There are quite a few sushi joints on campus for you lovers out there. Now, I’ll admit I’m not a connoisseur of sushi—I dare say I’ve never made a roll in my life—but as a fan and a lover, I’d like to tell you about your options. So here’s a brief summary of each place and a small rundown of what you can get around here. I would, however, refrain from sampling all of them in one week’s time—having done that myself, I’m now in need of a sushi break.

The Honour Roll

The Honour Roll is probably the best-known sushi place on campus, as it’s located in the middle of the SUB basement. The Honour Roll is impossible to miss. The clever(ish) name is on the wall in big letters.

The prices are fairly reasonable, averaging around three dollars for your typical sushi roll. It’s cheaper than Suga Sushi and One More, but bear in mind that this is not a sit-down restaurant; you can sit down somewhere in the SUB, but don’t expect the restaurant experience. On the plus side, it’s a convenient lunch or early dinner on-the-go, since you can take the tape-sealed boxes with you.

When I went there for lunch during the week, there was a sizeable and intimidating —though fast-moving—line. After all, you don’t actually order your sushi; you pick it up, hoping it was made recently.

If environmentalism is your thing, you may be concerned about the amount of waste this produces. There are signs that encourage recycling, but if you’re on the go, no one will follow you around with a recycling bin.

In terms of taste, it’s really quite good. However, it does feel a little impersonal seeing employees behind the counter layering and rolling sushi with inhuman speed before stacking and boxing them.

The hours of operation are Monday to Friday from 10am–6pm and 10am–3pm on Saturdays. It’s closed on Sundays.

The One

Located on 3118 West Broadway, “The One” is actually the name of the restaurant. This is my hitherto favourite sushi place in Vancouver, the only catch being that it’s not on campus. Instead, it’s a quick bus ride down Broadway.

The sushi is a bit on the expensive side, but it’s gourmet in quality. There’s a special whenever you get a pitcher of beer: you get free yam fries and chicken for your table. They are always trying new specials, new drinks, new meal styles and it is always interesting to be part of the experiment.

The One just opened this August, and it’s an interesting place to go for a multitude of reasons, one being for the way it’s built. There are so many balconies, stairs, ledges and rooms for people to eat in, you’ll feel like you’re there for the first time every time you go. The servers are extremely nice and they really look after you. You’ll get your order quickly and your bill too. The music, unlike in any of the other places, is also great. Definitely check this One out.

Their hours are great: Monday to Sunday from 11:30am to midnight.

Suga Sushi

Of all the places I found on campus, Suga Sushi was my favourite.

It’s located in the same building as Osaka Sushi, but instead of going downstairs, you go upstairs. Then walk down a brief hallway and you’re there.

You can order more than just sushi, but sushi makes up a good portion of the menu. It’s also very cheap considering you’re in a rather tasteful restaurant with very nice servers. Suga is only a few cents more expensive than Mio and Osaka, but cheaper than One More. It’s definitely worth the trip, the money and the time. If you call and order take out, you get ten per cent off your purchase, and there is free delivery from 5pm–9pm with purchases of $25 or more—a little bit steeper than One More.

Also, like One More, Suga Sushi is licensed for your drinking pleasure. If alcohol isn’t your thing, enjoy the free green tea that is served throughout your meal.

Suga has a wonderful atmosphere. It’s not very busy on weeknights and there’s a lingering sense of privacy when you sit down, despite the fact that the table beside you may only be separated by an embroidered cloth.

I have subsequently returned to Suga Sushi since reviewing it, so I encourage you to give it a try.

Suga is open Monday to Friday from 11am–9:30pm and Saturdays from 11:30am–9:30pm.

Mio Japan and Osaka Sushi

Both restaurants are located in the Village, but their settings are practically the same—very cafeteria-like—hence the double review. If you’re walking east down University Blvd, past the Lucky Food Market to your right are the doors for the main building and Osaka is located in the basement cafeteria. Mio Japan is located in the square mentioned in the One More review: if you’re walking east down Dalhousie, opposite the Starbucks you will see Mio Japan.

Both places are reasonably priced—about the same as the Honour Roll.

However, when I say cafeteria-like, I mean you can smell the grease and scent of other foods.

Mio is slightly better in this respect as there are places inside the restaurant you can sit, along with modern music and a TV. At Mio, sushi makes up a very small portion of the menu, complemented by a range of other Japanese foods. But it has the greasy atmosphere, again, of fast-food sushi.

Osaka is very much a place you would find in a good court mall. It has photos of each combo and item you can order and fairly reasonable prices. Other than that, Osaka is practically the same as Mio.

Neither offers delivery.

One nice thing about Osaka and Mio is that, unlike at the Honour Roll, the sushi is actually made for you when you order it. Also, there are daily specials that no other place offers. There is, however, a 25¢ debit surcharge.

Mio Japan is open Monday to Sunday from 11am–9pm, and Osaka is open all week from 9:30am–11pm.

One More

This sushi restaurant is located in the University Village. Unfortunately, it’s not a place you’ll accidentally stumble upon; you need to know where it is and how to get there. While trying to find this place, I first ran into three other sushi places.

Walk east down Dalhousie St and turn left at Starbucks. There’ll be a small square with tables and chairs in front of you. Slightly to the left is a staircase. Go up those stairs and across a bridge and you’ll arrive at One More.

The prices are a little higher than those at the Honour Roll or Suga, but if you enjoy yourself, it should be worth it. Otherwise, go somewhere else.
I’ve heard a lot of mixed opinions about this place. It’s a sit-down restaurant, which is nice for dates, study breaks and bar mitzvahs, but if you live on campus, it’s a bit out of the way and not exactly convenient.

They do, unlike the Honour Roll, offer free delivery in a radius of 3km with a minimum purchase of $15 dollars (before taxes) from 5pm to 9pm. Delivery is free and great for those long stressful evenings when midterm studying is more important than eating.

One More is definitely worth a try. And best of all, they’re licensed.

One More also has the weirdest hours out of all the sushi places: They’re open from Monday to Saturday, but during the weekdays they’re open from 11am to 3pm, and then they reopen at 5pm and close again at 10pm. It’s a rather—oddly enough—Italian thing to do. Either way, it means you can’t have a late lunch or early dinner, so be warned.

Place Vanier and Totem Park Dining Hall

Yes, the dining halls of Vanier and Totem do offer sushi, usually right beside the drinks and beverages. It’s packaged and kept cold, much like the pre-made sushi you can typically get at any Safeway. If you’re a resident of either, have a craving for sushi and a twitching desire to use your meal card, this option might be for you. I just wouldn’t rely too much on quality, and it’s usually all gone by dinner time.

The retail price for sushi is more expensive (by about a quarter or so) than the meal plan price. The cheapest sushi is around $3.50, provided you have a meal card.

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