[Dine-Out] Calgary: Koto Sushi Lounge November 30, 2012

3 words.

Do. Not. Like.

I’ve come here a couple of times before with the Groupon voucher (obviously no posts on those because I’m an awful blogger). The times I’ve used the Groupon vouchers, the food was fine. I mean, you can’t really complain about $30 restaurant sushi. Like, even if the food wasn’t that great, it was still good enough for super cheap sushi.

But a whoolllleeee different story when it’s $60, full-price sushi.

So, tonight we went there for dinner. I really wanted sushi and it was between Koto and food court sushi because I was really really hungry and needed food that was within 5 minutes of the mall.

We ordered 4 pieces of sushi and 4 rolls. Yes, we are only 2 people. Again, we were really hungry. Yes, we ate it all, but it wasn’t enjoyable.

[L to R] Shichimi Spicy Prawn, Dragon

The Shichimi Spicy Prawn, according to the menu, Japan traditional spice, chopped prawn mixed with spicy mayo, tempura prawn, mayo, tobiko, sweet eel sauce, and seaweed powder. One of the main things I don’t like about all these ‘fancy rolls’ is the unnecessary addition of unnecessary ingredients. I mean, why do we need more mayo when there’s already spicy mayo. Also, “chopped prawn mixed with spicy mayo” gives the impression of majority prawns, minority mayo. Noooot 90% mayo and 10% shrimp paste. The main thing that made this unenjoyable: stale tempura prawn in the middle. Like super stale. Like probably cooked it during the lunch rush stale.

Dragon, according to the menu, grilled giant eel, avocado, tempura prawn, mayo, tobiko, eel sauce, and sesame seed. I think their menu is wrong, there was no tempura prawn in this roll. And their “giant” eel was super not giant (see above). Nothing overly wrong with this one.

[Clockwise from Top L] Tamago, Volcano Calamari Maki, Saba, BC Salmon Skin Maki

First of all, the tamago tasted weird. I read somewhere that tamago is a good gauge of how good a sushi restaurant is. It’s probably more accurate for sushi restaurants actually in Japan, but nevertheless. I had half a bite and it tasted so weird that I had to give the rest to the bf so he could try. His words: “It tastes like pollock, like imitation crab meat“. Soooo, ya. Weird.

The Volcano Calamari was okay. Albacore tuna, calamari, cucumber, and volcano sauce. Meh, mediocre. Too much sauce. Rice was too starchy.

The saba was only also okay. I’m a firm believer that mackerel should come with grated ginger and sliced scallions. It just seems like the chef is lazy when it doesn’t.

Guilty pleasure = BC rolls. I really like these little suckers with the salmon skin. This was so. not. good. The salmon skin was limp and cold. Definitely not fresh. Stale like the tempura shrimp. Probably cooked during the same lunch rush period. Could’ve even been Thursday’s lunch rush period.

So. Never eating here again. I’m having the worst case of meal regret. I think I would’ve even preferred mall sushi. At least my wallet would be last affected by it…

KOTO SUSHI LOUNGE
435 4 Avenue Southwest
Calgary, AB T2P 0J4
(403) 457-2898