Umi Sushi Express - Richmond

We had the teriyaki beef and the tempera udon. The udon was ok, but the beef dish was disappointing.

Pork Katsu Don is a mainstay for any Japanese restaurant. This dish can be prepared in a variety of ways. My favourite is an onion and vermicelli (fine rice noodle) sauce over the steamed rice with an egg mixed in. A sliced pork cutlet is...place on top. As other reviewers have reported, the Umi Sushi dish is pork with mayo drizzle. My taste buds would have preferred an egg rather than mayo. I believe Tontoro means fatty pork and that alone makes the meat very tasty. IMO, the mayo becomes a distraction. The dish is which is on the high end of the Katsu Don price range. Then again, they don't skimp on the pork with big pieces. If the Dining Terrace at Richmond Centre is extremely busy, the price may also be worth it as Umi Sushi has plenty of seating only for their customers. There are counter stools plus family benches behind their service area.

I enjoyed a seafood bento box for very delicious and satisfying indeed. Umi is the only concession in the food terrace which has it's own seating area (which is the primary reason why I selected Umi for lunch as the food terrace so very...busy, possibly because it's so close to Christmas). Parking can also be found on the second level parking lot which is much closer to the food terrace than the ground level parking lots.

This eatery is located inside the Dining Terrace food court that is part of the Richmond Centre Mall. The mall is located at the corner of Number Road and Westminster Highway. After some shopping, we headed up to the Dining Terrace after the lunch...hour rush around PM. When I’ve been there the Dining Terrace is usually busy. Umi Sushi consists of three sections – one section selling the pre-packaged sushi rolls and sashimi. The other side you line to order your hot foods bento boxes, udon noodles and other dishes. You’re provided with an electronic signalling device when your food is ready. The section is a bubble tea and dessert operation in the next stall. My spouse ordered the California Dynamite Combo for – pieces of California roll and pieces of the Dynamite roll. She said it was okay but that the rolls were cold (as opposed to the rice being at room temperature); understandable since all the sushi items are kept in a refrigeration unit. It seems to me that the “new” food rage in North American and fusion cuisine is the use of less popular cuts of meats or organ proteins. These less popular cuts of meat and organ proteins have long been a staple of Asian cooking. When I saw the pork cheek rice bowl on the menu, I had to try the Tontoro Katsu Don – deep fried and battered pork cheek pieces) drizzled with mayo on a bed of rice and shredded cabbage with a katsu sauce. The dish is similar to pork tonkatsu (like a pork schnitzel) except the pork cheek came in chunks. The pork cheek was warm but not hot. My guess is the pork cheek is probably par-cooked and maybe deep fried when someone orders? But I could be wrong. The meal came in a round high walled container that made it difficult to eat especially the rice at the bottom. I would have preferred the meal on a plate or if I’m back for the same dish, I’ll ask for a fork instead of the chopsticks. The total price paid was taxes included. Food portion vis-à-vis price was as expected for a food court operation. It was an okay lunch but there’s nothing with this experience that says to me, it was so good that I have to come back. Overall, I would rate the overall food experience taste and portion size as average. The overall rating is out of Notes and Tips: • The eatery has its own private seating area behind the restaurant. There are tables with bench seating enough for people (more if you like to be cosy) plus spots on the counter. • There was also marinated baby octopus for sale at • Extra charge for additional pre-packaged condiments for • Check out the company website • The Dining Terrace food court which has been open since November took over from the vacated theatre complex. It has undergone a complete transformation resulting in an airy and bright area to enjoy your meal. • Nine eateries of the have an Asian theme – Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, East Indian and Thai. Other choices among others include NY Fries, Greek, A&W and KFC. • Clean washrooms in the food court complex and of course wheelchair accessible. Elevator and escalator access to the food court. • Plenty of parking. • If you park on the second level (parkade near the north end of the mall – mountain side from either the Minoru Boulevard or Number Road entrance), you can enter the Dining Terrace from there; otherwise pedestrian access is via inside the mall. • If you’re coming from Vancouver via the Canada Line, get off at the last skytrain stop – Brighouse Station and walk across Number Road to the mall. • Previously, I have eaten at the Vina Vietnamese outlet at the Dining Terrace. See my review.

Food was alright. Writing a review for their milk tea though. They had a lot of flavors but I loved their Classic black tea more. Always order it when Im at the mall.