Avocado Combo at Maki Maki

Lunch at Maki Maki (I'm having the avocado combo) #yegfood

A photo posted by Paula E. Kirman (@livingsanctuary) on Sep 29, 2016 at 11:42am PDT

I usually have pho at Maki Maki, but decided to have one of the specials. The avocado special came with an avocado roll, several fried soy croquettes, a salad, and a bubble tea (I picked avocado, of course). Wow - this was a huge amount of food. My favourite part was actually the croquettes, which were in a light breading with a rich, dense filling. I took the bubble tea to go as I could not finish it. Even the miso soup at the beginning was very ample. Great value.

The Pho Files: Maki Maki

On Saturday, I was attending an event at a venue almost directly across the street from Maki Maki. It was well over two years since my first and only visit to the restaurant, and without even knowing it, I ordered the exact same meal! The only difference was the addition of an order of green onion cakes, which were crispy and delicious. Otherwise, I enjoyed the avocado roll, with the crunch of tempura adding texture to the fresh avocado.

The pho tai did not disappoint - it was even better than I remembered. The broth was rich and flavourful, and there was so much meat that I actually ran out of noodles first! Sliced so thin, the steak was amongst the most tender I have ever had in pho.

Veggie Sushi Combo

Veggie Sushi Combo, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Tokyo Express is fast, reasonably priced, and decent. It is acceptable. Which means, the food is nothing special, but good value for the money.

My vegetarian sushi combo is a case in point. It was a satisfying combo of one piece of sweet tofu sushi, four vegetarian rolls, and six avocado maki (it usually comes with cucumber maki, but I asked for avocado). Why the avocado was warm is beyond me, but otherwise everything was fine. A good mid-afternoon snack.

Sushi - Avocado and Smoked Salmon

Sushi - Avocado and Smoked Salmon, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I love sushi of the non-raw fish variety, and when I have a craving it is usually to Ichiban (87 Avenue and 149 Street) where I head.

Avocado is my favourite, and I decided to expand my horizons with a couple of pieces of smoked salmon as well.

Avocado Roll at Maki Maki

Maki Maki, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

I went to Maki Maki for the first time today. Since the restaurant has both Japanese and Vietnamese food on the menu, I decided to start my meal with an avocado roll.

Large chunks of avocado were nested in the centre of the roll, along with crispy bits of tempura batter. It was light, yet with substance, and plenty of avocado goodness.

Ichiban - Avocado Maki & Sushi, and Smoked Salmon

Avocado Maki & Sushi, and Smoked Salmon, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Ichiban is tucked away in a west end strip mall along 149 street and 88 Avenue, yet people flock there from all over the city. The prices, selection, and service make it one of the best Japanese restaurants in Edmonton.

I come here regularly either for a bento box or sushi. They have a good selection of vegetarian sushi or sushi with cooked fish or meat (I am not much into raw food).

As a light supper, I ordered a roll of avocado maki, and an order of avocado sushi and smoked salmon sushi. It hit the spot on a hot evening. I like avocado in just about anything, and it goes well in sushi with the rice and tempura crumbs. Smoked salmon on rice also tastes like a natural combination.

The restaurant was very busy - all the tables were going and people were waiting in the lobby - so service seemed a bit rushed. However, this is still my favourite place to go for sushi.