When you work in an industrial complex, places to go for lunch usually involve driving out to our local mall.
Of course, we can traipse down to Costco for a $1.50 hotdog or $3 slice of pizza, or we can head to Subway at the Production Way SkyTrain station or a couple of delis further up the street.
Or, as many of us have discovered, we can stop in at Sushikaku Japanese Restaurant at 150-3292 Production Way.
The cozy little eatery has a booming take-out business but also has several tables where we can sit and have some healthy Japanese food.
On a recent weekday, my niece and nephew, along with my sister and brother-in-law, paid me a visit, and we all went over to Sushikaku to try some of their dishes.
There's more than 100 different items you can choose, but we concentrated our selections on the sushi, special and lunch combos. With more than 90 per cent of the items under $10, you'll get a filling and healthy meal at Sushikaku.
My nephew went with the $8.95 special combo featuring a spicy tuna roll, two pieces of salmon nigiri and two pieces tuna nigiri. He polished off the nigiri quickly, but found the tuna roll a bit too spicy for his liking.
It's a good thing that my brother-in-law ordered the $6.95 California and Alaska roll special combo, because a couple of trades later, my nephew was back on the eating train.
My brother-in-law also ordered the $7.95 assorted tempura, featuring prawns and yams as its highlight, and we feasted like kings on the lightly battered, but eminently tasty and ample portions.
My sister and I couldn't resist the bento boxes, with her California bento coming in at only $7.95 and my sushi bento coming in at $9.95.
The California bento featured a huge California roll that my niece, threeyear-old monster that she is, almost singlehandedly finished off, along with a huge portion of chicken teriyaki and rice that my sister managed to eat while trying to feed my terror of a niece.
The accompanying salad would provide great entertainment fodder for later on.
My sushi bento had the spicy tuna roll - spicy for my nephew, but just right for me - along with salmon and ebi nigiri, and salad.
"Uncle, you have to eat your salad," said my nephew.
Dutifully and begrudgingly, I do so.
And so inspired, the kids finish off my sister's salad, but only if my sister feeds it to them.
My brother-in-law is watching in amusement, as he's having a great conversation with Burnaby NOW photographer Larry Wright, who's become an honorary member of our family.
The six of us eat for less than $60, and we're stuffed at the end of our lunch.
We weren't very adventurous with our choices, but fellow colleagues at the paper have sampled many of the other 100-plus dishes on offer.
Our resident vegan is able to have a different meal each time she goes to Sushikaku while one of our higher-ups, on a no-carb, high-protein diet, has been known to get the nine-piece salmon sashimi for $10.95.
What also makes Sushikaku a happening place is that SFU students taking the SkyTrain have also discovered the sushi hotspot, and there isn't an afternoon when you don't see a gaggle of students headed for their Japanese fix.
Sushikaku Japanese Restaurant is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. For more info or to do a take-out order, call 604-420-1688.
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AlfieLau
