Furusato. Continuing my sushi tour of Edmonton, my next stop was a little location on Whyte that I've had my eye on for a while. I've heard a lot of good things, and it was time to find out for myself.<br/>Located on "the other side of the tracks," I had to walk past some drunk bums on my way into the restaurant. The place has a funny little door that puts you in a little hall that leads to another door. Once inside, you find yourself inside a place that you wouldn't have expected to be there - according to what the outside looks like, anyway. The room is fairly small, and fairly cramped. There seems to be a lot crammed into the space that they have. But it does seem to work as well. <br/>There are lots of Japanese decorations all over the walls, and I liked the wooden rafters and other wooden accents. <br/><br/>I decided to start with some Green Tea, which was 2$ for a pot that two of us shared.<br/>The menu had several pages of options, most things that you would typically expect to see. I wanted to have a bit of variety, so the Special Box (17.95$) caught my eye. It came with soup and bean sprout salad to start, and also ice cream afterwards. Good deal!<br/>The soup was similar to miso - maybe a miso broth - but the rest was different. It had mushrooms, lettuce and green onions floating in it. I liked the change. The salad was very nice and light as well, but there was too much to finish.<br/><br/>The service was quite fast, and the server was very helpful with answering our questions. My Special Box arrived with all the things in it that I was promised: tempura, sushi and sashimi.<br/><br/>I found that there was actually a lot more food included in this combo then I had planned for! <br/>The tempura was good. Light and crispy. It included two shrimp, a carrot, and some other strange vegetable. I feel like I've "grown out" of tempura though... Maybe it's the deep fried aspect.<br/>The sushi was good, especially the roll, but I wouldn't say that it was anything out of this world. As for the sashimi, I found that the pieces were much too big. They were far from bite-sized. The tuna was perfect, but I really wasn't impressed with the salmon. It was almost crunchy. I felt VERY aware that I was eating raw fish... I didn't eat the second piece.<br/><br/>The vanilla ice cream at the end tasted very home made. It was good, and I don't even like ice cream!

My fav Japanese restaurant in town

When I was in Montreal in September, I found this little Japanese restaurant called Furusato (which roughly translates to birthplace or hometown). It’s on the bottom floor (half a level below grade) of a house-like building located at 2137 Rue de Bleury, which is within blocks of McGill’s downtown campus at the corner of Rue de Bleury (which turns into Avenue du Parc) and Sherbrooke. Unfortunately, the restaurant was fully booked from 6-9pm that night…but based on a good sign of a fully-booked restaurant, I was determined to visit this place the next time I was in town. Fast forward a few months and I finally got to try Furusato. The staff are all Japanese (not necessarily a sure-fire indicator of deliciousness but nonetheless a decent indicator), the restaurant seems commonly booked up for a decent part of the night (disclaimer: I’ve only been in on weekends), and the place has an authentic feel to it. As a bonus, I was there with my entire family, meaning discerning Japanese parents

I would say my experience at Furusato was ok. There were a couple highlights and the variety of rolls, location, as well as the price were good. Because the quality wasn’t nearly there – (i.e. poorly made rice, small list of sashimi offerings), I probably wouldn’t go back in the near future, unless a dining companion really wanted to make a trek out there.

If you haven't been to Furusato it's worth a visit. The food and friendly staff keep us coming back.

As I look back to my last visit to Furusato, I can’t help but wonder where the time went. With months having passed since I walked through the wonder doors, I have to say it felt like coming home. You know the feeling; a comfy chair that conforms to you,

Tonight it was dinner at Furusato Japanese Restaurant, found at the bottom of our road – on Whyte Avenue and 100 Street. Even with it being under new ownership, our waitress hasn’t changed, and so remains the outstanding service. Luckily, the quality of t

When I first started food blogging, at first, there weren't that many people reading my posts. Well, in a way, that is expected, given that I didn't really put too much effort in meeting...