Sanbiki Restaurant Blog

Uni? Sanbiki's got it!

2012-03-15T14:52:00.013+09:00

"A mouth from front to back" Or so Aristotle thought when he described the sea urchin in his "History of Animals". And they have quite the mouth. Filled with self-sharpening teeth, they can chew through coral, stone and pretty much anything else that gets in their way. And they do move (albeit not terribly fast) on many tiny hidden feet.

It doesn't get fresher than this!
"Uni" is usually translated as "sea urchin roe" In fact, its the "gonads"(that's right; the testicles and/or ovaries...) not just the eggs which are consumed. Uni is served up in Japan, Korea and coastal areas of Spain, Portugal and other countries. Almost always in a raw preparation. In Japan, nigiri sushi or sashimi is very popular.

Uni nigiri sushi is usually served "gunkan"("battleship"shape) style

Winter is considered the best season in Japan and Canada. At its best, uni tastes something like the ocean smells. Slightly salty, but clean and fresh. The texture is buttery but firm, and melts wonderfully in your mouth.

BC is blessed with an abundant, well managed uni fishery. It's taking time for Kamloops palates to warm to the taste and texture of uni, but we've managed a few converts!

A few fun uni facts too interesting to ignore....

Sea urchins are humans closest relative in the inverterbrate world and we share more than 30% of the same genetic make up.

It appears that sea urchins have one of the most highly developed immune systems humans have studied. Researchers hoping to cure Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease as well as cancer are very interested in uni!

Some red sea urchins have lived to two hundred years old!

They've got no brain...but they've got very great tasting gonads! And Sanbiki's got them, but only at certain times and limited quantities to ensure top quality.

More curious culinary blogs to come....

Bento!

2012-03-11T03:20:00.000+09:00

A bento is a Japanese-style lunch box. Not just for kids, bento are enjoyed by everyone and can be found all over Japan. Pick one up at the train station, where they are referred to as Ekiben; "eki"=station. You'll pay around 1000 yen (about $12) and have a varied and delicious meal for the ride to or from work. If you are indeed living in Japan that is probably how you will be spending most of your time. Going to work. Working. Working overtime, drinking with co-workers after work, and going home to sleep. All rested and ready for....you guessed it...work!

In a restaurant, bento are often served in beautiful black laquer boxes called Shokado Bento. Similar to the disposable take out bento boxes, there will be a variety of different foods displayed in multiple compartments. However Shokado Bento will often include local, seasonal delicacies and the presentation will be more elaborate.

Care to eat a (Hello) Kitty for lunch? A Japanese Mom can show you how. "Charaben" are bentos for kids with food items arranged to resemble popular animation or cartoon characters. Charaben can be outrageously detailed with moms battling for bento supremacy.

Sanbiki's bento boxes may not look quite as spectacular as that! They are however, popular with Kamloops customers who haven't got a lot of time, but crave variety at lunch and want it fast and fresh. Our $10 Sushi Set is the most popular, with cali/dynamite rolls, salads and tempura. The Chicken Bento is a good hot option with rice, sushi, tempura and sides. A vegetarian option is always available, alongside our "Variety Bento". Raw foodies love the Sashimi Bento with sustainably-sourced Wild Sockeye and BC Albacore tuna.
Bento are available for take out from the restaurant as well. Call us at 250 377 8857 and tell us when you'd like to pick it up and we'll have it waiting. No time to order ahead? Grab a sushi pack from next door at Mori Mori's Asian Deli. Freshly made sushi, rice bowls and appies starting at $2.50! And we deliver!

Thanks to Fadamoranga and vingt_deux for the amazing bento pics! More photos and postings from our Sanbiki/Mori Mori team coming soon...

Wasabi!

2012-03-10T12:43:00.002+09:00

My perfect home...

I am neither a powder nor a paste. I am more like a water cabbage. Pollution in Japan's once pristine rivers and streams pretty much wiped me out. Clean, moving water is essential to my survival. Scarcity increases price, and my case is no different. You have probably never encountered me, even at your fanciest Japanese restaurant. I am now more expensive then the seafood I was originally intended to garnish.

Real wasabi root with traditional sharkskin grater

For the price you pay, you won't want to waste me! I'm delicious from the tips of my leaves, down my stalks to the tip of my spicy hot root. If you have the opportunity, add some wasabi leaves to a salad for a kick of pepper and heat.

Wasabi root is best known as a side to sushi and sashimi. Real wasabi starts to lose it's heat as soon as it is grated. That's why in Japan, your Itamae (Sushi Chef) will add the wasabi himself and sneak it in between the rice and the fish in your sushi. He knows how much you need for the fish you have ordered, and limiting the wasabi's exposure to air preserves it's heat and flavour. But even in Japan, it's rare to get the good (real) stuff.

There's nothing really wrong with my "imposters". They pack a punch and will give you the necessary quick sinus sear. Unlike chilis, wasabi's burn goes up through your nose, not down your throat. While intense up front, it fades quickly. Like real wasabi, wasabi mixes contain high amounts of sulforaphane which is believed to have cancer-fighting properties.

You can find many different "wasabi" powders and pastes at Mori Mori Grocery or your local Asian grocery. Wasabi mayo is a great dip for veggies or tempura yam fries. Wasabi flavoured snacks are also popular. Wasabi peas, rice crackers and seaweed are common.

I've made some influential friends over the years. My leaves feature prominently on the family crest of one of Japan's most poweful clans.

Tokugawa "kumon"(family crest)
Tokugawa Ieyasu was Japan's first Shogun and responsible for unifying modern Japan and moving the capital to Tokyo. Wasabi was presented to him as a gift in the early 1600s. He was impressed. Rumour has it that those who grew and consumed me recieved his protection...

Keep checking back for more on Japan's fascinating food and culture!

Tuna Time!

2012-03-02T16:01:00.000+09:00

Mmmmm...Scombidae. Most of the the "family" tastes good. But Thunnus...now we're talking! Scombidae Thunnus in plain English means "tuna". Try it seared or grilled. Need cheap and easy? Straight out of a can, mix the "chicken of the sea" with mayo and slap it between slices of fresh bread. But if you can get the right quality, cut and freshness; serve tuna simply. And serve it raw.

Sanbiki's Big Eye (red) Tuna Sashimi is sustainably sourced

In Japan that means sashimi or sushi. Sashimi=slices of raw fish by itself, while sushi involves seasoned sushi rice. Don't soak it in soy! A splash will do, with a teeny bit of wasabi or citrus to let the fresh flavours shine through. Tuna rolls are traditionally called "Tekka Maki". They are named for the gambling dens (Tekka) where they first gained popularity. Rumour has it gamblers liked the fact that the seaweed wrapped on the outside of the sushi roll stopped rice from sticking to their fingers. The games could continue while they ate!

Sanbiki's Tuna Roll uses BC Albacore (white) Tuna

If price is not a consideration, Bluefin tuna is the first choice for a Japanese Sushi Chef. The red meat is tender and the fatty belly (toro) is melt in your mouth delicious. Toro is divided into different "grades" depending on how much fat is present and how well-marbled the meat is.

Earler this year a single bluefin tuna fetched a record-breaking $736, 000. The number of large Bluefin tuna left has dwindled and scarcity has driven prices sky high. Many Bluefin populations are considered to be endangered. Sadly, this does not seem to be slowing demand. Mr Kimura, who owns a chain of sushi restaurants in Japan, poses below with his $736, 000 fish. That works out to roughly $90/piece for nigiri sushi.

Fortunately, there are sustainable options when it comes to sushi quality tuna. The seas off the coast of our beautiful B.C. support a healthy population of Albacore tuna. The fishery is well managed and supports many coastal communities. Albacore tuna is a white tuna with a mild flavour and soft texture. They can grow very large, but in BC they are usually caught under the age of five. There are concerns over mercury and other contaminant levels in large fish such as tuna. Catching them earlier means less toxins have bioaccumulated in their flesh. But they are still rich in omega-3 fats (the good kind!)

Chef Hiro cuts Albacore at Sanbiki

Sanbiki buys the quartered tuna and our Chefs cut and trim the fish themselves. We sell precut tuna and salmon frozen next door at Mori Mori for making sushi at home. But we like to keep the quality as high as possible in the restaurant.

The fins and skin are removed and then the loin roughly cut. It is trimmed to order for sashimi and sushi orders.

Red tuna lovers need not go without. Many Big Eye and Ahi tuna fisheries are well managed and sustainable. There are now several excellent "sustainable seafood guides" which can be downloaded for free on the internet. Check the Vancouver Aquarium's website for Oceanwise guides that will help you identify the best seafood choices for the oceans. And look for the Oceanwise (fishhead) logo on restaurant menus. The program has recently gone nationwide with over 3000 partner restaurants and groceries. And Sanbiki was the first Japanese restaurant in Canada to join!

More soon!

FUGU: A Dinner To Die For?

2012-02-09T05:12:00.001+09:00

"Fugu". Sounds exotic when you don't know the literal translation..."River Pig". "River", as puffer fish are known to inhabit brackish coastal waters and rivers as well as the open sea. The "pig" part...Well, one look at a pissed-off puffer is explanation enough..

Although there are over 100 species of puffer, fewer than 30 are caught and consumed by the Japanese. They are all deadly if improperly prepared. Most of the poison is in the liver, ovaries and other organs of the fish. Sushi Chefs take 2 years to learn the 30+ step process to rid the fish of its most dangerous bits.

Takafugu, the Tiger Puffer is the most coveted of all. One fish contains enough tetrodotoxin to kill 30 people. 1000 times more toxic than cyanide, a single fatal dose for a human fits on the head of a pin. Despite strict licensing of sushi chefs, several people a year still succumb to fugu's poison every year. Usually fisherman or housewives unafraid to prepare their deadly catch.

Takafugu
(Tiger puffer)

Fugu is considered best in the winter when it's fat content is high. Fugu restaurants often have aquariums full of the fish on display. They're rarely shy when it comes to advertising the specialty of the house....

A fugu meal has several courses. The live fish is usually shown to the guests. It's the end for the unfortunate fugu, but just the beginning for the diners. First, slices of raw fugu are served as sashimi, arranged on beautiful plates, sliced so thin that the designs of the dish can still be admired. Wasabi and soy sauce are no-nos. They would destroy the fish's delicate flavour. Instead a light citrus dipping sauce may be provided or finely chopped green onion. The fins are toasted and served in warm sake. Relax. Have a drink! It'll be ok...

Still alive? You're doing better than the puffer! Next course..fugu chirinabe. Into the hot pot, the fugu flesh goes. Tempura fugu is tasty too, and finally, a rice porridge is made from the broth and nabe (hot pot) leftovers.

Fugu Hot Pot

Was your fugu a boy? Another delicacy may find its way to your table. Shirako. Do you really want to know the English? Don't say I didn't warn you..."sperm sack". Too much information? Smile, nod and swallow. You certainly wouldn't want to offend the fugu Chef now would you? After all, rumour has it in times past he was honour-bound to take his own life if he slipped up with his knife and (literally) lost a customer...

Shirako

Times have changed somewhat. Bando Mitsugoro VIII was a top Kabuki (traditional Japanese drama) actor and considered a "National Treasure of Japan". Despite it being illegal to sell or serve, Bando was a fugu liver fan. Its the most dangerous, but some argue, the most delicious part of the pufferfish. Supposedly enough of the poison is present to make your lips tingle and induce feeling of euphoria. Bando had 4 servings. He went home to bed feeling "as if he were on a cloud" After 7 hours of convulsions and paralysis, his lungs quit and he asphixiated. Perhaps the worst part of death by fugu is that your brain is 100% operational even as the rest of your body (slowly) shuts down. The restaurant was fined, but it is busier than ever...

Puffer fish are also served in Korea. They have found a far more sinister use in some Caribbean countries....."Mix 1 part fugu poison with 1 part poison frog and 2 parts Datura weed to create....

ZOMBIE!

It takes time to get just the right mix, but with a little practice you can add "Black Magic" to your list of talents. Apparently the fugu/toad mix "kills" (almost) the victim and the nasty weed paste wipes out their memory and keeps them docile. Personally, I prefer my medical practitioners and my sushi chefs properly licensed...

More blogs to follow, suggestions always welcome! No fugu for now on our menu. Rumour has it that prepared fillets can be imported to Canada, but not sold at restaurants. Apparently fugu can be farmed and by controlling their diet, it may be possible to produce non-toxic fugu. Kinda takes away some of the excitement though!

Have a great week!

Kappa Monster!

2012-02-02T15:36:00.013+09:00

"Hello! Are you ready to order?"
Customer: "Yes, I'd like a kappamaki please..."

Ah. A kappamaki. A cucumber sushi roll. A favoured food of the Japanese river demon/god Kappa. They're not big guys, Kappas, and they've got holes in their heads. More like a holding tank, actually. As their power comes from water, they must keep water in the indentation atop their heads when venturing onto land.

SCI FI Kappa man!

And when a Kappa hits town he's usually up to no good. Peeking up women's kimonos and farting loudly are minor offenses. A Kappa in a bad mood has been known to kidnap and drown children. They then feed on their victim's livers and entrails by yanking them out of their butts. I swear I am not making this up....

A Kappa in a good mood however may be willing to engage in a friendly sumo match. It's also believed that friendly Kappa were the first to teach humans how to set bones and make traditional medicines. They are also polite to a fault. Chance encounter with a Kappa? Bow. As deeply as possible. The Kappa will always bow back (even deeper to show greater respect) In doing so he will lose the water he carries around on his head and be powerless. Once you have captured him he will be a hard working and loyal servant.

Cute Kappa

Sanbiki has a resident Kappa....Our friend Mr. Kanto in Japan made him out of rolled tissue paper! Like Masato, he prefers rugby to sumo. He's on display at the restaurant along with many other original art works. I think our Kappa is the friendly sort...

We'll try to keep our blogs coming a couple times a month. We enjoy sharing information about Japanese food and culture and the many links between the two. We have a great team at the restaurant and next door at Mori Mori Grocery. We'll include them and their experiences in future blogs. Join us for a KAPPAMAKI soon!

Strange but True!

2012-01-26T14:57:00.005+09:00

SUSHI is not raw fish!

SUSHI actually refers to the vinegared rice that is served in a variety of forms with different ingredients, raw and cooked. "Su"= vinegar"; "shi"= thing/food. The items that ride along with the rice may be from the farm, the field or the sea. Nigiri sushi (above) is the bitesize rice ball topped with something tasty, and maki sushi (below) is the roll with raw/cooked or vegetarian ingredients inside. Then there's chirashi sushi, inari sushi, oshiizushi etc. etc. etc!

SASHIMI is not the same. There's no rice involved, and sashimi is most often slices of raw seafood, although cooked edibles are not unheard of.

Of course, fresh is best. Is your seafood still moving? It's not necessarily all the sake you've been drinking. If you are actually in Japan, it could be you are experiencing "ikizukuri"; not impaired vision. Live fish, shrimp or lobster are sliced up and served reassembled, vital organs intact and heart still beating away....

Every so often a fish gets revenge. "FUGU" or pufferfish, are highly toxic and deadly if improperly prepared.

Sushi Chefs in Japan must be specially licensed to serve fugu. Even so, several deaths a year are reported from fugu poisoning. Usually they're the result of over ambitious homecooks falling victim to their own handiwork. And they probably can't make it look as pretty. Traditionally, fugu sashimi is sliced so thin you can see the design of the plate on which it's presented...

The sashimi has a light, delicate, slightly sweet taste. Is it worth the "risk"? Death by fugu poisoning is not the most pleasant way to make your final exit. Fugu's neurotoxin is 1000 times more powerful than cyanide. It shuts down your nervous system and paralyzes you but you remain conscious and alert. Eventually your lungs shut down and you suffocate. The process can take many hours. I'd spend the extra bucks and stick with a licensed Japanese Chef.

On a lighter note....

KAWAII! (ka wai ee!=Cute!)
And the Queen of Cute is Hello Kitty. Born "Kitty White" on November 1st, 1974 in London, England, she's got a twin sister Mimmy and fans all over the world. They earn her parent company Sanrio over a billion dollars a year. With her own line of diamond jewellery, an EvaAir Hello Kitty airbus and a maternity hospital in Taiwan, this girl deserves a blog of her own. I shall so enjoy researching and writing it. Stay tuned Kitty loving kids....

KAMIKAZE translates as "Divine Wind". Kublai Khan led Mongolian invasions of Japan in the 1200s. Not just once, but twice, massive typhoons drove the Mongols from Japan's shores, and destroyed hundreds of their ships. It was believed that the Japanese Gods had created the storms to protect the Japanese people from the foreign devils. Most non-Japanese understand kamikaze to refer to the WW2 pilots who led suicide attacks on Allied ships.

Modern day vodka drinkers think "kamikaze" and picture a tasty citrus shooter....

And on that happy note! "Kanpai"! (Cheers!)

Sanbiki hopes to see you soon!

New Year, New Staff, New Stuff....

2012-01-07T11:10:00.001+09:00

"Akemashite omedouto gozaimasu!"= Happy New Years!

Its the most important holiday of the year for many Asians, and the Japanese are no different. New Years means special foods will be shared with special friends and family. "Mochi" (sweet rice cakes), red and white "kamaboko" (fish cakes), osechie gohan (rice cooked with red bean) and sashimi are just a few holiday treats. In Japan, ornate laquer ware "ju bako" (stackable bento boxes) are often prepared with exquisitely presented foods that will keep without refrigeration for a few days.

In the past this ensured there would be lots to eat on one of the few holidays when groceries and other businesses closed down. Even the housewives could look forward to a few days off! Meals were prepared ahead of time, and the homemade bento kept in cool areas of the house over the holidays. Nowadays, many department stores offer special order "ju bako" and the fancy versions can cost hundreds (even thousands!) of dollars. Favourites sell out months in advance.

Nowadays, Japanese homes are equipped with refrigerators and other modern convienences. Still, it is rare to have central heating or air con in Japan and many families will store food in a "cool" room. It is also uncommon for a family to celebrate the coming of the New Year without a trip to a favourite shrine or temple. Japanese spirituality or religion is generally a combination of Shinto and Buddhist beliefs.

Shinto is the indigenious Japanese religion/idealogy that encompasses all things, living and otherwise. "Jinja" are Shinto shrines and easily distuinguishable from Buddhist temples. "Tori" are the fantastic gates, usually red, that mark the entrance to a Shinto shrine. Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto is famous for the thousands of brilliant red"tori" (paid for by families or companies) that wind up the side of a sacred mountain. "Kami" is a central concept in Shinto, and refers to the spirit that resides in, and unites all things. Gods, demons and everything in between have a place in Shinto.

Buddhism is one of many early imports to Japan by way of China. It remains a central pillar in Japanese life today. It's a cliche in Japan to say "We are born Shinto , but we die Buddhist". When a child is born or a couple married these events are celebrated by a visit to a Shinto Shrine. Funerals however, take place at Buddhist temples and this is where many rituals honouring the dead take place.

Sanbiki celebrated the holidays with our staff and their families and friends. New Chef Hiro is a new father as well! He got the best Christmas gift! His lovely wife (Seiko) and beautiful daughter (Reina) joined him in Canada in time for New Years! Thats him below with our other new Chef Yama and Marvellous Megumi!

As usual, an amazing assortment of food was prepared and washed down with far too much beer, wine and fruity cocktails. Masato's "te maki" is always popular. Its like fajitas, but Japanese style. Everyone prepares their own "mini maki sushi". It starts with a square of seaweed and a scoop of rice. Load it up with whatever raw or cooked seafood and veggies catch your eye. A dab of wasabi, a drop or two of soy sauce and down the hatch it goes!

There were homemade sweets (Japanese and Western) savoury Taiwanese style pastries, spicy Korean rice cakes and much more! Everyone got to take home leftovers after.

Crannog Ales Party Pigs were empty by the evenings end. Beer leftovers have never been an issue at our staff parties! Strange berry cocktails were consumed by the adults while the little people indulged in Ramune and Calpico.

Those with a sweet tooth were left satiated (albeit perplexed!) with a bizarre sweet rendition of a pizza. It invloved cheesecake, fruit and far, far too much strawberry cream cheese icing, green and red gummies and white chocolate shavings!

Keep in touch!

We'll continue to blog about restaurant news and special events. We'll be doing more fundraising this year as well. We'll start with the Kamloops SPCA and are arranging a Special Bento Dinner for January. $20 per person ($10 to SPCA) with your choice of special dinner bento boxes. Our new dinner menu features hot pots, spicy new sushi and much more. Check our facebook page for updates and we are on twitter as well!

Hope your holidays were happy! Things are getting back to normal and we all look forward to seeing you soon at Sanbiki and Mori Mori.

Nabemono

2011-12-27T05:56:00.023+09:00

"Things in a pot". Doesn't sound very special...A very basic translation by a non-Japanese speaker. "Nabe" = pot. "Mono"= thing/stuff; in this usage, "edible things". Done properly, very delicious, edible things end up simmering together in a big ceramic or metal pot. Japanese hot pots take many forms. Canadians are perhaps most familiar with Shabu Shabu, Sukiyaki and Yosenabe.

"Yosenabe" (pictured above) is one of our favourites. Christmas dinner at Sanbiki did not involve turkey, turnip puff or yorkshire pudding as it would have at my Mom's. Instead, we started with a pot of water and a piece of seaweed. "Kombu" is a kind of kelp that is loaded with "umami"(the "fifth taste") due to the presence of glutamic acids. It don't look like much now, but we are just getting started...

We leave the kelp to soften and flavour the stock. Seafood and fish are prepared for cooking. We used B.C. Black Cod (Sablefish), Spot Prawns ("ama ebi" or sweet shrimp) and scallops. The Black Cod is a mild fish with a high fat content. Cooked properly the flesh is light and flaky. Near the skin, bones and cheeks, its even better. Packed with omega-3 fats these bits take a bit of work to eat but melt in your mouth. Definately worth the effort of picking and spitting a few bones. As the skin cooks down it becomes delicious too. Nothing is wasted. We sliced it and blanched it briefly to get it ready to play it's part in our nabe party...

BC Spot Prawns are another local, sustainably sourced seafood. Allowing them to cook in the shell, head on, keeps the shrimp from drying out and adds flavour to the stock. The heads take time to cook but are a crunchy, end of meal treat I look forward too!

What's a hot pot without the veggies and tofu? No hot pot at all! We used daikon (giant white radish), Napa Cabbage (hakusai in Japanese or sui choy in Chinese) and green onion to start. Tofu and "shiritaki" (a chewy noodle) will add more texture than taste to the dish. A balance between textures as well as tastes is important in Japanese cuisine. Not that the tofu and noodles will be tasteless. They wil absorb the flavours of the stock as they cook; this is why they are added to the nabe early on.

Cold beer makes the waiting a little easier... a glass of Sauvignon Blanc tastes even better as the steam and smells drift up out of the simmering pots! You heard right. "Pots", as in plural. While seafood, veggies and tofu boogie away in the big nabe, a private poultry pot party is happening right next door ...

"Tori dango". Sounds exotic huh? Much more exciting than "chicken ball" (which is pretty much what it is). More of a dumpling as the meat is finely minced and mixed with egg, ginger, starch and onion. If it looks or sounds familiar, it probably is. Dumplings can be found on pretty much every part of the planet. Find yourself in France with a serving of "quenelles" and you'll see something similar, albeit differently seasoned and sauced.

"Ponzu" is the primary seasoning/sauce that accompanies our hot pot. The solid ingredients in the nabe are dipped into ponzu and slurped up. Ponzu is made with a nikiri soy sauce. Nikiri soy sauce is prepared with sake and mirin (sweet cooking wine). They are cooked together and reduced to remove the alcohol and concentrate the flavours. The juice from "yuza", a Japanese citrus fruit is added after the nikiri has been cooled and aged for at least a week. Ponzu is served alongside yosenabe and other hotpots.

Itadakimasu="Lets eat!" The yosenabe is ready and we are waiting. Diners pick their favourite morsels from the communal pot. Everyone has their own small bowl of ponzu sauce and nabe bits are dipped into the ponzu before being slurped up by hungry diners. This is key to seasoning the solid nabe ingredients. The individual components of the hot pot have been prepared simply and briefly cooked. A quick bath in the ponzu is a perfect compliment. Like spicy? Shake some shichimi (Japanese seven spice chili powder) into your private ponzu bowl.Leftovers are commonplace. The broth is mixed with yesterdays leftover rice, an egg, and some green onion. An umeboshi (salty, pickled plum) on top adds some sweet and salty to the final stage of our nabemono....

All traces of our Christmas nabemono have vanished...the pots are cleaned and ready for...NEW YEARS NABE!

Happy Holidays everyone! Whatever you eat and whomever you share it with...May you all enjoy!

HM: BYOB

2011-11-24T04:59:00.000+09:00

No, we're not encouraging you to pack your favourite bottle to Sanbiki, but rather to "Build a Bento". It's a new menu we started a few months back and it's a favourite with dinner guests. Lots of choice starting at $11...

Picture an empty bento box. Now consider what you want to eat. Fill your bento with pretty much whatever you want. Like raw? Load it up with wild salmon sashimi and spicy BC Albacore tuna rolls. Craving cooked? California, and dynamite rolls are probably still the most popular. But Sanbiki's smoked salmon roll is made with Riverfresh's BC wild salmon. Local, sustainable and it tastes good too! Cool weather means more hot food. Teriyaki chicken or salmon, stirfried noodles or gyoza are good choices.

Vegetarians, and those with restricted diets (wheat free etc) have no trouble finding lots to suit their needs. We have a gluten free teriyaki sauce, wheat free Tamari soy sauce and low sodium options as well. Save room for dessert. Its just $3 more for homemade creme caramel, green tea ice cream or mochi ice. That's a soft sweet Japanese rice cake filled with ice cream.

We have a special bento menu now available for holiday parties and large groups as well. Call or come down and talk to us for more details. Perhaps the biggest news of all is that our NEW dinner menu has been sent to the printers! With the help of new Chefs Hiro and Yama we've added some great new dishes. "Yudofu" is a Japanese hot pot traditionally served in winter in a metal pot with a fire to keep it warm. Tofu and veggies are simmered in a light stock. Diners pick their favourite morsels from the pot and dip them into ponzu sauce before eating. Ponzu is an aromatic citrus soy sauce made with yuzu (a Japanese lemon/lime)

We've added more spicy favourites like Ma Po Tofu. Its a Chinese dish to which our Japanese Chefs have given their own tasty twist. Spicy pork, silky tofu and a homemade sauce warm your belly (and your tongue!). A new spicy super-sized roll can be ordered as fiery (or as mild) as you like.

We'll have more details about our new menu in our email and facebook page (Sanbiki Japanese Kitchen) Follow us on twitter too! sanbikikamloops. We are going to try and arrange for one more Red Cross fundraiser in December...our last one sold out and we have raised well over $1000 for the Red Cross. Thank to all our Kamloops customers! We couldn't do it without you!!

Red Cross Fundraising

2011-10-10T11:42:00.002+09:00

MONDAY OCTOBER 24 5:30....East Africa Fundraiser! $20...FREE BEER IF you get the "password" by watching the youtube video..Sanbiki skydives for Red Cross!

Red Cross fundraising is not going well. Red Cross crispies and cookies sit on Sanbiki and Mori Mori's counters going stale. Our goal was to donate $1000 to the Red Cross. We found ourselves seriously stalled at just $700.

While the situation in Japan is better than it was a few months back, the opposite is true in the Horn Of Africa. Somalia and Ethiopia are among the worst hit areas. Everyone's attention seems focused on that part of the world. Perhaps our fundraising efforts needed to shift as well?

So we decided that all money raised until September 1st would go towards the Red Cross work in Japan and all new money would be earmarked for East Africa. Another fundraising dinner has been scheduled for Monday October 24th at 5:30. The 2-tier Bento Boxes we used at our last fundraising dinner were a hit, so we thought we'd bring them back.

We had recently discovered youtube and we've set up Sanbiki accounts on facebook and twitter. We have been dragged kicking and screaming into high tech socially networked 2011! I rediscovered the manual from a digital camera we purchased almost 2 years ago and actually took the time to read it. Turns out that teeny tiny little camera thing can make movies! Who would have thought?

Sanbiki is not above staging a blatant publicity stunt if it helps us achieve our goals. Hell, there's not much we won't do! We decided to take it one step further. We would do anything to raise $1000 for the Red Cross. Even throw someone out of an airplane....

With lots of help from everyone at Kamloops Skydivers, Barry from Camera House and Adam from Sugar Coded Designs, a silly video was produced. In the video you'll get clues to the "password" which will get you a free beer or dessert at the dinner. You can watch it on youtube at kamloops333.

Look for a future blog about the amazing rush that skydiving is! Or if you're feeling brave this weekend , call Dean at Kamloops Skydivers 250 376 1213. He'll arrange for a day you'll never forget! Or visit kamloopsskydive.com More later...

HM: Street Meat!

2011-08-28T14:46:00.001+09:00

They've got mini menus, no fixed address and are compact quick-serve kitchens on wheels. More than 15 new food trucks rolled out on to Vancouver streets after getting the green light from City Council on January 20th.

They are part of a plan to encourage healthier, more diverse offerings from mobile food operators in one of Canada's biggest cities. Food carts have traditionally sold hot dogs, snacks or prepackaged food. Not anymore...

Japadog was one of the first food carts to give an ethnic spin on an old favorite. Hot dogs with teriyaki sauce? On a bed of grated daikon (white radish) and topped with strands of toasted seaweed? Yup. And Vancouverites have been lining up at the corner of Burrard and Smithe for these and other delightfully different dogs.

There are now several Japadog carts now and even a sit down restaurant. They have been featured on Food Network and the CBC. Anthony Bourdain and Steven Seagal have sampled their unique brand of "street meat".

Foodies are flocking to street corners and parking lots to take advantage of the expanding food truck phenomena. As the name suggests, Roaming Dragon serves up fast fresh food with an Asian flair. Look for Korean inspired dishes like short rib or beef bulgogi tacos. Banh mi (a Vietnamese style submarine sandwich) is stuffed with meat, pickled veggies and fresh herbs. I haven't tried it myself but the lychee and basil lemonade is rumoured to be refreshing and unique.

Bada Bing (below) can be seen cruising Robson street dishing up Philly Cheesesteaks and (un!?)healthy portions of cheesy poutine.

A few high-end restaurants also run food carts. This is a clever marketing trick, particularly with fine dining restaurants in BC facing very challenging times. Customers can sample a pricy restaurant's food without spending an arm and a leg and an evening out. If they like what they've tried off the cart, chances are they'll consider the restaurant that operates it for their next special night out.

La Brasserie (the restaurant) is located on Davie St in the West End. La Brasserie (The food cart) offers just one signature item, a beer-brined chicken sandwich on homemade buttermilk buns with fried onions. When it's gone, it's gone and the operators let their customers know when they've sold out on twitter. Twitter is a powerful and popular tool for food trucks/carts. Instantly they can inform their customers as to where they are and will be, and what's available and what's not.

Harry Kambolosis owns some of Vancouver's best known restaurants, including "C ", Raincity Grill and the relatively recent Greek spot "NU". "Souvlaki by NU" is a new street cart also operated by Kambolosis offering easy to eat souvlaki (on a stick) or wrapped in a pita with your choice of condiments.

Does the guy working the cart look familiar? Yup, that's Executive Chef Robert Clark of "C" grilling, wrapping and rolling. He's been featured on the Food network and CBC and was a founding member of the vancouver Aquarium's Oceanwise Program. Oceanwise encourages guests, restaurants and suppliers to support sustainable fisheries.

Sustainable, local seafood is always on the menu at "Feastro" Fresh fish tacos, Seared BC Tuna Carpaccio and crab cakes are sold (quite literally) off the back of a truck. They're usually parked in the neighbourood of Cordova and Thurlow, near the Convention Centre.

Kamloops is probably a ways from having a regular street food scene anything like Vancouvers! But fresh and tasty snacks can be found at The Kamloops Farmers Market Wednesday and Saturdays downtown. Vendors can also be found Friday afternoon on the North Shore and Sundays at Sun Peaks. That's all for now...eat and enjoy!

HM:Noodles, Noodles Everywhere

2011-06-01T15:01:00.000+09:00

Times are tough for many Vancouver restaurants. But outside Kintaro Ramen at Denman and Robson, be prepared to line up for your noodles in soup!

10 years ago I felt sophisticated being able to tell my spagetti from my linguine and a Marinara sauce from a Putanesca. Times change. I can file all of that precious knowledge next to my Rolling Stones records in the box with my Sony Walkman. It's being guarded by a Tyrannosaurus Rex. I'll always adore Italian, but it don't look much like them there ramen....

Nowadays if I want to appear at all noodly-worldly, I have to know my ramen from my udon and my soba from my somen. Ramen are a Japanese take on Chinese style noodles served in a rich, fatty broth (often pork based) and garnished with sliced meats, boiled eggs, fish cake etc. Popular ramen shops in Japan attract big crowds as elsewhere. Another ramen restaurant (this one in Tokyo)...another line up...

Vietnamese "Pho" is another super-hot noodle dish out there. I have learned to pronounce it like "feu" and not like "dough" to avoid being laughed out of my favourite Richmond Food Courts. )

Yaohan Mall on #3 Road has many stalls offering Vietnamese pho, as well as Chinese, Korean and Japanese noodles dishes. With tea and a side dish you can easily eat fresh, fast noodle food for less than $10(photo c/o chowtimes.com

Masato tried a spicy chicken and coconut version of pho at "Pho Tan" restaurant on Main Street in Vancouver (see below). Rumour has it that the Vietnamese borrowed cooking techniques from the French (think "pot-au-feu") during Colonial times. The preparation methods and pronounciation for "pho" stuck. Rice noodles are served in soup usually made from bones, charred onion and spices, and topped with thinly sliced meats.

As with other Vietnamese dishes, a plate of fresh lime, chili, cilantro and other herbs are available for the diners to add as they like. We also tried "banh xeo", a rice flour crepe coloured with tumeric. Ours was stuffed with veggies and seafood. It was bright yellow in colour, but lightly seasoned. Our server told us to put pieces of the crepe into the lettuce leaves provided and garnish it how we liked. I added a few sprigs of Thai basil, cilantro, a chili pepper and then gave it a quick dunk in a sweet&spicy dipping broth. Yum!

A "dry noodle" dish pictured below skipped the soup, but had some spice and lots of tender seafood...

Contrary to popular belief, rice noodles are not commonly used in Japan. Flour noodles are much more popular. Udon are a thick white noodle, and somen are thin white noodles (usually served chilled). Udon in soup with tempura is cold weather comfort food and a customer favourite at Sanbiki. "Shichimi" is a Japanese chili powder served on the side. It's acually a mix of seven (7="shichi") different spices.

Warm weather brings refreshing chilled noodle dishes. Soba (buckwheat) noodles are served with small cups of dipping sauce. The noodles are dunked in the sauce and slurpped up. Green onion, wasabi and ginger are available on the side to kick up the flavour.

Udon can also be enjoyed cold. At Sanbiki, our kitchen team has a new recipe served with a miso-mayo sauce. We garnish it with cucumber, shredded crab stick and tamago ( a sweetened omelette). At only $7, it's gaining popularity with our lunch guests. ..it even looks summery!

The presentation and flavours of noodle dishes differ between East and West. So too, does "noodle etiquette". On our too rare trips back to Japan, I've learned silent noodle sipping is too be avoided. Stop talking; moan softly, and slurp up the slippery threads in the molten broth. Try not to choke on anything solid that is too big (or tasty) to swallow whole. Ignore the searing pain as your tastebuds are vapourized, they'll grow back. If you're female, blink back the tears, and hope that "waterproof"mascara you're wearing really is.

"The Slurp" is said to improve their taste, and also signals the Chef that the noodles are properly seasoned and you are enjoying your meal. It also cools hot noodles. Being served very hot is believed to bring out their full flavour. My Grandma still would have slapped me silly had I dared make so much noise dining at her table!

Got a noodle dish you'd like to see at Sanbiki? Let us know. Now we are rethinking our menu and planning to expand our Grab and Go take out offerings next door at Mori Mori. Look for even more reasonably priced sushi packs, rice bowls, gyoza, spring rolls and much more! Hope to see you soon!

HM: The Fish Head is Good

2011-05-09T10:26:00.000+09:00

Her eyes gaze heavenward. The fish lips hang slightly open. Is she trying to tell us a secret? To be honest, the Fish Head looks a little worried. Being a fish that's understandable. Given the state of the world's fisheries, and humanity's continuing love affair with seafood; if I had gills, I'd be worried too. One thing that's no secret is that the source of our seafood is in serious trouble.

Southern Blue Fin Tuna are now listed as "critically endangered" by the IUCN

According to recent studies by International Union for the Conservation of Nature, 90% of the oceans predators have been wiped out. That's all those big, long lived species like sharks, Blue Fin tuna and swordfish . A longer life span often means a species has a slower reproductive rate. So it takes longer for these populations to recover their numbers. In the meantime, prey species' populations can explode with no hunters left to weed out the sick and the weak. The balance in our oceans took millions of years to perfect and we seem to have knocked it out of wack.

Is the situation hopeless? Hardly. Consumers are responding positively to programs that help them make informed, sustainable seafood choices. MSC (The Marine Stewardship Council) is probably the world's leading certification and ecolabelling program. Superstore (and all of the Loblaws companies) along with Walmart have joined with MSC to phase out all unsustainably sourced seafood products. Walmart thinks they can do it by 2015. Loblaws says 2013. Overly optomistic? It depends on us. As consumers we create the demand. Say no to unsustainable seafood and the incentive for companies to supply it will dry up.

Sanbiki is proud to have been the first Japanese restaurant in Canada to partner with the Vancouver Aquarium's Oceawise program back in 2007. Nowadays hundreds of restaurants across Canada have jumped on board. A recent visit to YVR demonstrated just how much momentum the sustainable seafood movement has picked up. Chains like Panago Pizza and Cactus Club are displaying the Fish Head symbol next to seafood items on their menu that are deemed good choices for the environment. Even old school seafood joints are getting onboard.

Joe Fortes has been a Vancouver landmark since 1977. All polished wood, walls of fine wine and super-polite servers in super-starched shirts. As a kid I remember it was reserved exclusively for very special dress-up occasions. A recent visit proved that old dogs can learn new tricks. The Fish Head featured prominently on Joe's menu. Check out the gorgeous seafood platter below. It's (almost) all locally sourced and sustainable. Seafood tastes so much better when you know it'll be around for the next generation to enjoy!

Chefs are challenging their guests minds as well as their palates. C Restaurant's Robert Clark was a founding member of Oceanwise and is recognized as one of Canada's top chefs. He has been experimenting with "non-traditional" ingredients like jellyfish, sardines, and sea urchin roe made into mousse. Definitely more interesting than your average farmed Tiger Prawn cocktail! Shrimps are still delicious and they can be sustainably sourced. Chef Clark shows off some beautiful B.C. Spot Prawns. They are coming into season now and are great raw or cooked!

You will always find lots of good stuff on Sanbiki's menus, both from an environmental and taste perspective! BC Albacore Tuna, wild Sockeye Salmon and crispy panko-breaded oysters are always available. We never buy Blue Fin Tuna, but usually can get Big Eye Tuna. It's similar in taste and texture but is hook and line caught in the Pacific where the fish are plentiful. Next door at Mori Mori Asian Grocery we sell the same sushi quality, sustainably sourced BC Tuna and Sockeye Salmon. We also carry local smoked and fresh frozen trout, octopus and lots of other specialty items!

More blogging to come.... "Street Meat" (food trucks) and noodle restaurants are two more trends that are gaining ground down in Vancouver and elsewhere. More on that next time!

Sanbiki looks forward to seeing you soon!

HM:FUNdraising!

2011-04-11T07:07:00.018+09:00

We hemmed, we hawed, we finally got off our collective Sanbiki butt and started fundraising for Japan! I read somewhere that the human mind can sort of shut down when faced with overwhelming numbers or information. The scale of destruction in Japan is perhaps a situation like this. How can one imagine entire towns being washed away? More than 10,000 dead, many more still missing? The cost of rebuilding more than 25 trillion yen (more than 300 billion dollars) Where to begin...

With bento boxes and very strange, very sweet sushi made from rice crispies and candy...At least that's where Sanbiki decided to start! $2 a piece will get you the strangest sushi ever with $1 going directly to the Red Cross. Our first ever fundraising dinner was organized for Tuesday April 5 at 5:30. Our super-cool, super-creative kitchen team came up with special dinner bentos for only $15.

$5 would be donated to the Red Cross from the sale of each meal. Guests could choose from sushi, chicken or veggie bentos. We didn't know what to expect. But Kamloops blew us away. We had calls from customers offering to forward info to their friends so they could sell "blocks" of tickets. The students and staff from TRU were some of the first to buy tickets. The 5:30 seating sold out. We scheduled a 7:00 seating to accomodate additional guests. Lots of regulars came down....It was Sayaka and her friends second visit in one week!

It was a very busy Tuesday night! And we greatly appreciated everyone's patience as we struggled to incorpoate the newest member of the Sanbiki team...

A brand new high-tech POS System. It means"Point Of Sale"...don't pronounce it "posse"; your installation tech will laugh at you...trust me, I know.... The night was crazy but a success. We have a saying at Sanbiki after nights like this..."Nobody cried, nobody died, and nobody quit" Enough said!! We are looking to the Forest God to smile on our next fundraising adventure...

If you haven't seen Miyazaki's classic Japan-amation "My Neighbour Totoro", you must! It's a wonderful escape from so much recent bad news, and the inspiration for our latest fundraising cookie creation.....

He needs work, I know. but hopefully he will contribute to our Japan/Red Cross fund raising efforts! Stop by Sanbiki and Mori Mori to find out what else is going on. We'll keep doing emails to let everyone know when our next fundraising events will be held. Thanks so much to everyone who has helped support the relief efforts in Japan...we've raised almost $300 and we've only just started!

Another initiative has been started by Chase-based Daizen Joinery. Yup, the same Daizen responsible for creating Sanbiki's beautiful new space! Dai has mobilized local designers and suppliers and will be constructing a series of stunning wooden gates to be sold.

100% of the purchase price from the first 30 gates will be donated to the Red Cross. Check out the website japantsunamirelief.ca for more info . Enjoy the warmer weather and we look forward to seeing you soon!

HM: A Big One

2011-03-20T03:41:00.003+09:00

I thought I was dreaming. From the other room, an unknown male voice was speaking in rapid fire Japanese. I opened my eyes and looked into the the arms of my alarm clock. It was after 3am. What was going on? I dragged myself upright and out of bed.

In the living room, Masato sat in the dark, staring at the computer. On the screen, a map of Japan glowed. The coastal areas of the north and east pulsed ominously in shades of red and orange. "What happened?" His eyes never left the screen. "Earth quake in Japan...a big one."

Big one indeed. The strongest that has hit Japan since the Japanese started keeping track of such things. First clocking in at 8.9 on the scale, later revised as a 9/10. This puts the quake into the top 5 worst earthquakes Mother Nature has (so far) thrown at us. While the earthquake was bad, the massive waves the tsunami brought soon after were worse. Masato and I watched the computer screen in silence. Like many people, horrified but fascinated; and unable to look away. Walls of seawater washed boats over cars, and both over houses. The airport in Sendai was submerged.

Sendai Airport 2003 (Google Image)

Sendai Airport 2011 (Google Image)

There was some consolation (for us) knowing that most of Masato's family lives near Osaka, and they were not directly affected by the devestation. Things did not look as good for Megumi, one of our Sanbiki girls. She is from Fukushima, one of the hardest hit areas. Fortunately, she has since been in contact with her family and they are safe for now.

So much attention was at first focused on the death and destruction that occurred. Fortunately, some airtime is now being given to the stoic response of the Japanese people in the face of such tragedy. Where is the looting, the violence and the lawlessness that so often follows on the heels of a disaster? On the streets of Sendai, people lined up for hours outside the few stores that were open. Across the street, shops that had had their walls and windows smashed waited to be plundered for food and supplies. And yet there was no plundering.

We have had many customers ask about Sanbiki and Mori Mori's family and friends in Japan. We are relieved to report that so far all seem to be accounted for. Even in these tough economic times, Kamloops residents are asking us where to donate to help the estimated half a million Japanese left homeless. We have contacted the Kamloops office of the Canadian Red Cross for donation boxes. The CBC website has an excellent list of organizations helping with the relief effort. If you choose to donate, please give to a reputable organization whose work you are familiar with.

For now, we continue to keep Japan in our thoughts and hearts. The Great Kanto Earthquake near Tokyo in 1923 killed well over 100,000 people. More than 200,000 deaths resulted from the atomic bombs that fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan has seen tragedy many times in the past. And as with previous disasters, the Japanese will do as they always do. Resolve to rebuild, and be better and stronger as a result.

HM :Locavore?

2011-02-28T11:40:00.001+09:00

Locavore gone wild...what else is Mendel growing besides lettuce??

The term "locavore" took just 3 years to find it's way into the Oxford American Dictionary. But not just as another new word, as...yup..."Word of the Year".

As with so many things, it started in California. First coined by a group of San Francisco area women, "locavore" has become a favourite term for foodies and farmers alike. A 2010 survey of Canadian Chefs revealed that the top three "menu trends" are:

1) Locally sourced food

2)Sustainably produced ingredients

3)Organic produce

Trends to be sure, but will they last? Everyone wants to talk about eating locally produced, sustainably-sourced meals, but are people buying in? In a volatile economy, are they willing to pay for it? Organic, sustainable and local almost always carries a higher price tag than mass produced McFood.

At Sanbiki and Mori Mori, many customers are interested in local and sustainably sourced ingredients. They like seeing the Oceanwise symbol on our menu (and wall) and know that our tuna and salmon are from well-managed West Coast fisheries. Come spring, customers and downtown Chefs alike can be spotted shopping the Farmers Market. What else is going on in and around Kamloops?

Masato recently joined the TSCFC. It stands for "Thompson Shuswap Chef Farmer Collaborative. Aimed at bringing Kamloops and area Chefs together with local producers, the collaborative is still new but gaining momentum. In the photo above, TRU Culinary Arts Instructer Ed Walker outlines some of TSCFC's objectives. Cards, emails and ideas were exchanged by producers, Chefs and restaurateurs.

"Ted's Trout" are based in Little Fort and raise rainbow trout. They are proof that aquaculture can provide an environmentally sound, local and delicious alternative to fish taken by factory trawlers, or farmed in open sea pens. Maureen and Ted visited Sanbiki last week after meeting Masato at the TSCFC meeting. They dropped off some smoked and fresh frozen trout samples. These are products we want to start selling to our grocery customers next door at Mori Mori.

While local food is good; local booze...well, that's even better! We have seen an excellent response to Crannog Ales and the now famous (infamous!) Party Pig. There are no bottles or cans to recycle and their handcrafted organic Ales are brewed just down the road in Sorrento.

Premium, chilled sakes from Granville Island's Masa Shiroki are catching on too. Last year Shiroki-san experimented with growing sake rice in the Kamloops area. Apparently the birds got most of it but he hasn't given up yet...

That's all for now. We at Sanbiki are seriously ready for spring! Patio planning has begun already...trying to remember what flowers survived my care last season...there weren't many!!

From all of us at Sanbiki, keep warm and have a great week!

HM:TRU Love!

2011-02-13T04:40:00.026+09:00

Masato...What was he up to? Surreptitiously packing boxes after hours at Sanbiki. Checking his Chef's apron carefully for stains. I'd caught him studying unversity maps on the computer late at night and heard the end of a strange phone conversation..."I'll see you Tuesday night". Something was up...a picnic with a nubile, young TRU student? Even worse then another woman, was it another restaurant? Was he leaving me and our Sanbiki monster-child for a real, paying job?

Tuesday night he told me the truth..."I'm going to see Ed tonight"....ED! Another man! I never saw it coming...Who was this Ed?

I had the university connection right but that was about it. "Ed" = Ed Walker, Culinary Arts Instructor at Thompson Rivers University. Like Sanbiki, Ed is committed to sourcing quality, local sustainable products for Accolades, TRU's fine dining restaurant. Staffed and run by the students and faculty of the Culinary Arts Program, 80% of the ingredients are local. Ed is well-known for supporting local producers and finding ways for them to hook up with Kamloops restaurants.

Arrangements had been made for Masato to attend TRU's Culinary Arts School as a "guest Chef". Masato wanted to demonstrate how to make "dashi" to the students at TRU. The basic stock in Japanese cooking, dashi is made from dried, shaved tuna (Katsuboshi), kelp (konbu) and dried sardines/anchovies (niboshi)

It is perhaps different from many classic French stocks as it does not require a long and complicated roasting, cooking and /or reduction process. At Sanbiki we make fresh dashi almost every day. It's used in miso soup, udon noodles in soup, sunomono dressing and other sauces.

We Canadians are learning to appreciate a wide variety of seafood, prepared in different ways. We've got our favourites though. Salmon, tuna, shrimp and scallops are some bestsellers. "Oily" fish like mackerel, sardines, anchovies and saury are still associated with a strong, "fishy" taste for many North Americans. This is especially true when it comes to sushi. Raw or marinated "silver fish" (or "hikarimono" in Japanese), have been a very tough sell at Sanbiki!

It's a shame because with care and the proper preparation, these fish are delicious raw or cooked. Even better, smaller fish tend to have rapid reproductive rates and are often a sustainable seafood option. Big, long living fish like Blue Fin Tuna, Chilean Seabass and sharks have had their numbers decimated by overfishing and it will take years for those species to recover (if it is even possible). Masato wanted to show the students

that small is not only beautiful, but delicious when it comes to fish.

"Sanma" are Pacific Saury. Served salted and grilled whole in Japan, they are a fall favourite! But marinated in a little vinegar and sprinkled witha pinch of salt, they make delicious sushi too.

Sometimes a chef will top the sushi with a hint of fresh ginger or citrus to balance the oiliness of the fish. Masato wanted to introduce the TRU crowd to a "non-traditional" fish in North American Cuisine but one which is a tasty (and sustainable!) Japanese staple. He demonstrated how to cut, clean and prepare marinated sanma.

It was a great experience for Masato and the students and his first opportunity to check out all the facilities at the Culinary Arts Centre. We were invited to dinner at Accolades, the fine dining restaurant they run at TRU. The following week, we enjoyed a wonderful meal prepared by Ed, Ron and the students. Regional ingredients were featured front and center. Local meat and dairy products featured prominently and sustainably-sourced BC Spot Prawns, trout and scallops were nicely prepared. It was all washed down with a few pints of excellent Irish Ale courtesy of

Sorrento based Crannog Ales

Sanbiki is TRUly international! Not only do we have an amazing team of ladies and gentlemen from Kamloops, Japan and Korea, we took part in International Days at TRU last week! We were invited to set up a take out table in the Int'l Food Fair set up in the Gym. Megumi served up sushi packs and our homemade "Gyudon", Canadian beef over rice in our homemade sauce. "Oden" is a dish made with simmered vegetables, meats and other foods. It's cold weather comfort food and the smell brought many customers to our table...Megumi's pretty smile helped too!

Sanbiki is proud to be able to take part in events like the ones at TRU. We have many amazing cutomers, young and old; from Kamloops and the world. It is our job to make all of our guests feel welcome and give them the lunch, dinner or take out snack they deserve!

If you haven't seen our completed mural, drop by and check it out! Kamloops artist Alex Moir-Porteous put in many months of hard work and it shows. The piece showcases Kamloops and BC and incorporates many of our local suppliers. See Paula, Mendel and Saul from the Farmers Market, Masa Shiroki (Granville Island Sake) and our favourite...the draft Party pig from Crannog Ales....beer good...hick!

Have a great Valentines Day! Sanbiki loves you!

HM: Dashi Days

2011-02-06T08:33:00.002+09:00

It all started one dark and rainy Monday night...Sanbiki was slow, slow, slow...what to do with our beautiful (and empty!) space? We have a great Sanbiki team from Kamloops, Japan and Korea....and yet they were spending another uneventful evening peeling carrots and polishing glasses. We kept our spirits up but we knew we could do better....

Enter Sanbiki's "Sushi School"....

Once a month we converted the far side of the restaurant into a "cooking classroom" where Masato and Kishino could pass along the secrets to rolling great sushi. For $40 and 2 hours, students learned how to prepare sushi rice and fillings. There was the opportunity to make and cut a variety of rolls and pick Masato's brains for ancient Japanese culinary secrets. Afterwards, everyone was free to eat the fruits of their labour or take them home for late night snacking.

Sushi school continues to draw new students and keeps us occupied on those chilly, uneventful Monday evenings. But getting a taste (literally!) for Japanese cooking at home seems to be catching on....sushi graduates started asking questions...complicated, non-sushi related questions that we could not adequately answer over the two hours alloted to our Monday sushi classes...

Enter Sanbiki's "Dashi School"....

More victims...I mean, "students"...for Master Masato and Mistress Kishino....

And what is dashi? Excellent question! Dashi is the most basic Japanese stock and the secret to making delicious miso soup, sunomono salad dressing and many other soups and sauces. Fresh is best but unused dashi can be frozen for later use too.

Dashi is made from katsuoboshi (dried tuna flakes) konbu (dried kelp) and niboshi (dried small silverfish, usually anchovies) Homemade dashi is wonderful; smoky, earthy and packed with "umami". "Umami" can be thought of as "yumminess"; a savoury flavourfulness that comes from the glutamates in the seaweed and fish. Other foods high in glutamates are mushrooms, truffles, soy sauce and interestingly, some cheeses; parmesan for example.

Almost everyone (restaurants included!) use instant powdered dashi. At Sanbiki we have always made our dashi from scratch. We are certain that this has helped us develop a "taste" that is different from our competitors and one which our customers appreciate.

During the dashi lesson, Masato tells students what and how they should taste the dashi. You can smell the ocean from the kelp and a slight smokiness from the dried fish. After making the dashi, Masato shows the class how to use it to make "Oyakodon" or "chicken and egg" rice bowl.

It can also be used in popular sunomono salads made from harusame (yam noodles), cucumber and shrimp or other garnishes.

And as a base for noodles in soup, hot pots or simmered dishes. We use our homemade dashi in Sanbiki's Tempura Udon. It's perfect cold weather comfort food and a customer favourite.

If you're interested in sushi or dashi making classes, please give us a call at the restaurant (377 8857) Suggestions for other cooking classes or menu ideas always welcome...call or send us an email!

Our new Build Your Own Bento dinner special is a hit!! Customers can choose from a variety of sushi rolls, appetizers (hot and cold!) and salads. Starting at only $10, we give you control...go on...Build A Bento tonight!!

Have a great week everyone! Sanbiki loves ya!

HM :Izakaya!

2011-01-31T12:42:00.003+09:00

"Izakaya". Sit, drink, relax. "Sake-ya"=alcohol selling shop; and the prefix "I"= to sit. Put it all together (with the proper Japanese pronounciation and word order!) and you get "Izakaya". This is a Japanese institution we hope will take root in Kamloops as it has done in Vancouver, London and other cities around the world. Traditionally, izakaya were small "taverns" with lanterns (usually red) hung outside.

Nowadays, many izakaya are part of nationwide chains in Japan. A few have gone upscale with more sophisticated decor and imported wine and cocktails replacing the draft beer and shochu (Japanese "vodka"). Most remain informal and friendly places, even the famous ones...Tarantino fans may recognize the Tokyo izakaya below as one of the sets from "Kill Bill"

Izakaya style restaurants usually serve a little of everything. Outside of Japan you'll often find a small selection of sushi or sashimi on the menu. In Japan, not so much. Portions are "tapas" sized, reasonably priced and lend themselves well to sharing. Menus often feature pictures and can appear somewhat overwhelming to the unititiated....

Izakaya are hugely popular in Vancouver with several hot spots to be found along Robson and Denman. Guu and Hapa both have multiple locations in the city.

Kingyo on Denman features live bamboo growing down the middle of communal tables.

Izakaya atmosphere is lively with staff calling out greetings to customers as they arrive. Orders are yelled back and forth between the servers and cooks in the open kitchen. It's alcohol fueled semi-chaos in a mix of Japanese, English and Jibberish. It's universal fun.

Some dishes you can finish cooking yourself. Shuraku is a new hot spot on Granville St. where thinly sliced beef can be seared as much (or as little!) as you like.

Mackerel is popular grilled tableside by your server at Hapa.

Seasonal sushi is available at Vancouver izakaya; amaebi (sweet BC Spot Prawns) are a (sustainable!) favourite with guests.

Waste not, want not...The heads are fried in a light tempura batter..crispy, crunchy calcium yum! Probably my favourite part...

At Sanbiki we are hoping we can create an "izakaya" like atmosphere for our evening customers. We want our all of guests to be comfortable coming to the restaurant with their family or friends. We hope to introduce Kamloops diners to new foods and to perfect our recipes for their Japanese favourites.

Ideas? Let us know! We are always looking for ways to serve you better!

Next time...continuing education...Dashi School @ Sanbiki!! Our Sushi Students graduate and move on to learning Dashi..The basic Japanese stock...it's where all those delicious Sanbiki soups and sauces begin.....

HM:Goodbye Tiger; Hello Bunny

2011-01-10T06:59:00.002+09:00

The Year of the Tiger ends.There is no roar. He's running out the door with his tail between his legs and hissing back at us. This from the admittedly bias and bitter vantage point of a small business slave who has seen a slow year. I am definitley a cat person, but I am happy to see the back end of this particular kitty. Hopefully the year was less painful for others...

Enter the bunny! In the Asian Zodiac, 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit. Apparently, the Year of the Rabbit is associated with home, family and peace. Those attuned to the cosmic powers assure us that the 2011 Bunny Year will require us to work harder, but we will be rewarded with greater stability. The stability part I like. The "work harder" clause doesn't do a lot for me...

At Sanbiki we ended the year with an amazing staff party and a well deserved holiday for everyone. Friends from Crannog Ales joined us (and brought some wicked and wonderful spicy Winter Ale!) and a few Kamloops families as well. As usual, the food was "potluck" style with everyone providing a dish. We feasted on traditional Asian and Western favourites. Veggie offerings included an eggplant and seasoned tofu with green beans. We had Hot and Sour Soup, Japanese Red Bean rice, pickled garlic scapes (the stem and top) and Fresh Is Best Nacho Chips. It was a little weird. It was all wonderful.

"OSekihan" Red Bean Rice to celebrate New Years from Yukiko Takahashi

Japanese sweets; Kazuyo's doriyaki (like sweet mini pancakes with

red bean filling) and manju (soft rice flour balls with sweet bean center)

Masato provided all the makings for "Temaki"; sushi served family style. Small squares of nori, rice and plates full of fillings took up an entire table. .

Think "fajitas" a la Japonaise. You grab a square of seaweed, load it up with rice and your favourite filling; tuna/salmon/shrimp etc. Fold over the seaweed and presto! Instant personallized sushi "taco" for one. A dab of of soy/wasabi and down it goes...

The girls exchanged gifts....

Three Sanbiki SuperGirls (annd one Crazy Cat Lady....Guess Who? Hint:T shirt.....;)

All of Crannog's excellent locally produced, organic ales were finished, and incredibly, almost all the food went too. The kids entertained each other with their high tech games and gadgets and enjoyed the free flow of Ramune/Calpico (Japanese soft drinks)

Kiyo, Max, Yuto and Kaito competed for high-tech gaming supremacy

You've had how many beers Chie???Soon Ja tracked alcohol consumption so we'd remember later...

A strange tatto0ed man tried to pick up my husband....literally...blame it on the Winter Ale...

What's next? NEW winter menu items! Chef Koji joined us in October from Banff and is helping us rethink our menu. New winter dinner specials are on the way! Sizzling hot plates? A new noodle salad? Hot pots? You'll have to come down and find out....

Our new lunch special is a hit with customers...GYUDON! A big AAA Canadian beef rice bowl with Koji's homemade sauce! $7 including green tea! Sanbiki wants to know what you want to eat!

HM: Sushi School

2010-12-13T03:46:00.000+09:00

I remember my first time. Twenty years ago, chaos ruled in my tiny, steamy student kitchen. Rice boiled over on the stove and bottles of vinegar lay knocked over on the counter. A side of fresh, orange farmed salmon sat disintegrating on the chopping block. Sheets of seaweed had rolled up in defeat, dead, dead, dead from all the heat and humidity. My first attempt at sushi making was not safe, let alone delicious...

If only there had been Sanbiki Sushi School! I would have known that fresh raw salmon is a no-no (it must be frozen at some point to kill potential parasites) I could have made properly seasoned rice that was not a gooey mess. My rolls would have tasted good even if they weren't too pretty.

Monday nights in the cold Kamloops winter tend to be slow at Sanbiki. We had an idea...customers had been asking us for tips on sushi-making at both the restaurant and next door at Mori Mori Grocery. Why not convert the far side of the restaurant into a sushi classroom once a month?

We could move the tables in the window apart to provide a work station for participants in the class. Masato could demonstrate from a table at the front and Kishino could assist students at their stations. We would start with the basics; cooking the rice and seasoning it properly. With vinegar, yes; but equally important is the addition of sugar and salt. Masato and Kishino could show our guests how to use sushi mats to make California and other rolls. Time permitting, we could introduce people to chirashi and nigiri sushi making.
And so winter sushi school was born...usually once a month on a Monday. We keep the classes small to ensure everyone gets the attention they need. Usually 6 to 10 people maximum. Two hours is enough time to get a handle on the basics and 5:30 to 7:30 is a convienent time for pretty much everyone. After, eat your sushi with your "classmates"...or take it home for a midnight snack. Right now, we are showing people how to make California, veggie and tuna rolls. Also "Inari" sushi; sweet and savoury fried tofu pockets stuffed with sushi rice...a traditional favourite in Japan.

So far we have had good feedback from our participants. It is easier to learn when you can watch someone demonstrate and ask them questions. Masato and Kishino are quick to point out mistakes that will slow you down and make for less than perfect rolls. You'll learn how to cut rolls properly and tips on proper Japanese presentation too.

All this knowledge...at what cost you ask? Only $40! You'll need to buy your own sushi mat ($1.99 next door at Mori Mori) but everything else is provided at Sanbiki and you can eat the fruits of your labour afterwards. Call or come down to Sanbiki to register for our next class. Sushi School makes a great gift too. Rescheduling in classes is possible if the recipient of the sushi class coupon cannot make a certain date. Other gifts ideas...Gift Certificates from Sanbiki or Mori Mori! Visit Mori Mori for unique gift ideas...Asian dishware, bento lunch boxes, toys, stocking stuffers and more!

Have a great week...more next time!!

HM Private Parties!

2010-12-05T07:14:00.002+09:00

There is a lot to love about Sanbiki's new location! One of the best things is that the design accomodates groups and private parties in a way that was impossible in our previous space. The far side of the restaurant has tables that fit together to form a "communal" eating area. While still connected to the goings on in our open kitchen, the area offers a nice degree of privacy.

Recently, Sanbiki hosted a 40th birthday party for the Shouldice family. We worked with the hostess to put together a menu that would offer a combination of hot and cold dishes. The sushi platters were a combination of raw and cooked rolls and nigiri. Veggie rolls, yam fries and shiitake mushrooms in tempura offered yummy meat-free options for the vegetarians.

Sushi Roll Platter B

A buffet area was set up where guests could serve themselves. However it is crucial that certain foods be served immediately. Examples from this menu included Japanese-style calimari and tempura yam fries. Small plates of these dishes were cooked continually through the night and servers passed them around as guests socialized.

Ika Tempura ("Calimari")

Sushi is a perfect finger food and the other offerings were also designed for easy eating. Kushikatsu (panko breaded pork on skewers); Yakitori (seasoned chicken on a stick) and Chicken Karaage (crispy Japanese style chicken wings) required neither chopsticks nor cutlery and were popular with the guests.

Smoked Sockeye Salmon Roll

Assorted Nigiri Sushi Platter

Private parties can choose to pay "cash and carry" for their drinks or may arrange for wine, beer, sake or other beverages to be available "on demand". We offer "Party Pigs" of local, organic draft beer courtesy of Sorrento-based Crannog Ales. Premium chilled sakes from Granville Island Sakemaker Masa Shiroki can be pre-ordered and we always have organic French red and white wines on hand.

For the holiday season, we are offering Sanbiki's dinner guests the option of ordering our very popular lunch menu "Bento Boxes" for evening parties. Pre-order required and minimum 4 guests please! But at $10 for a complete meal you cannot go wrong! Even raw food lovers can enjoy our Sashimi Bento for only $13 including green tea. So there is no excuse NOT to organize your next get together at Sanbiki!

Chicken Bento $10!

NEXT TIME....Go back to school...SUSHI SCHOOL that is! Learn to roll your own...with Masato and Kishino's expert advice of course....!

HM: All New!

2010-11-25T09:14:00.000+09:00

Quick update from Sanbiki and sister store Mori Mori!

NEW!!Gyudon for lunch! Canadian AAA beef sliced thin and sauteed with onions and Chef Koji's secret sauce. Alright the sauce isn't a particularly well guarded secret but it is home made and delicious. And at $7 (including tea!) it's probably cheaper than eating at home and a hell of a lot easier than cooking it yourself....

Healthy snacks for the Holiday Party Season! Sushi platters made fresh to order. Starting at $25.95 for a 40 piece platter we will provide you with something far more interesting than the standard Costco cheese platter! Lets face it, we all serve them (often as a last resort!) and we are all sick of them by the second week in December. Do something different! Discounts available for pre orders! Call Sanbiki for details...377 8857....

Office party? Family get together over the holidays? Save time and money by booking your function at Sanbiki. Private dining area can accomodate up to 30 people. Communal table for family style dining. For the holiday season we are offering our famous $10 Bento boxes for lunch and dinner parties! Preorder necessary for dinner parties, and minimum 4 guests. Bentos always available for everyone at lunch time!

Christmas is COMING! Gift ideas available at Mori Mori (next to Sanbiki at 467 Lansdowne, right across from Dollarama) We went on a shopping spree in Vancouver and picked up Japanese and Asian dishware, cooking utensils, bamboo steamers, rice cookers and LOTS more! Come down and check out some of our reasonably priced tea and sake sets or pick up Pocky and Japanese sweets for unique stocking stuffers.

Sushi making supplies

Cute gifts ideas!

.................and much more!!

Stay tuned for next week's news!

HM:Sake:Some Like it Hot

2010-11-14T13:19:00.000+09:00

It's "Nippon-shu" in Japan, but the rest of the world knows it as "sake". English speakers frequently refer to it as rice wine, although it is made in a process perhaps more like brewing beer than making wine.
Most of us Canadians like it served piping hot, preferably sipped from tiny ceramic cups to keep it warm. It's better now than it once was, but the selection of sake available at your local liquor shop is limited at best. You'll be lucky if you can find anything other than a few low end brands. Find a premium "cold-serve" sake and you'll pay dearly for the privlege.

The Japanese however, are spoiled silly when it comes to sake. And they pay considerably less for their sake given the system of taxation in Canada. It's estimated there are more than 10,000 different kinds of sake in Japan! Some are served warm, some room temperature, others are chilled. A sommelier could find ten ways to serve a hundred fine French wines; so too is the situation with a "sake-snob". Everything from the shape of the glass to the PH of the water used in the brewing process is hotly debated. How much the rice has been polished is very important. Polishing the rice removes the outer layers that are believed to negatively affect the flavour of a sake.
The Japanese have been making sake for thousands of years. Like beer, sake must first convert starch to sugar in order for it to develop that alcoholic kick we all know and love. Wine is a simpler fermentation process (chemically anyway!) as the fruit already contains sugars that are ready to be gobbled up by the yeast, producing the beloved booze and some CO2 to boot.
Basically, sake is made from special rice which has been polished, soaked and steamed. Koji (a type of black mold) is added to the rice and then a yeast starter. Over a few weeks more rice, water and koji is added, creating a "rice mash" known as "moromi" in Japanese. The "Toji", or head sake maker then decides when the moromi is ready to be pressed, filtered and blended. Most sake is pasteurized to "deactivate" enzymes which may change the flavour and colour of the sake later. Pasteurizing the sake improves the stability and shelf life of the sake.

Not all sake is pasteurized. Granville Island based sake maker Masa Shiroki produces unfiltered, unpasteurized sake in small batches. Sake of this kind is fruity and delicate, but must be refrigerated to preserve it's quality. It is not served warm. Like most sake it does not get better with aging. Usually it is recommended that sake be drunk within a year of being made. Decent sake will almost always have a production and/or expiry date.

"Grading" Japanese sake is complicated to say the least. The kind of rice used, the degree of polishing, and whether or not distilled alcohol is added to the sake are a few of the factors to consider.
At Sanbiki, we find most guests prefer warm sake. However we do have premium chilled sakes available and they are starting to catch on. Customers are liking our "Granville Island Sake Sampler" Similar to a wine "flight" with a few different sips of different wines, guests have opportunity to sample 3 different kinds of sake for only $8. Each 1 oz sample includes tasting notes by Granville Island Artisan Sake Maker Masa Shiroki. Melon, citrus and even hints of licorice can be tasted and smelled when you're pointed in the right direction
Warm or cold, we've got a great selection of sake and other alcoholic beverages for you to try. Sorrento-based Crannog Ales supplies us with organic, seasonal ales made by hand and left unpasteurized and unfiltered. The draft ales come in "partypigs"; self contained reusable containers that mean no empties to recycle! And they have a great website to boot! Crannogales.com. More info on Granville Island sake @ artisansakemaker.com.
Thanks to Masa Shiroki, Crannog Ales, Steamy Kitchen and Where for photos. More news next week...bundle up kids, its getting cold...stay tuned for "Nabemono"...Japanese style hot pot, perfect winter comfort food!

HM:Chefs in the City

2010-11-03T05:23:00.021+09:00

My throat is raw and I can barely talk. I was so wired Monday night, I didn't sleep until 2am. All good signs....another successful Chefs in the City!

This was the third year The Rotary Club has organized the event, held this year November 1st at The Columbo Hall. More than 15 restaurants, wineries and breweries took part in the event with the proceeds going to charity. Initiatives locally and around the world are funded by Rotary that aim to eradicate poverty and disease, provide education, job training and promote peace. Sounds serious...but they know how to throw a great party too!

This was the second year Sanbiki has taken part in the event. Masato and I had Kishino to help us set up, serve and socialize. Last year we really didn't know what to expect. Predictably, we ended up swamped when 300+ hungry guests converged on our tiny table. This year felt better. The chaos was semi-organized, and while we ran out of sushi early (again!) we had Kishino's homemade dessert to compensate. Fluffy cream cheese mousse with blueberry compote and shortbread cookie crumble. Yum. Almost enough to forgive and forget our sushi shortage...

California and dynamite rolls are best-sellers at the restaurant and proved to be popular with the crowd at Chefs in the City. A few guests were disappointed that there was none of the raw stuff. With limited refrigeration and space we didn't want to take a chance and serve something that was not up to "Sanbiki Standards". Veggie options were somewhat limited at the event, so vegetarian diners were pleased that we had vegan sushi rolls on hand.

Chicken "Karaage" sounds fancy but it's basically a Japanese chicken wing. Corn starch and seasoning in the batter make it extra crunchy and flavourful. Keeping Sanbiki's oil clean and hot ensures that deep fried items are crispy, never greasy. Karaage is a great finger food and a perfect dish for Chefs in the City. Seating and table space are virtually non-existant; people are there to sip wine, sample new foods and socialize. The karaage was a hit. More than 100 peices in under 2 hours. But you have to admit it is a little bit "safe"...

So we had decided earlier some experimentation was in order. We wanted to try a recipe that people would not have tried, but nothing too off the wall. We find that Sanbiki's guests are usually willing to try new dishes, but it makes it easier if they recognize some of the ingredients or cooking techniques. For example a smoked salmon sushi roll is a good place for a fledgling sushi- eater to start. You may have no idea what sushi is all about but it's pretty hard to screw up smoked salmon.

So Kishino worked out a recipe for a wonderful winter soup. I gave up trying to give guests a long-winded, flowery description and settled on calling it "Japanese style chicken noodle soup". As the evening went on and my voice went away, I managed a barely audible "soup...good". But that hardly does her dish justice.

She started out with happodashi, a homemade Japanese stock made from dried fish, konbu (kelp), light soy sauce and a pinch of sugar. It's full of "umami"; flavourful and delicious. To the happodashi she added mushroom and chicken broth. It was important that the broth be kept separated from the other ingredients so the flavours could be tasted separately and so certain ingredients did not lose their crispy texture. But we had to keep it easy to serve and more importantly easy for guests to eat!

We decided to serve the soup in small disposable cups. We prepped all the solid ingredients; chunks of cooked chicken, King Trumpet mushrooms, yam noodles, cooked burdock and carrot, and seaweed. Just before serving we placed these components into a cup.

As guests approached the table, Kishino would ladle the piping hot broth from a pot and top the cup off, finishing the soup with a drop of fragrant sesame oil and fresh green onion. The smell of the hot soup and the autumn colours (orange carrot; dark brown burdock) drew more diners to our table.

Now we continue to ponder new weird and wonderful ways to showcase seasonal ingredients in our dishes at the restaurant. The weather is growing cooler and we are seeing the sushi orders slide slightly. At the same time we are scrambling to find enough bowls to serve our customers tempura and chicken udon. What could make winter in BC better than a big bowl of steaming soup chock full of noodles, veggies and chicken or tempura. Does it get any better? You tell us! We are always open to suggestions.

Recently...customers ask for Ramen, Beef donburi, and more varied lunch specials...GYUDON (Big beef rice bowl coming soon....)

HM:Magic Mushrooms

2010-10-24T12:06:00.017+09:00

It's an autumn ritual. An elderly Japanese-Canadian couple slip into the restaurant via the back hallway. The gentleman glances around nervously, his wife stationed protectively at his side. They sidle up to the sushi bar and catch Masato's attention. "Matsutake" he whispers, and a small brown paper bag is passed over the counter. Masato's eyes widen. He nods knowingly, peeks into the crumpled bag and takes a whiff. "Ah... Matsutake!"

The undisputed King of the Japanese Royal Fungi Family is the pine mushroom or "Matsutake". "Matsu" means pine, and "take" is mushroom. Another well known Japanese mushroom is the "Shiitake". But none are as prized as the first growth Matsutake that come into season in the Fall. Top quality first growth Japanese Matsutake can fetch up to $2000/kilo. on that side of the Pacific!

Few people realize that they grow right here in B.C. Given the prices they fetch, most of them are exported to Asia. Matsutake have a symbiotic relationship with live pine trees, wrapping their roots around the roots of the tree so the two species can exchange nutrients. This makes them pretty much impossible to cultivate and they must be harvested from the wild.

Harvesting is the easy part, finding them can be nearly impossible. Hidden under layers of decaying leaves, you could easily miss a matsutake mushroom patch. The locations of good patches are carefully guarded secrets. If you are fortunate enough to receive a gift of local Matsutake, don't even think about asking where they came from! We've tried eveything from free sushi to bottomless mugs of sake and still no luck...

So what's all the fuss about? The taste is of course earthy, but one can taste the pine and also a hint of cinnamon. Matsutake are very fragrant and the scent of a Matsutake grilling over charcol is unforgettable. Often Matsutake are served thinly sliced in soup or a steamed savoury egg custard called "Chawamushi". These dishes are usually presented in a small covered dish or teapot so that the aroma is concentrated and can be enjoyed before a guest eats.

"Nabemono" or Japanese hot pots are another excellent way to prepare Matsutake. Less is more, and a few mushrooms can add a whole lot of flavour to a dish. Like portobello mushrooms, they have a meaty texture that holds up well when they are grilled. Served hot with a little ponzu sauce (citrus soy) you'll think you've died and gone to heaven. Matsutake Gohan (rice) involves cooking rice with the mushrooms, stock and other seasonings. The distinct aroma of the Matsutake perfumes the rice and infuses it with fabulous fungi flavour! More info on seasonal ingredients and some new recipes we are working on for our winter menu coming soon... Drop down to visit us and meet Chef Koji! He joined our Sanbiki team a few weeks ago and has been giving us new ideas while learning the "Way of Sanbiki". He and his family relocated from Banff where he previously worked. His wife Naoko and son Yuto are becoming familiar with our great city. Welcome to Kamloops!!

Thanks to fogindex,panduh,shopboy and kariek for flikr photos!

JB: Jessica

2010-10-20T10:17:00.004+09:00

Hello all!

I have been a part of the Sanbiki staff since April and it's been awesome! Great atmosphere, great food and great people!

I am from the small coastal community of Bella Coola, which is generally known for it's fishing, scenery and well, not much else. I am currently a 4th year Science student at T.R.U. finishing up my degree in Animal Biology. School keeps me incredibly busy which is why I am now only to be found at Sanbiki on the weekends! When i'm not working or studying i do a bit of volunteering for the Kamloops Therapeutic Riding Association and it's proven to be a really fun experience.

Well I better get back to the books! Hope to see you all at Sanbiki over the weekend!

HM:Sushi for Beginners

2010-10-18T11:39:00.000+09:00

"Do you like sushi?"

I am 15 years old at my new best friend Haley's house. They have a swimming pool and water beds. Haley's Dad is a TV producer. I am positively desperate to appear worldly and impress them.

"Of course" I reply. What the hell is a sushi? I think it involves seafood. This further complicates things as I am a new (sort of) vegetarian. Yesterday fish were food. Today I have seen the light and recognize them as friends. I am hoping I can pick the corpse out of whatever this sushi is. Thankfully, the family has a dog who lingers near the dinner table. I can feed whatever appears morally questionable to her.

Haley's Dad dons his Raybans, revs up their BMW and roars off to pick up my first sushi meal. He's back in a flash, bearing food gifts in small, clear, plastic containers. Small black and white rolled things. Tiny round containers contain condiments. Globs of neon green; and slices of something shocking pink.

At least I recognize the rice and the soy sauce. "Their California roll is to die for" gushes Haley's Mom, who uses her perfectly manicured nails to manouver a few morsels onto my plate alongside the pink and green stuff. Yikes, I think. "Yum!" I say. I wait until Haley has food on her plate and follow her lead. Green stuff into soy sauce, Rolled stuff into resulting mixture. Insert into mouth. Close eyes and moan softly. Nod. Open eyes and say "excellent". Insert pink stuff in mouth between bites of rolls.

And so sushi-eating Heather was born. Fish soon lost their special "friend" designation and went back to being food. Thanks to Masato and my Japanese inlaws, I am still discovering new Japanese foods and learning lots about sushi.

For many of Sanbiki's customers, sushi is still a relatively new and novel food. The seafoods used and "styles" of sushi outside Japan are not nearly as varied as those you would encounter at a traditional Japanese sushi restaurant. But the basic forms that sushi can assume are pretty much the same. Interestingly, most people associate sushi with raw fish. In fact it refers to the vingegared rice. And the topping can be raw or cooked.

Sushi is believed to have originated in South East Asia. Originally the fish was packed in the rice and allowed to ferment. When it came time to eat the fish the rice was actually thrown away, and the fish consumed. Later on the rice was incorporated along with the fish in piece (nigiri) sushi and rolls.

Makizushi are sushi rolls and probably the best known sushi to non-Japanese. "Maki"=roll. Traditionally rolled with the nori on the outside, many Westerners prefer the rice on the outside ("uramaki"). Futomaki is a Japanese classic. A "fat roll" loaded with veggies, tamago (savoury omelette) and seafood. Very little or no soy sauce is needed for seasoning as there are plenty of flavours going on already. Sanbiki's futomaki is a customer favourite! Tekkamaki (tuna rolls) are another Japanese favourite. "Tekka" actually means gambling parlour. This is where they first gained popularity in Japan. The nori on the outside apparently prevented rice sticking to players hands and cards so the game need not stop for meals.
"Kappamaki" are cucumber rolls. Kappa is a Japanese demon/god who loves to eat cucumber. Outside Japan, California rolls, spicy tuna rolls and countless other new recipes have evolved.

Nigiri sushi originated in Tokyo where it was first known as "Edomae" ("Edo"=Tokyo) Small balls of sushi rice are formed by hand and topped with thin slices of fish or other items. The nigiri sushi can then be dipped into a small amount of soy sauce (fish first to prevent the rice dissolving in the soy sauce!)Eating sushi with your hands is completely acceptable; eating sashimi however, should always be done using chopsticks.

Traditionally, your Itamae (sushi chef) would instruct you as to whether or not soy sauce was neccesary. Similarily, he would decide how much wasabi would compliment the fish and would add it between the rice and the topping. Outside Japan, most sushi fans like to mix and add (or not) their own wasabi. "Gari" is the pickled ginger used as a palate cleanser between bites of different fish. Nowadays it is sometimes mixed in with sushi rice used to stuff "Inari" sushi, pockets of sweet and savoury fried tofu. It is also found in "Chirashi" sushi. Chirashi is a bowl of mixed sushi rice topped with slices of raw fish. At Sanbiki we use unagi (BBQ eel), tamago (omelette) and shiitake mushrooms in the mixed rice along with ginger, sesame, cucumber and nori. Wild salmon and BC Albacore tuna top the dish off.
Many other variations of sushi exist. "Battera" sushi (also called "oshi-zushi")is a pressed sushi usually made without seaweed in a wooden box. It's a specialty in Kansai (Western Japan) where Masato is from. Brown rice sushi is gaining popularity among the health-conscious, and "temaki"(sushi cones" are another favourite in and outside of Japan.Where does sashimi fit into all of this? As it is not served with rice it doesn't qualify as sushi. Usually sashimi refers to slices of top quality fish and seafood. Sashimi roughly translates as "pierced body". This could be a reference to the traditional harvesting methods involved in assuring sashimi quality fish. Fish were caught using a hand line and landed as quickly as possible. They were killed immediately with a spike "piercing" the brain. This ensures that the amount of lactic acid that built up in the meat of the fish was minimal. The same technique is used today by many of the B.C. Albacore tuna boats. Less lactic acid means better quality, a longer shelf life and a more humane end for the fish on the end of the line.

Whether your a fan of the raw stuff or prefer your food cooked, there is a sushi that suits your taste! Feeling particularly ambitious? Enroll in a "sushi-making class" and learn to roll your own! More sushi secrets coming soon...including the famous (or infamous?)...FUGU...People are dying to eat this poisonous Puffer...get it? "Dying to eat...."Oh, never mind!

SJ:SoonJa;Kimchi time !

2010-10-14T05:44:00.036+09:00

I am Soon Ja, I am Korean. For Koreans, Kimchi is the one of the most common side dishes.

It is nothing special but necessary! Even though it is nothing special, if someone asks me what my favorite food is, it's kimchi.

I like kimchi fried rice, kimchi soup, kimchi pancake..... anything made with kimchi. It is not a common side dish anymore for me now, because I am living in Canada. But I started making it for a few reasons.

The first reason was to save money. And the second reason was that I wanted to make homemade kimchi for my future husband and my children. But for now, I am making it for our customers at Sanbiki restaurant.

People keep ordering my kimchi and there are also some regular customers who order it all the time! Those customers give me confidence and also encourage me. I really appreciate it. I think having many kimchi orders means maybe now my kimchi has a good, consistent taste.

So here I want to show everybody how I make kimchi.

Chinese Cabbage

I usually use 7-10 cabbage at Sanbiki. We make a lot of Kimchi!!

But for the first time you'd better start with only 1 big cabbage.
Cut them into small pieces and sprinkle the cabbage with sea salt.

Add a 1/2 cup of water

and leave them for 3-4 hours.

Every 30min. mix them up.

Then rinse them in cold water and strain. Leave them for 1 more hour.

In a bowl, mix:

1 tbsp salted shrimp

2-3 tbsp fish sauce

3 garlic cube (ground garlic)

1 ginger cube (ground ginger)

I blend a lot of peeled garlic in a food processer and freeze it. then it is ready for Kimchi or other recipes anytime!

Then take:

10-15 tbsp chilli powder

3-5 tbsp sweet rice porridge (made with rice flour)

And mix this with sliced daikon (giant white radish), green onion and regular onion

The mixture will look something like this:

Finally, mix all the ingredients together and it should look like this.

Voila! Your own Kimchi! It will taste crunchy at first and each ingredient keeps its own distinct flavour. As the Kimchi gets older it gets sour and a complex delicious new flavour develops! you can use it as a side dish or in fried rice, soups and stir frys. Or make your own recipe!

Most ingredients you can find at Mori Mori grocery on Landsdowne street. There are some pictured below...

Daikon (Giant white radish)

This is sweet rice flour (mochiko) for sweet rice porridge.

To make the porridge simply boil 1 cup powder with 2 cups water, and keep stirring it

Left:chilli powder

Right:fish sauce

Left:sea-salt

Right:salted shrimp

Good luck making Kimchi!!

KW:Kishino

2010-10-14T05:10:00.006+09:00

My name is Kishino.
I'm cooking at Sanbiki.
I try to make new vegetarian dishes and some sweets.

And...New Sweets coming soon!!

MS:Megumi

2010-10-05T08:06:00.004+09:00

Hello!

My name is Megumi. I am from Fukushima, Japan and have been working as a server at Sanbiki since the end of April.

After I finished College in Japan, I came to Kamloops to study at TRU (at that time known as UCC) six years ago and have lived here ever since. During this time, I was studying at TRU not only taking many courses, but also travelling to Shanghai and Beijing, China to study the Chinese language. While I was a student here, I like to come to Sanbiki's old location for lunch and dinner whenever I missed my favourite Japanese foods.

Now, working as a server at Sanbiki's new location, my goal is to provide comfortable sevice to all our customers (from Kamloops and abroad) and to make them feel at home.

It was my pleasure to welcome to Sanbiki and Kamloops many tourists from all over the world this summer. Many visited coming aboard the Rocky Mountaineer Train. I would like to provide the best service to all of our customers and introduce those customers who are interested to the foods, language and culture of Japan.

Come visit us at Sanbiki!

HM The Cast and Crew

2010-09-20T06:13:00.004+09:00

Masato and I are proud of the team we have working with us at Sanbiki and next door at Mori Mori. I gave everyone a brief introduction back in an August posting. Much better of course for them to introduce themselves!

So we know who's who, everyone will put their initials on their posting title (ie. I am HM for Heather Mcdonald) and we will sign each posting. Stay tuned over the next few weeks and find out more about our team...in their own words!

Enjoy what's left of our wet weekend!

Heather

HM:Back to School

2010-09-12T11:36:00.009+09:00

The alarm is going off. But something is dreadfully wrong. I open my eyes but I cannot see a thing. There is a terrible, crushing pressure on my abdomen. I open my mouth to scream and inhale...cat hair.

This is how I know the seasons are changing and fall will soon be here. The cats come back. The mornings are cool again and so they make their seasonal migration from living room to bedroom. This morning they have decided to park themselves strategically on my belly and directly in front of my face.

For many of our customers and staff, 'tis the season for back to school. Students are usually happy to get back to their studies and friends. Some parents (particularly those with mulitiple offspring in the 5 to 10 year range) can scarcely contain their excitement. I giggle everytime I see the Walmart commercial with the Dad hauling his less than enthusiastic brood across the floor on the couch-sled. "They're going back...."

Sanbiki usually slows down for a bit whenever there's a change in season or a big schedule shift. Back to school; end of school; Christmas vacation and the like. Now is no different. Last week was fairly slow. But it gave Masato and the team in the kitchen an opportunity to start thinking about seasonal specials and any changes we may want to make to our menu.

Freshness and seasonality of ingredients are central ideas in Japanese cuisine. What can be hunted, gathered or harvested locally heavily influences an area's culinary traditions. What you'll find at a Japanese sushi bar often depends on where you are and when you visit. The first question many diners ask their Itamae (sushi Chef) is "What's in season?" Based on the Chef's recommendations, diners can then enjoy a meal that makes the best use of the available ingredients.

Customers tastes also change with the season. Summer time is not high time for tempura udon; a big bowl of steaming home made broth filled with crispy tempura veggies and shrimp. But as the weather cools, the udon orders begin pouring into the kichen. Guests begin asking for nabemono (Japanese style hot pots) and other warming comfort foods. Sushi is always popular but more so in the hot summer months. A toasty summer day in Kamloops can hit 40 degrees. Who wants to cook?

Paula and Mendel from the Farmers Market have warned us their lovely, organic lettuce may only be available for another week. But there should be lots of carrots, beets and other root veggies for a while longer. We have been spoiled with fresh plums, melon and apricots but the days of fresh, local fruit are perhaps numbered. Sorrento-based Crannog Ales' delicious Seasonal Cherry Ale (all organic!!) has long since sold out...or was it me that drank most of it? All in the name of quality control, of course....

Anyway, a new season brings new ingredients and we always have new recipes to experiment with. Kishino is back in the kitchen this week and we are working on some seasonal dinner specials. She's playing with a recipe for "Kata Yakisoba", crispy noodles piled high with mixed seafood and a light sauce. Soon Ja is spicing things up with a Korean style Kim Chi with stirfried pork. Me, I'm watching and learning (and sampling!). I help doing dishes but I'm not allowed to cook. "No knives and nothing that involves fire"...it's safer that way....

Have a great week...more later...
Heather

HM YVR Gluttony:Korean

2010-09-04T11:14:00.013+09:00

I smell garlic. Lots of garlic. A frighteningly large bag of red chili powder lies open on the cutting board. From within a glass jar, labeled in an incomprehensible script, tiny, salted shrimps gaze sadly into nothingness with beady black eyes.

Soon Ja is the Korean Queen in Sanbiki's kitchen. Right now, she is standing with her hands on her hips, staring at the array in front of her. Perhaps in her mind's eye she is back in her mother's kitchen. Ordinarily she is fairly laid back, with a smile on her face. But it's kim chi time and she is all business.

Kim Chi is the King of "banchan"; the Korean side dishes that accompany virtually every meal in that corner of the world. Simply put, Kim Chi is a pickled veggie dish. However there are countless variations depending on where you happen to be in Korea and when. The most familiar to us Canadians is probably a mix of chinese cabbage, radish and green onions mixed with garlic, chili and teeny, tiny super-salty shrimp.

It was the first Korean dish I tried and is a familiar side offered on many Asian restaurant menus. You'll love it or hate it. At least everyone can agree it stinks. And so will you if you eat enough of it. Kind of like Caeser salad. But as I am learning, eating Korean is far more than spicy, smelly kim chi. There are rice bowls, hot pots, soups and do it yourself BBQ. Often spicy, sometimes mild; always an adventure.

Vancouver has countless excellent Asian restaurants and Korean cuisine is well represented. I arrived in Richmond late one night, checked in to the hotel and headed straight out again for dinner. Kim Ga Nae (near Aberdeen Centre; Cambie&#3Rd) was the first place I came across that was still open. Why not?

There was an AYCE (all-you-can eat) option for about $16 (late night special price) and an a la carte menu. Obviously popular with couples and post-bar snacking types, the other tables seemed to be going for AYCE BBQ. Dining solo, I decided to go with the a la carte. I over-ordered as usual, knowing the inevitable leftovers would be tomorrows lunch.

"Bindaeddeok" is a savoury seafood pancake often made with mung bean flour, green onion, and other veggies. We have had some success experimenting with this recipe at Sanbiki. We managed to get the outside crispy and served it with a spicy sesame oil dipping sauce. The one at Kim Ga Nae is a bit spongy for my taste. I like mine loaded with seafood and veggies and light on the batter.

The "banchan" (side dishes) were so-so. A sliced, pickled radish dish was slightly better than the kim chi and bean sprouts. But not much. I think Soon Ja has spoiled me with her home style Korean cooking. I may never be satified in a cheap Korean restaurant again, and I'm not sure I can affford the expensive ones.

The hot pot was as middle of the road as everything else. Lots of chewy potato noodles with a lot less overcooked seafood. It was served with one of those kerosene warmers which seemed a nice touch at first. Unfortunately it meant the already chewy seafood bits kept cooking, quickly taking on the consistency of rubber. I failed in my attempts to extinguish the burner; but came damn close to setting my table aflame. The server noticed my predicament but seemed far more interested in the wall-mount TV.

At least the beer was cold. Hite was the brand I tried. Cass and OB are two other popular Korean breweries. I only recently learned that Korean beer is usually brewed fom rice. This is different from Japanese beer which is usually made from wheat. Lagers are the most popular style of beer in both countries.

For better or worse, I had lots of leftovers for the next day. A botttle of previously untried "Bruised Garlic Chili Paste" from TNT Supermarket added enough kick to make lunch at least a little bit interesting. Hell, enough of a new chili sauce would make cardboard interesting. I definitely liked the new hot sauce more than the leftovers.

Back in Sanbiki's kitchen I am full of questions for Soon Ja. I know kalbi (or "galbi") is a popular Korean BBQ dish but is it usually pork or beef? Sweet or spicy? Apparently beef short ribs marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, sugar and occassionaly citrus juice is a staple kalbi recipe. Pork or beef may be used in spicy "Bulgogi" (literally; "fire meat") which, as the name suggests, is traditionally grilled over an open flame.

I've just started on my Korean food quest adventure. I can't wait to read and learn about (and (eat) more Korean dishes. For now, I should let Soon Ja get on with her kim chi making. But I cannot resist one last nagging question. You see I saw this show on the Food Network, and these guys were in a Korean restaurant and they were eating...well, I could be wrong...but it looked like they were eating..baby octopus...live baby octopus...

"Soon Ja, do you guys really eat live baby octopus?" She glances up from her kim chi making. There is a fiery glint in her eye and she lets out a laugh. A deep, dark laugh that makes me chilly. Did she just lick her lips, or are my eyes playing tricks? Yikes. And I though she was such a sweet girl....

Bad Sign

2010-08-27T10:30:00.007+09:00

In Japan, there seems to be a God for just about everything imaginable. Ever eaten Inari sushi? Those delicious little "brown bags" of sweet and savoury fried tofu stuffed with sushi rice? They are named for the fox God, apparently a big fan of fried tofu.

According to Godchecker.com, Akuma is currently at the top of the top ten list of Gods and Demons (they can be both). Usually appearing with fire in his eyes and hair aflame, it is recommended that you avoid contact. If you do see him, pretend that you don't.

Amaterasu is perhaps less intimidating. But just as interesting. Born from her father's eye as a tear, she is the Goddess of the Sun. The Japanese Royal Family are her direct descendents. But her brother is the storm God. Family get togethers must be quite the adventure in this Holy Household.

So somewhere out there, there MUST be a Sign God. And we at Sanbiki need to find this God, and do whatever it takes to appease him (or her). If its sushi we'll make it. Incense, we'll burn it. Human sacrifices...well, lets hope the sushi and incense will do it.

You see we have had unnaturally bad luck when it comes to having restaurant signage approved.

At our old location at 476 Victoria, we had a sign made to replace the worn particle board that was in the rooftop sign on the building. We thought the powers that be would be happy to see us investing in our business and improving the appearance of the building (even though we did not own it) We applied for the sign permit to get our spiffy new sign up and out on display.

We were turned down. "Illegal Roof Top Sign" we were told. Our design did not fit in with the "architectural styling of the building". The building used to be a drive-thru gas station. "Architectural styling"? What? Earls on 5th (the previous tenants) had a sign. The new tenants have a sign. We never could get a Sanbiki sign approved. Go figure?

At our new location, our signs got preapproval at the drawing stage. Now that we have the completed contruction (and are delighted with Chase-based Dai-zen Joinery's work!)We have waited to see the finished product and want to make the signs even better than the orginal. And yes, bigger.

We want to improve on the original idea and design. Change is not necessarily bad. Change is possibly the only constant. Because our new proposed sign is different from the old proposed sign hopefully does not mean it will be refused solely on the basis that it is different.

We will find out. The City has told us to talk to City Council. So we are taking it to City Council to see if we can come to a compromise. Of course it is in everyone's interest to have as many successful businesses downtown (and everywhere in the city) as possible. And good signage is critical to any business. It is heartbreaking to take phone calls from frustrated customers who are driving around unable to find us.

So Masato is looking into setting up a meeting to get the whole sign thing figured out. But if you know of a God, Demon, Spirit or other other-worldly entity who can be bought off, you know where to find us. At the corner of Lansdowne and 5th Avenue. The lovely new restaurant with no signs...

Anyway...so-so week at Sanbiki and Mori Mori. Today (Friday) lunch not too bad. Lots of regulars which is always great. Take out at Mori Mori getting popular but it will take time to spread the word.

New specials menu at dinner! Our kitchen team has put together some great new dishes, all under $10. Crispy fried noodles with seafood and our special sauce; "grilled cheese" rice balls (weird but wonderful!) and a light and lovely crab salad. Some like it hot! Try our new spicy pork with Kim Chi. Eat, sweat, love, eat more, sweat....well, you get the picture.

Thats all for this post, Heather signing off for the night. Hope to see you all soon!

HM Burn baby burn

2010-08-20T08:20:00.007+09:00

Scary stuff out here in the interior. Forest fires raging everywhere and it makes for a very smoky Kamloops. Even the dogs don't want to go outside and customers seem to be on the same page. Not completely deserted for lunch today, but not great either. Lots of regulars; thanks to Bryce and Michelle, Rob (and all the MJB boys and girls) Larry and others who helped make the afternoon enjoyable.

New dinner combo menu is a hit. Customers can choose their own sushi combos with dozens of possible combinations. Starting at $13 (which includes 2 rolls, miso soup, green salad and tea) they make for a healthy and reasonably priced meal. Doing some advertising now too which will hopefully get the word out.

Things difficult right now for everyone. Price is so important. Of course price is always important but these days it seems to be the deciding factor regarding how many people spend. Everyone wants to save; and I am no different. I'm on a first name basis with half the staff at Dollarama. Which Dollarama? The one in Lansdowne Village of course. I've shopped enough dollar stores to know where the good ones are... Strolling the low-lit, spacious aisles of Safeway in search of exotic flavours of Fancy Feast for our cats is a luxury that I rarely indulge. They get leftovers from the restaurant like the rest of us.

If anything good comes out of hard times, it is perhaps that we are forced to waste less, and reorganize to become more efficient. When the economy improves, we will hopefully be in a better position to grow. And things will improve. When they will improve is anybody's guess. And at this point, I think the economists, politicians and "experts" are doing just that; "guessing" as to whether or not the recession is over...or just beginning?

Never mind, enough doom and gloom. We have a great team at Sanbiki that do their best to take care of our customers. The "Sanbiki Service Industry Experience" is certainly not for everyone! Those who survive the first week usually stick with it and they are "keepers". We couldn't do it without them. On the other hand more than one "newbie" has gone MIA after their first shift, never to be heard from again...sometimes they are so shell-shocked they don't come back for their paycheck and we have to mail it out!

This month has seen something of a shake up on the Sanbiki schedule. Chie has entered her final month of pregnancy and has finished at the restaurant until after baby is born. Everyone is so happy for her! We will keep in touch with her and hope that in the future she will rejoin the team.

Danielle is away on a cross-Canada adventure for a month or so. Customers ask "Where's the girl with the cool dreads?" We don't know exactly...but we hope she is enjoying herself wherever she is. Come back soon...or eventually, anyway!

Soon-ja, Kishino and Jeff are Masato's support in our big, beautiful open kitchen. Soon-ja worked for us years ago at the old location but then had to return home to South Korea. Eventually, she and her partner came back to Kamloops to settle. We are delighted to have her back at the new and improved Sanbiki. She makes amazing homemade kim chi (a spicy Korean pickled veggie dish) and is introducing us to the flavours and traditions of Korean cuisine.

Kishino was born in Kyoto, Japan. Kyoto was once the capital of Japan and is famous for its food. "Kaiseki" cuisine is an ancient, traditional style of dining with guests enjoying many small courses of exquisitely arranged dishes made from the freshest, usually local, ingredients. Great care is taken with the presentation of the food and the season is always reflected in the Chef's choice of dishware and garnishes. Kishino appreciates this attention to detail and has also had experience with macrobiotic, vegan and gluten-free cooking. You may sometimes see her selling her homebaked treats at the Kamloops Farmers Market!

Jeff is the newest addition to the kitchen crew. Bred and Born in B.C. he has been in Kamloops for close to 10 years. He is picking things up quickly and learning the weird and (sometimes!) wonderful Sanbiki Way....Rumour has it BBQ is still his first love...We'll fix THAT!

School is going back soon and the Sanbiki student staff will have to do some schedule shuffling. Megumi has already graduated from TRU and may take some night courses but will stay on full time in the fall. She has also studied in Bejing and Shanghai and can speak Mandarin, Japanese and English. I speak English. Only. And not that well... Sigh! Megumi recently went home for a holiday to Fukushima in northern Japan. She returned to Kamloops bearing gifts...specialty sweets and dried seafood from her hometown. Delicious, and it's always fun for us to try new things!

Jessica is studying at TRU so back to school soon...BUT she will stick with us on a part time basis. Juicy Jessica tidbits I'll bet you didn't know...she was a Rodeo Queen and keeps on riding albeit now on a volunteer basis with a local therapeutic association. We had a nasty cut in the kitchen last week and it turns out Jessica once worked as a life guard and has had first aid/emergency care training! She took care of Sayuri's cut...good thing too...I faint at even the hint of blood....

As most of you know, when we relocated to our new location we brought our grocery store Mori Mori together with Sanbiki at the corner of 5th and Lansdowne. Tomoko is our manager and has been with us since the start. She has helped us establish the grocery and build relationships with our many regular customers. She is helping us do more at the store in our new location. We have an Asian take out deli at the store with sushi made fresh daily at Sanbiki. Tomoko knows loads about the products at Mori Mori and can help you find whatever you need to create your own Asian recipes at home.

We have expanded our line of products at Mori Mori to include dishware, Korean and Chinese products and are selling a lot more sushi quality seafood products. Local, sustainably sourced tuna and salmon are Oceanwise certified and can be served raw or cooked. We have lots of Japanese snacks and sweets that are superpopular with our young customers. Ever heard of Ramune, Pocky or Pocari Sweat? Have you met the Happy Cow or chewed up a White Rabbit? Chances are your son or daughter has.

Its amazing the number of young people interested in Asian culture and cuisine. They are studying Japanese in Kamloops high schools and some apply for educational exchanges with cities in Japan. Tell them to meet you at Uji Way and they know Uji is our sister city. They know the difference between sushi and sashimi and when they come to the restaurant we do our best to spoil them silly. Like all of our guests. We have a diverse clientele but they all appreciate quality. And its our job to make sure they get it.

Thats all for this entry..stay tuned for more on Mori Mori and Sanbiki!

is alwa

HM Sanbiki So Far11/08/10

2010-08-12T12:12:00.002+09:00

The Sanbiki story so far…

Masato and I left the big, smelly sweaty cities of Asia in 2001. We had decided to relocate to Kamloops, a city I had spent some time in as a child. The adventure was to involve us establishing a Japanese restaurant to provide the financial support for the latest chapter in our lives.

Masato spent a year apprenticing at a friend’s restaurant in Tokyo. Many years spent in “the service industry” back in Toronto had made it possible for me to support myself and get an education. Now we would be restaurant owners. But we were ready for it, right? We expected it would take a while to establish ourselves but we were looking forward to a relatively stable, normal lifestyle within a few years.

Ha! Seven years on, “stable” is the last word that comes to mind; I would hesitate to use it these days even with reference to my own mental state. “Normal”? I wouldn’t know normal if it jumped me in an alley and bit me on the nose….But.. the journey thus far certainly hasn’t been boring, and we’ve learned a lot (and keep learning and learning…)

We have met many great people; almost everyone we know in the area started out as our customer and became our friend. We estimate perhaps 80% of our guests are repeat customers. When things are good in Sanbiki-World, it’s not like work at all. Its like a big happy luncheon/dinner party in my big, beautiful dining room surrounded by friends that are actually paying for their meals!

Then (of course) there are the near-meltdown shifts when everyone shows up at once and absolutely nothing is ready. Time slows down. Sometimes it may even go backwards. That’s when it feels like the Sanbiki Wagon is careening out-of-control, down a mountainside towards a cliff..and there’s nothing I can do. I am not quite ready to talk about those days yet…

Never mind, we have made it this far because of the support of our customers. Customers pay the rent and customers write the paychecks. There is no money tree growing in our backyard (sadly) But if anyone knows where I can pick one up I will pay handsomely for directions…We continue to listen to our customers suggestions and think of ways to improve. Sanbiki is very much still a work in progress.

We have put together a great team of staff at the restaurant. They work hard to deliver the food and service Sanbiki’s guests expect and deserve. Our servers and cooks come from Japan, Korea, and (of course!) right here in Kamloops. They are a diverse and talented group of young people and we couldn’t do it without them. You can’t build anything by yourself. And why would you want to? We believe this team approach has been instrumental in getting us to where we are now.

And where are we? Excellent question…In terms of our physical location, we relocated the restaurant from 476 Victoria Street to the corner of Lansdowne and 5th Avenue in April 2008. Where are we as a business? Not quite as easy a question to answer. Times are tough right now for everyone. Except Dollarama. And Peters Pasta. They are ALWAYS busy. Lucky b*st*rds.

But opportunities do exist. Change is the only real constant; and adapt, improve and deliver is perhaps the only survival strategy. I don’t pretend to have answers, I just hope we are asking some semi-intelligent questions. It’s a good place to start. What do people want these days? People are still spending money but their spending habits may be changing. How? And why?

I think people are looking for more value for the dollars they spend. And not just monetary value. Everyone loves a good deal but maybe people also want to feel good about how and where they spend their hard earned cash. Increasingly at Sanbiki, our guests want to know how and where their food was grown or harvested. People with restricted diets want to know that we will try a little harder to provide delicious and varied dishes for vegetarians, celiacs and others. Not just another vegetable stir fry or a limp, dressing-less salad.

Families with small children deserve to be welcomed in restaurants like everyone else. At Sanbiki, we now provide a separate washroom with a baby-changing table. As well, activity boxes, books and other distractions are always on hand for the kids.

Everytime a customer enters Sanbiki, our goal is to greet them, seat them and by the end of their meal have learned one detail that will help us serve them better the next time they come. Did they ask for a fork? Do they like extra wasabi with their sashimi? Does the idea of eating the head of a raw BC Spot Prawn turn them off? Or on? I admit it gets me a little excited, in an oyster kind of way….

I guess that’s where we are now. Excited about the future, but a little apprehensive. Cautious perhaps. We have a beautiful new restaurant (thanks to everyone at Daizen, Procad and the many others who helped us make the move) Mori Mori Grocery in now at the same location and our Grab and Go sushi packs are starting to catch on with the downtown crowd.

But how can we add value to the Sanbiki/Mori Mori customers’ experience? (Preferably without spending more money!) How can we improve customer service, create a better atmosphere and build better long term relationships with our guests? There are many people out there who are unfamiliar with Japanese food and culture but curious. How to reach out to them, how can we be more accessible but retain our authenticity, our ideas and our vision?
Some of the things weighing on the collective Sanbiki conscious as of late…keep checking back for more reflections and ramblings when you get time!

HM 11/08/10 Low Tech Me

2010-08-10T06:56:00.002+09:00

Testing 1..2..3..Will it work? Low-tech Heather is attempting to connect to BlogLand! If the experiment is a success...stay tuned..

Welcome to Sanbiki

2010-08-05T02:39:00.002+09:00

We are a Japanese restaurant located in downtown Kamloops, serving delicious traditional, modern and local food. A business owned by husband and wife, Masato Kotani (Japanese) and Heather McDonald (Canadian), we have a diverse menu of classic Japanese and Japanese/western cuisine. In the kitchen we have talented and creative cooks creating dishes for everyone’s tastes. Vegetarian and wheat free items are included making Sanbiki a great choice for a family dinner or even a business-meeting lunch. The serving staff at Sanbiki are pleasant, helpful and knowledgeable, and want to help you have a great dining experience.

Between the warm, welcoming atmosphere and great food Sanbiki is an experience you do not want to miss out on. Come dine with us!