RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT
/by Jacqui Birchall
(click images to enlarge)
Tom Sushi on Davie Street is a delight, as is the 30-year-old owner and creator, Tom Jeon.
Tom Jeon of Tom Sushi. (Jacqui Birchall Photo)
In an afternoon conversation, Tom revealed he arrived from Korea alone at the age of eight. His parents sent him to live with homestay parents so that he could learn English and improve his prospects.
Tom tells me that he enjoyed his early years in B.C. In his early teens, he obtained part-time work in a sushi restaurant. Tom loved it! He quit school at fourteen, promising he would own a sushi restaurant in ten years.
Tom worked hard, studying sushi and other Japanese cuisine in various restaurants. His bosses thought he was cute to be so young and have such big ideas. And yet, two weeks before his 24th birthday, just shy of the promised ten years, Tom opened Tom Sushi!
In the beginning, Tom put in 190 hours every two weeks. He explained that with so much competition, a restaurateur has to work hard to achieve success.
In his restaurant philosophy, Tom said he values consistency, no off days, no bad days, and that the food and service must be consistent. He emphasized that sufficient staff is important for consistency. In the evenings 10 chefs are in the sushi kitchen and five are behind in the hot kitchen.
Tom Sushi's website shares that “our menu highlights the freshest and finest ingredients that Chef Tom is able to source from around the world. Traditional Japanese flavours are combined with local West Coast elements to create a truly unique dining experience.”
The perfect description.
A quick peek at the Tom Sushi menu.
The food is both delicious and beautifully presented. Check the website for the mouthwatering choices of both hot and cold dishes.
Tom is proud of his core team of chefs and servers, many of whom have been with him since the restaurant's inception.
Tom is also grateful to his regular customers. Most have been with him since the beginning, and have become friends. He shares that these customers kept Tom Sushi alive during COVID.
You can download the Tom Sushi app and gain points when ordering takeout or check the creative webpage below.
Tom Sushi is open daily from noon to 9.30 pm, noon to 9 pm on Sundays, and closed on Tuesdays.
Tom has kept busy, opening a new restaurant at 967 West Broadway at Oak. An elegant 90-seat restaurant named Tozen Sushi Bar. Tozen means naturally happening in Japanese. The restaurant is spacious and attractive with a zen-like atmosphere.
The menu is similar to Tom Sushi with a few additions and an extensive sake menu. Tom has a sake expert who advises him on his selection and customers have choices from premium to more budget-priced sake.
Tozen Sushi Bar is much larger with a 90-seat capacity. Tom feels that because of the plentiful seating, his customers will feel encouraged to dine slowly, to stay a while.
Here too the plentiful sushi chefs work in the front kitchen and the hot dish chefs in the kitchen behind.
Tom shared that the staff of both restaurants will vacation together in Cancun in October. Team building at its best!
Check the webpages at tozensushibar.ca and https://tomsushi.ca/.
SPOTLIGHT UPDATES
LUCIFER’S HOUSE OF HEAT… Checking back on previously reviewed establishments, I visited with Andrew and Chantel at Lucifer’s House of Heat at 1682 Davie Street to see how things are going.
It’s going pretty well. Their summer patio is up and running, their menu has expanded and their selection of de-alcoholized wine, beer and spirits is extensive. So extensive the nearby LCB sends its alcohol-free product searching customers over the street to Lucifer’s. Local restaurants purchase beer, wine and spirits from Lucifer’s for their customers, particularly for their mocktails. Their liquor licence application is currently in process.
Their hot sauce selection is unparalleled, and Andrew is moving into his own concoctions.
The considerable menu will suit all tastes. Chantel pointed out the Holy Duck Cold Shrimp Taco, the shrimp marinated in Holy Duck Chili Oil topped with pineapple salsa, broccoli slaw and feta. The oil contains duck fat. A tasty treat! Chantel has started making muffins as well. Blueberry the day I was there!
Check out their latest menu here.
Hugo Carlos is the new manager at the Bayside Lounge.
THE BAYSIDE LOUNGE … The new manager is Hugo Carlos. Be sure to say hello to this charming man. Happy Hour is longer now. Monday to Friday from noon until 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday from noon until 2 p.m. Check all the menus here.
It causes me great sadness to report the passing of the wonderfully friendly server, Justin Rudd. Absolutely my favourite server, Justin was always so charming and such fun to chat with. A celebration of Justin’s life will be held in the Bayside Lounge.
