Ninkazu

Rating: *** 1/2 out of *****

After reading the great review about this place in Chowtimes, I was ready to fill my stomach with some much needed AYCE Japanese food. At Ninkazu, one can choose from AYCE Hot-pot or AYCE sushi... since my sisters aren't really Hot-pot people, we went for the sushi. We went for the Late Night AYCE (see hours in the picture below), and with reservations made in the morning we only had to wait 15mins for a table. The host was very pleasant, seating us very promtly at a large table next to the window. I enjoyed the window seat, as it allowed us to watch the hustle and bustle of Richmond's night life.

Of course, we start off with the sushi selection... (clockwise from left) Yam Roll, California Roll and Spicy Ninkazu Roll. All fresh and all delicious!

Masago Sushi (Smelt Roe), Salmon Sushi and Hokkigai Sushi (Surf Clam)... again delicious, fresh and fast.

The good thing about this place is that they include Sashimi in their AYCE! Although each person is limited to 12pcs, that's more than enough for my family (especially since both my sisters don't like Sashimi... so we get their share :P)

Ika Karaage (Fried Squid), and Fried Smelt. I use to hate eating smelt, because of all the little eggs inside, but the way Ninkazu cooks it made me rethink things... soooo tasty
Just like Metrotown's Taisho, Ninkazu is smart and economical, using tin-foil shells versus real oyster shells for their Motoyaki
Sanma Shioyaki (Makerel), Salmon Belly and Salmon Cheek BBQ
My sisters always love fried dough, here are the deep-fried wontons. I thought that they'd be filled with something... sadly, it was simply the wonton skin in a deep-fried form :(

Mmm... I love edamame

Unlike some AYCE Sushi places that give you only yam/sweet potato, when you order "Mixed" tempura, Ninkazu gave us zucchini!! These pieces are a favorite amongst my family... we always fight over them :P

Their Salmon Teriyaki was just so-so

Nothing spectacular about the chicken-wings either, but my sisters gobbled these down very quickly

And of course, we had to try the gyoza. Nothing amazing in my opinion, not bad either... you just can't mess up gyoza :P

Overall, the experience at Ninkazu was wonderful. We really enjoyed the service, and the restaurant was not too crowded. I saw many people enjoying their hot-pot and almost envied them, but the sushi AYCE was worth the $12.95! Maybe next time the family goes to Ninkazu (which I hope is soon) we will try their hot-pot. The selection at this restaurant is great, the establishment is very clean + tidy and the service is friendly and speedy. If you're ever in Richmond, try Ninkazu!