Monthly Archives: January 2014

Quarry Rock Hike at Deep Cove

Region: The North Shore
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 2 hours
Distance: 3.8km
Elevation Gain: 100 meters
Season: year-round
Camping: No
Dog Friendly: Yes
Public Transit: Yes
Approx. 30 minutes from Vancouver
Things to bring: towel, granola bar + snack, water bottle, sunscreen, camera

Although you see that it’s under the easy level, and only a gain of 100 meters, this one was tough for me. I dunno if it’s because of the hip and knee problems I have from time to time (although they didn’t bother me that much when I went twice over the summer), but perhaps I was really out of shape, and perhaps the minor heart regurgitation I have could be the reason to have me puffing and dying already at 10 minutes into the hike, while everyone is fine. “this is so easy!” a girl says as she had done the Grouse Grind the day before. Note to self = never to the Grind. And my friend who does the Grind at least a dozen times over the season wants me to go along, but is afraid I’ll never make it up…and with all the warning signs at the entrance, and no emergency to fall back on, I guess it’s just not meant to be in my bucket list. I have no problem with that since I’d rather travel to experience different culture than do the Grind.

I was last in line of a group of dozen to get to the rock. Everyone else was already relaxing and enjoying the spectacular view from above. At least this hike is very rewarding. There is quite a bit of going up and down during the hike. Wear comfortable and supportive shoes, though I have seen many girls in their flip flops. Good luck.

Once you’re down, it’s nice to have restaurants to dine in at, enjoy some ice cream, and chill by the waters. There is more to do here before/after the hike at Deep Cove that makes the journey more interesting.

Sushi Sky

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A very small sushi restaurant near Davie St. in downtown. It has 2 small tables, so most of the orders are for take out. It’s very crammed, and did not look sanitary. It was run down, and dirty. I wouldn’t want to eat there, nor the food that comes from there, but Sheepie insisted I try it out. Also, there was a guy before us who was waiting for a take out, and another single guy dining in. Ok, so there are some customers…I guess that’s a good sign…

We ordered the negitoro roll $2.50, 2 salmon nigiri and Combo 4 $7+ which had ebi, salmon and tuna nigiri with a 6 piece California roll. I thought the price for the negitoro was very cheap, but the Combo is pretty expensive!

Presentation wise, the negitoro rolls were falling apart. One of the salmon was a bit discoloured so I didn’t eat it, but Sheepie did and he was fine. The flower carved into the carrot was a nice decor, but appearance wise, that was it. Even though we didn’t order that much, they gave us 4 packs (those little plastic cups with lids) of soya sauce. A bit excessive, but I guess it’s good for those who like to use a lot of soya sauce. As for taste, it was ok. Nothing spectacular. I think for the same price, the negitoro is better at Jako. And for the same $7, you can get a better deal at Momo Sushi by ordering one of the bento boxes!

Combo 4 $7….expensive!

Negitoro $2.50

They were quick and efficient, and the offer of tea, even for take out is a nice gesture. However, with so many better options in downtown Vancouver, it would be at the bottom of my to-go-to sushiya.

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Atmosphere: Service:
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Jako Sushi

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Since I moved to Vancouver downtown, I’ve been a fan of this place. Good food, super cheap, and fast service. However, as more and more affordable sushi places came out, and this place got older, dirtier and prices went up (only by like half a dollar though), I went less and less. Now I rarely go.

The food is ok for the price. The Vegetarian Teriyaki Box is for only $5.95. Yes, a whole bento box for less than $6. It includes Teriyaki Tofu (2 pieces) on top of rice, 4 tempura with sauce, 6 piece California rolls, salad, a slice of orange, and miso soup. Yes…it’s still hard to believe that you can get all that for under $6 right? I mean, if I were to make all that myself, it would certainly cost more than $6, not to mention the time it’d take!

I wished I could take photos of the interior of this place, but it’s kind of hard to secretly, lol. The curtains leading to the hallway for the bathroom is really nasty. It’s darkened, as if it’s never been washed (very likely it hasn’t). It’s ripped and looks like you’re entering a garbage dump. Certainly not the kind of thing you want to see while dining there. If that’s what the customers can see, imagine what it’s like behind in the kitchen!

I haven’t gotten food poisoning from here, though my Mom once said she felt a little weird afterward. Nevertheless, it’s not really a good feeling when you dine there, so when I do eat from Jako, I usually take out.

The service depends on who’s looking after you. If it’s the lady, she doesn’t really speak much English, and doesn’t put any effort to get any kind of efficient communication. But I’ve been going there for so many years that I’m used to it. The man on the other hand is super friendly. He’ll usually say hello or thank you along with my name. He really smiles from ear to ear, to the point that you’d think he’s up to something…lol. It has creeped some of my friends out, but I’m ok with it.

Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box $6.50 (please do not rate on the presentation, as this was a take out, and I placed them onto the plates/bowls at home). It’s not the greatest quality, but it is filling. The miso soup only has like 2 tiny cubes of tofu. Seems like they changed the miso container for take outs from styrofoam to all plastic. I’m not sure if the one I had was just faulty, but I couldn’t get to open it and kept burning my fingers as the lid kept going deeper and deeper into the cup.

If you’re having a big group of friends over and you want a lot of sushi, then this place is good. The 22 pieces with miso soup is a great deal and very filling, for only $5.95. There are 6 combos, so a nice selection to choose from.

The Vegetarian Teriyaki Box $6.50 with Tofu Teriyaki, Miso soup, Yam roll (8 pieces), Tempura, Salad with fruit and Rice.

Last Time

I was craving some Negitoro, so I ordered just that from Jako. Wrong decision. Yes, they are cheap, but their quality is mediocre. From the first bite, I could tell the tuna was not fresh. It had a fishy taste – a bad fishy taste. I kept eating it, drowning it in more soy sauce to mask the taste, but the final piece, I had to spit it all out because it was so disgusting. I was glad I was at home so I could do this without embarrassing myself. It’s so close and convenient, but I must tell myself, do not make the same mistake again!

Food Taste: Price for Value:

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Service: (lady) man)
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