EBISU KAMEI ROYALE

Spicy Tuna Sashimi Appetizer.




This was my favourite dish.  The presentation was gorgeous and the tuna was melt-in-your-mouth delicious with a spicy kick.  I especially like that the hot sauce was not the ubiquitous Rooster Sriracha straight-out-of-the bottle sauce that other Japanese restaurants use.  This one is house-made and has more delicate flavour.  The green onions add a lovely dimension.  The tuna sits on a bed of finely shredded daikon and is surrounded by some salad greens.  It tasted great.  I’d order this again.  Cakebrain’s rating:  6/6


California Roll.  The girls love California rolls.  The rice was flavourful and the surimi was plentiful (a plus in their eyes).   They prefer the shredded surimi like this rather than the stick surimi.            Bib’s rating:  5/6  (she doesn’t always feel like eating sesame seeds or avocado but we do)


Delicious Roll.  I ordinarily don’t order fruit in my sushi, but thought I’d give it a try for once.  This roll has all the making of a California Roll inside PLUS fresh mango.  The outside is topped with ebi and fluorescent-green tobiko.  It was good.  But I’m still not sold on fruit in my sushi.    Cakebrain’s rating:  4/6


Chikuwa Cheese.  My daughters are fishcake fiends.  Bebe especially loves this dish.  It’s her favourite and she orders it every time.  She didn’t even offer a piece to any of us.  The fishcake (chikuwa) is hollow; this allows for the filling of mozzarella cheese inside.  It is then dipped in tempura batter and deep fried.  The resulting textures are multitudinous: crispy, soft, chewy, stretchy and savoury.  Who thought up this idea?  My girls love it!                                             Bebe’s rating:  6/6


Kimchi Beef  Hot Pot.  Stomach ordered this.  He wanted something spicy, brothy and full of veggies.  He got it.  The soup was served in a cast iron bowl resting atop a lovely warmer.  The lit sterno kept the soup bubbly hot practically until he finished eating the whole thing.   He seemed happy and enjoyed it.  He especially liked how plentiful the veggies and tofu were.             Stomach’s rating:  5/6



I have always liked the variety at Ebisu Kamei Royale.  The cooked food is very good.  The sushi is fresh and consistently good.  The menu has many izakaya-type offerings and plenty of pictures.  I would say the menu is probably my favourite of the Japanese restaurants I frequent.

Service is always top-notch at Ebisu.  Your tea cups are rarely empty and the wait staff is friendly and efficient.   Staff have built relationships with regulars as seen in friendly banter the times we have visited.   Quite a few of the waitresses recognize my girls and even remember their names;  proffering comp scoops of  ice cream to them at the end of the meal.  Very kid friendly.