Sushi in Montreal: Fast Food Style
Our feature on “Sushi in Montreal” will cover sushi available in a variety of forms at a variety of places: dining in, sushi-to-go, pre-packaged sushi available at stores near you. So stay tuned, stay hungry and keep your chopsticks ready.
Not only will I not eat anything that ever had a heartbeat, but I’m allergic to seafood. So some might find it odd that I’ve become entirely addicted to sushi. Sushi aficionados might say that I am not getting the real thing; but they’d merely be playing the Grinch trying to steal sushi. There are many creative vegetarian options out there that are ever so tasty. I crave the stuff and have to have it. It’s healthy and delicious and, thankfully, becoming more and more readily available. As a result, I’ve sampled the wares of many a sushi hut in Montreal (”sushi hut” is a phrase I coined myself this very moment, and I would like to take this time to claim copyright on it). And, for the first time in my life, I can proudly state that I am no longer chopstick-impaired.
This week: Fast Food Style
Fast food style
When in need of a quick fix, and often for a light but delicious post-workout bite when anything else is too hot or heavy, I head for sushi maki from Mari Toyoda at the fabulous Fruits du Parc. They carry California rolls, 911 rolls, chef’s specialty rolls, vegetarian rolls and combo packs. A package consists of 6 pieces, some ginger (granted, not enough, but that’s personal taste), wasabi and a packet of soy sauce. Unfortunately, I’ve never tried the other varieties, but if the outstanding quality of the vegetarian sushi is the standard, you should get your walking shoes on and head over right away. The pieces are big and substantial, and are the only sushi maki I’ve found that include tofu (marinated in soy sauce and sugar for a unique, sweet flavoring). Surrounding the tofu are shredded carrots, sesame seeds, takuan, hiyashi wakame, and pickled daikon (Japanese radish).
They are divine and completely addictive. Always fresh, but often sold out. They do fall on the expensive side of quick fixes: the veg sushi is $4.99 before tax. But it doesn’t deter me. I never feel ripped off or resentful. (But maybe some more ginger?) Chopsticks not included.
At the other end of the fast food sushi spectrum is the new and mysteriously named ‘Sushi and Dumplings’ on St. Lawrence boulevard. (Hmm, wonder what they serve…) Then again, it’s the name that got me in there in the first place. Had they simply called it, let’s say, “Freddy’s”, the sushi-craving monkey on my back would have nagged and nagged that day. (”Bananas, shmananas,” says he.)
Sushi and Dumplings is a steamy little place with the tables in the back, so I wouldn’t recommend eating in. The vegetarian options here are very limited — either avocado rolls, cucumber rolls, pickled daikon rolls or some combination of the three. The pieces here are smaller and cheaper (11 pieces for $6.95). But the last batch I took home from there will be the last batch I take home from there, period. The pickled ginger was too strong and, I suspect, jarred. The ginger was cut in thick slabs and very browned around the edges. If there’s one thing a sushi consumer counts on, its freshness. The soy sauce was an unpleasant sodium bonanza. These factors reduced my guilt for taking home an extra set of chopsticks. (I have since bought my own from Chinatown, so no need for a citizen’s arrest.) It was most unappetizing. I will give Sushi & Dumplings some bonus points for the quickest take-out I’ve ever not waited for. Not a lot to cheer about, but in a desperate and absolute sushi crisis, it can be better than nothing (though it wasn’t last time). Staff is friendly and accommodating, if somewhat irritating with their playing around with the stereo. Chopsticks included.
And finally, I come to Movenpick. Here it can get ugly. The rolls are loose and often fall apart when pieces are dipped into the soy sauce. The chefs seem miserable and are the only unfriendly, non-smiling people I’ve encountered in this whole sushi thang. As for the actual sushi? Very disappointing, over-priced and bland. Then again, I wouldn’t go to Japan to hear yodelling.
A moment of Zen to end on a positive note: For the addict, weak sushi is sushi just the same.
Mari Toyoda : 88%
prepackaged sushi (vegetarian rolls, $4.99)
Sushi and Dumplings : 45%
on St Lawrence boulevard, corner Pins (11 pieces vegetarian sushi, $6.95)
Movenpick : 20%
1 Place Ville Marie, 514-861-8181. (Sushi plates: small, medium or large. Small, about $7.15 for 5 pieces; medium, $10-11 for 9 pieces; and large, 13 pieces for 16$. Taxes not included.)
