Mutsuki-An

Address: 2056-A Sinclair Road
Phone: (250) 595-0378
Price: ~$17 for a dinner combo
Notes: Fresh, classic sushi in the heart of Cadboro Bay

Mutsuki-An has long been on my radar as possibly the best sushi in town! They recently relocated from Oak Bay (next to the high school) to Cadboro Bay village. The decor is bright and decorated with tasteful, modern art. The hardwood floors and birch tables complete the clean, spacious feel.  The menu is slightly larger than it was during my last visit to the old location, possibly reflecting the larger kitchen area in the new location. They still focus on sushi, serving no tempura.

Like their previous location they have maintained the small restaurant size as well as minimal hours. They still only seat a handful of tables, and their hours are pretty minimal, closing Sundays, Mondays and quite early in the evenings. They have also maintained their commitment to the excellent quality that only fresh and local ingredients provides. I really respect keeping things small and local, and being able to control all the variables! It produces high quality results so much more consistently than the alternative.  The restaurant is also truly a family affair. The mother of the family is the chef, and is assisted in the business by her daughters.

Food:
January 25, 2014

Tea

We ordered a pot of tea for our table, and I loved the brilliant green colour! The tea was clearly high quality, and perfectly steeped with no astringency or bitterness. The tea pot cost $2 and was just under four cups worth. It was so delicious I was tempted to order another pot! 

Spicy Combo

This was my choice, influenced by my favourite salad, the sunomono. This one was a bit on the sweet side for my sour palate, but was still a great appetizer. 

The miso soup is without a doubt the best in town. Soy is not my friend, frequently bringing on unpleasant allergic reactions. Normally I can't be bothered to have more than a sample, but this time I had to stop myself from eating the entire bowl. It contained large chunks of tofu, seaweed, green onion and the surprising, but delicious, inclusion of bean curd. 

My plate of sushi contained two rolls, a spicy tuna and a spicy vegetable roll, as well as a spicy vegetable cone. All contained extremely high grade of ingredients and were well crafted. Although it wasn't the largest amount of sushi I have put away in a single sitting, I was plenty full and the value was pretty excellent for $16. 

Taste of Tokyo Combo

This was my partner-in-food-and-life's choice. The miso soup was also well received, in fact my P.I.F.A.L. finished the remainder of mine to save me from myself.

The meal came with gomae salad was clearly homemade and tasted very fresh and delicate. The side of burdock was an unusual and interesting addition. The tuna sashimi, although excellent quality, were quite long and thin. Personally I enjoy the texture of thicker chunks. The two rolls, a cucumber maki roll and a tuna roll, were simple but well flavoured. The one thing my p.i.f.a.l. noted was that the rice was a bit plain on its own, and would have been nice with a bit of sauce. 

Cream Puffs

I was a bit disappointed to find out that the wasabi ice cream was sold out. We opted for the cream puffs, but were surprised to find that they seemed to have been frozen. For a business that prides themselves on local, fresh ingredients the dessert kind of disappointed. 

Service:
January 25, 2014
The service was friendly, and our meal came quickly. We did need to ask for chopsticks, but it was rectified quickly.