Tokyo John Sushi (Vancouver): Restaurant Review

I’ve come to the conclusion that when people say they “don’t like sushi,” there’s a good chance that they’ve never had good sushi. Even if raw fish isn’t your jam (or your cup of tea), there are plenty of options to explore, taste and love. This is especially true in an age of modern fusion, where sushi chefs and restaurant owners experiment with increasingly creative (and delicious) creations. Tokyo John on Cambie Street in Vancouver is a prime example of what a modern sushi restaurant can and should be.

Full disclosure: Tokyo John Sushi Restaurant invited me for a complimentary media tasting in exchange for coverage here and on Instagram. All opinions are my own.

The Tokyo John Sushi Space

Tokyo John is conveniently located in the heart of Cambie Village, between Baghven Uyghur Cuisine and Paragon Tea Room. Street parking (or transit) is the name of the game here; thankfully, the meters are pretty cheap.

Once inside, you’ll find a space that blends the traditional with the modern for a very Vancouver aesthetic. There is absolutely something to be said about the dining-in experience for many restaurants, and Tokyo John Sushi is no exception. Even though there are only about a half-dozen tables or so, I never felt cramped or overcrowded. The high ceilings help a lot with that too. They’re also big on takeout.

In fact, if you follow @tokyo.john.cambie on Instagram, you’ll get 10 percent off your takeout order. This may be a limited time promotion, so double-check before ordering. You can also find them on Uber Eats, DoorDash and Skip the Dishes, if you prefer.

On the Table for Lunch

Okay, so what did we eat? I left it up to the chefs at Tokyo John to guide our culinary journey through their vast menu.

Tuna Gomae

Realistically, what you’re getting here in the standard gomae ($6.50) with a couple pieces of tuna sashimi (about $4.50 in value). So, you net a little bit in savings if you were planning on getting those anyway. I thought the peanut sauce was a little heavy-handed, personally, but it was great mixing it in with the ramen salad below.

Bulgogi Steak

Here’s where you find a bit of that modern Asian fusion coming through. Bulgogi is a Korean preparation. And you can think of this “bulgogi steak” more like you’d think of a hamburger steak than a New York striploin. The roughly chopped slices of marinated beef are formed into two “steaks,” served with rice and vegetables. You can definitely taste the bulgogi sauce and the beef is as tender as can be.

Coming from the perspective of teppanyaki or the “sizzling plates” you might find at a Hong Kong style cha chaan teng, I would’ve preferred a hotter pan. In particular, I like my onions more caramelized, but that’s a personal preference.

Ramen Salad

This cold ramen salad is exactly what you might want to order on a hot summer’s day. Along with copious amounts of sushi and sashimi, of course. The noodles had a good amount of bounce and chew to them, and the mixed salad itself was thoroughly refreshing. I could see a version where you get a bit less noodles, but it’s topped with a few pieces of raw fish in a chirashi don or sashimi salad kind of way.

Monkey Brain Roll

This was probably the biggest highlight of our lunch for me, because I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite like this anywhere before. It’s not that the flavors themselves are wholly unique — plenty of places do avocado with spicy tuna and unagi sauce — but to take a whole avocado and stuff and quarter it like this is quite creative. There’s a huge textural play here, balancing the creaminess of the avocado with the crispness of the tempura flake, plus the punch from the spicy tuna and the slight saltiness from the mozzarella.

You could conceivably order just this for lunch and be quite satisfied. It’s the right amount of hearty and savory without feeling too heavy. And rest easy knowing that no monkeys (or their brains) were harmed in the making of this “roll,” which isn’t really a roll either.

Awesome Roll

What starts out essentially as a California roll gets the Tokyo John treatment, transforming it into the awesome roll you see here. Similar to the monkey brain roll, you get a wonderful play on different textures. It’s already dressed in unagi sauce and a spicy sauce, so there’s no soya or wasabi needed. I think some more potato flake for even more crunch would elevate this dish even further.

Original Sushi Pizza

Yes, we’re doing the texture thing again! You may have seen some version of a “sushi pizza” at other sushi restaurants. One key difference with this version at Tokyo John is how they make the crispy rice “crust.” It’s been lightly battered, so the rice on the inside retains more of its moisture content. I think this works quite well. There’s plenty of crab meat under each salmon and tuna piece too.

Deep Fried Salmon Cream Cheese Roll

This isn’t something I would normally order myself, mostly because I’m not a fan of cooked salmon and cream cheese in my sushi. It’s another one of those personal preference scenarios. If you’re into that kind of thing, though, the balance of flavors and textures here will satisfy. We get the same mix of unagi sauce and spicy sauce, plus a crispy element to balance the freshness inside. The spicy salmon sashimi is the proverbial cherry on top… and I like salmon much better than maraschino cherries.

The Final Word on Tokyo John

Yes, if you visit a place like Tokyo John, you can certainly order the usual kind of stuff you might order anywhere else. You’ve got your classics, like nigiri combos, chicken teriyaki, dynamite rolls and yakisoba. They’ve also offer aburi sushi (torched) and oshi sushi (pressed). But, if you really want to make the most of your visit, I encourage you to try some of these newer, more creative offerings from Tokyo John too. From fancy “special rolls” to spicy and sweet “chicken bang,” there’s something for everyone.

Tokyo John Sushi Restaurant is located at 3365 Cambie Street in Vancouver. Visit tokyojohnsushi.com for more information, including opening hours, the full menu, and online ordering.