Riz has been on my list for a long time… I mean, a really long time. Known specifically for their poke bowls, I had actually wanted to try some of their other menu items such as udon or katsu curry but, for some reason, they only had poke bowls available when I visited. The interior is spartan with some large communal tables as well as bar seating near the window. Like most poke places, you order at the cashier and they make your bowl to-order. I wound up ordering the Aburi Salmon Bowl on Mixed Greens ($14) which comes with edamame, diced cucumbers, seaweed salad, creamy imitation crab, tobiko and crispy tempura bits. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve been wanting to come here for such a long time or not, but I felt a bit underwhelmed. I mean, this wasn’t a bad bowl of poke (obviously not like the real poke that you get in Hawaii)… but there wasn’t anything from this experience that stood out from any of the other countless made-to-order poke shops that have opened up in Vancouver over the past couple of years.
Was on our way somewhere to the east and decided it's time to give Riz Sushi Bar a visit. I saw they had poke pancake on Instagram before. So, I was excited when I finally had time to get some poke. Unfortunately, poke pancake is not a regular on their menu. The thought of having raw fish on warm pancake was gross at first, but the pictures on Instagram looked so good.
Today I was at “Riz sushi and poke bar” to pit myself against Vancouver’s latest eating challenge. This one is high steaks with high rewards, and it is definitely not for the faint of heart. Situated on East Broadway, on the corner of Renfrew Street; you only need to spot “Mr. Sub”, the long standing sandwich on the corner, to locate “Riz” as their neighbour. The name “Riz” speaks to the rice that unifies the two main staples that make up their menu: sushi and poke. This is assumed by the rice kernel mascot marking their spot. But this was the name that the current owners inherited. Their predecessor was also a sushi restauranteur. In fact they kept a lot of what was already established, including the decor and Yelp reviews, but with some minor adjustments, they were able to make it their own.
I'm not a huge fan of hype, free things, or offers that require me to line up. My time is valuable for me so I decided to wait until the crowds died down for Riz Sushi. . I was in a rush that day so I decided to call in on my way into Vancouver to order the poke bowls. The person who picked up was friendly and very helpful in describing the steps that were involved in creating each bowl. By the time I arrived, the bowls were ready and I was in and out of Riz in 5 minutes.
位於溫哥華East Broadway的Riz Sushi為了慶祝其首間門面餐廳開幕,於2018年1月11、12、及15日共三天推出只售$3元的夏威夷傳統魚生飯(Poke) 優惠,該魚生飯在店內的正價為$10.50啊!其實Riz Sushi早在2003年已經成立,但主要以到會或直銷形式供應溫哥華的Hilton, Executive Plaza Hotel等客戶,直到最近才正式設立自己品牌的餐廳。在這三天優惠期間,魚生飯可以加$3元配搭「三隻日式煎餃子+汽水」或「一件午餐肉壽司+汽水」成為一份精緻套餐
夏威夷魚生飯Poke的讀音是「Poh-keh」而不是poki,因為在夏威夷語中每個音節都要念出發音,而Poke 在夏威夷語中是「切」的意思。有關Poke 的起源可以追溯到早期夏威夷土著將魚獲切成細塊生魚片,再拌以海鹽、海藻等佐料一起進食。這種食物近年已成為北美和歐洲各地十分盛行的夏威夷菜,售賣魚生飯的餐館和快餐店會在一小碗白飯或沙律上蓋滿預先醃製的吞拿魚或三文魚粒及多種自選配料和醬汁,賣相相當精美又好吃啊!
So Riz sushi bar and catering had a huge grand opening event on Jan 11, 12 and 15 where they served $3 poke bowls all day! Part of me could only imagine how long the line would be but the other part wondered what type of food blogger I would be if I didn’t go. After deciding that I wanted to go, the next step was looking for someone to wait in line with me. Of course, Grayson always ends up being that person. Bless his soul for always having to put up with my antics.
Friendly service. I can see why some would misunderstand it as rude, but they are nice people. Sushi is decent, prices are good. Not top notch, but worth it if you're craving some cheap sushi for lunch.
It is, in fact, a sushi bar. Nothing special or extravagant, just a nice, friendly, cheap sushi bar. For me they have especially good pork gyoza and okonomiyaki, but relatively "meh" sushi. It's nice and cheap, if you live nearby it's a good fill me up! Nice staff, though the constant J-pop on the TV can be either disturbing or awesome...
It's not the best place, but it hits the spot.. I've been here a few times while going to school nearby, and I've seen just about everything.
Here's a short summary:
1) The servers are either really nice (at times the best I've ever had) or look like they're in distress. So, the service is definitely genuine.
2) Sushi rolls come with wayy too much rice, but hey that's a good thing if you're a starving student.
3) Combos are super cheap.. with the amount of rice you get on each roll, you'll be pretty full, pretty fast.
4) Ramen is actually surprisingly good
5) They serve you super fast.
6) If you don't like cops, don't go at lunch hour. Cops love this place.
7) Call for takeout during lunch, because it gets pretty busy.
This sushi place is not for you if:
- You are a sashimi lover (this is more of a: I'm hungry, and all I want are basic rolls or ramen king of place)
- You like ordering fushion rolls
This place is for you if:
- You just want fast and cheap food for lunch.
- You are craving some basic rolls (cali, dynamite, salmon maki, scallop, spicy tuna..etc)
- In the mood for ramen (give it a try, it's not the best, but it'll be surprisingly better than what you'd expect)
- Perfect, if you are a student.
I like this place, but I can see why a lot of people won't. Nonetheless, this place hits the spot, and I like it.
Great Little Place. Love this spot. I used to live a 5 min walk from this place so I found myself eating here once and a while. It is pretty good sushi, I havn't been there in 2 years though but the last time I remember it was pretty good.
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