Aburi & Oshi at Miku Restaurant

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I was taken to Miku for a business lunch and shocked into attention by the food. I had to wonder why it took me so long to get there; this is not just another sushi restaurant.

Miku occupies the space that used to be an old lunch favorite, the Spotted Prawn. The long room makes good use of the open kitchen, with an impressive stretch of busy kitchen staff and an opulent marble sushi bar. Harbour construction has spoiled the mountain view, but the room gets a lot of light and makes an impression. A giant glass waterfall and suspended glass ceiling “clouds” with multi-colored lights are clearly designed to impress, but I must admit I find the ceiling a 90s nightmare and made an effort to ignore it, although I may well be alone in that opinion. But the restaurant’s opulence lets you know you are in for a special meal.

Owned by a Japanese corporation with a growing sushi empire, Miku is the spearhead in a North American expansion. The style of sushi served is called Aburi, which stands apart by being flame-seared and served with toppings and rich sauces. There is also Oshi (pressed) sushi and heavily dressed Maki and sashimi. And at Miku they seem to love Mexican flavors and make an eye-opening, tongue-popping use of avacado & jalapeno. Recently back for dinner, I had the chance to work my way more greedily through their menu.

Although I visited during Dine Out Vancouver and it was busy, the only real effect I noticed was being unable to order the chef’s Omakase menu, a 9 course run through the menu’s highlights, ($60 per person) however we did quite well going crazy a la carte anyway. The service at Miku is excellent, friendly and attentive. The drink menu has lots of great sake, plum wine and shochu choices, and I did very well with the latter. And they even let you choose your own sake cup.

The signature Aburi Saba Oshi Sushi with jalapeño on top is an easy favorite, ($10) and we tried hamachi in various forms which was unbelievably good. Soba Pepperoncino was pan fried buckwheat noodles with jalapeño & squid ($10) while Washugyu Carpaccio ($19) was delicious with a sweet sauce. The Ebi Fritter ($10) was recommended to us, but below the menu in my opinion, dressed up much like the ceiling. Everything was delicious, premium, well-prepared and quickly devoured. And I was surprised to see so many local ingredients on the menu at a restaurant you would expect to fly everything in from Japan, they take their Ocean Wise seriously.

Miku is highly recommended and I can’t wait to go back with a more adventurous crowd, because we left some amazing things untried, such as the soft shell crab and the Miko Maki (with uni). Who’s coming with me?