Junzushi: A Thoughtful Omakase Experience in Vancouver

I recently had the chance to visit one of Vancouver’s lesser-known omakase restaurants, Junzushi, after they updated their menu at the turn of the calendar year. Opening in early 2025, Junzushi has been open for just over a year and is run by Chef Andrew Guan, who has seven years of experience training in Vancouver, as well as a one-year stint in Tokyo working at Ebisu Endo.

A Promising Start

The updated menu will run you $200 in exchange for roughly 19 courses, with the option for add-ons at the end of the meal. The meal starts with a few appetizers before diving into the nigiri. During my visit, this included ankimo (monkfish liver), which has a soft, buttery texture and a rich, nuanced flavour. It also featured an iwashi maki (sardine roll) and a steamed Dungeness crab dumpling in broth.

For the shari (the seasoned sushi rice that forms the base of nigiri), Chef Guan uses an unaged akazu (red vinegar). This keeps the rice white in colour and gives it a milder flavour, allowing the neta (the fish topping) to stand out, as explained by Chef Guan.

Nigiri Highlights

A wide variety of nigiri were served, starting with tai (sea bream), followed by sumi ika (cuttlefish). Highlights of the nigiri include the otoro jabara (fatty tuna), which had lots of flavour with minimal sinew, and the kurumaebi (Japanese tiger prawn), which had an incredible fragrance that released as I chewed. I could almost feel it flooding my mouth and escaping through my nose.

The kohada (gizzard shad) was also delicious. Chef Guan noted that he cures his kohada for a significantly shorter amount of time than usual and also uses an extremely fine salt rather than the typical coarse salt when curing it.

Chef Guan also highlights local products, such as the gindara (black cod), which he prepares anago-style. This results in a fluffy texture with sweetness from the tsume. The meal ended with tamagoyaki and grilled mochi coated in kinako (roasted soybean flour) with kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup).

Final Thoughts

Overall, the meal was extremely enjoyable, and the intention behind the food is very apparent. For $200, Junzushi offers a great balance of quality ingredients and thoughtful preparation without the higher prices that other restaurants charge in Vancouver.

This is definitely a restaurant to visit if you are new to omakase or if you simply want a good meal.