Misai (on 32 ave NE)

[benyl]

Ate there last night. Wasn't as good as it usually is. Does anyone know if they changed owners or something?

[CaptainReboot]

Originally posted by benyl
Ate there last night. Wasn't as good as it usually is. Does anyone know if they changed owners or something?

Not sure. I haven't been there in a while. It was pretty good when I was there though.

Wasabi on 16th Ave is my favorite.

[Altezza]

I was there a few weeks ago. I agree, it's not the same as it used to be.

[benyl]

We usually go there every other month (cause it is so far away) and have no problem paying more (the prices are slightly higher than most other Sushi places) because it tasted so good.

After last night, I can't say we will be going again anytime soon.

The sushi came out on plates the size of bread plates. We ordered 3 Ebis and a bunch of other stuff. As the plate was too small for everything, instead of giving us a bigger plate, they just stacked one of the ebis on top of the other two.

Tasted fine, but really bad presentation.

The second plate came out with the rolls and didn't include any more ginger or wassabi... that NEVER happens anywhere else. Even if there is only one roll on the last plate, you get more ginger and wassabi (at any other sushi place). Weird.

that is why I am wondering if it changed owners.

[max_boost]

Next time you go to C/C or Sun Chiu Kee, look for the Misai advertisements.

The first time I had Misai it was soooooooooo good, mind you that was 4-5 years ago and just haven't had time to go since.

Are they open for Saturday or Sunday lunch?

[FiveFreshFish]

I was there a couple of months ago and all the staff spoke Chinese. :dunno:

[Xtrema]

Maisai, Foridden City, Calgary Court, Sun's BBQ House (sun Chiu Kee), Pebble Street plus 2 more restaurants in Vancouver are all ran by the same company. If you ever see a dude parking an SL500 around these restarants, he's the owner.

Maisai was the 1st to go high class route but couldn't maintain the quality. They pretty much survives on weekday lunches now, since they are the only good sushi place in the NE.

Now they are average at best. And yes all restaurants listed above are ran by Chinese.

[infected]

He just sold the two in Van I believe.

[gp36912]

Originally posted by Xtrema
If you ever see a dude parking an SL500 around these restarants, he's the owner.


actually he gave the car to his son, hes driving a sl600 now :D

[Xtrema]

Originally posted by infected
He just sold the two in Van I believe.

Yeah, heard they weren't doing well anyways. Too many competitions.

[HiSpec]

their quality dropped considerably...
i'm sure most of you heard of the healthy/cleaniness issue about that resturant in Chinatown.

[XTC323]

I went to Sushi BBQ Inn and asked for more tea, the waitresses were pissed and spat into my teapot (thinking I didn't see) and then had the audacity to bring it back to the table and serve it to me.

I've never been more pissed and disgusted in my life.

Don't ever go there - you never know what else they're doing to your food behind closed (or open) doors. Nasty, just nasty.

[sputnik]

I was at Misai a couple weekends ago and found the sushi to be cut quite poorly and the prices were considerably higher than a number of places in town.

[vietdood]

my friend's friend that always serves us at pebble street say that all the tips go to the owner... she could be lying or it could be the reason for the drop in quality

[clem24]

Misai is also scamming people with their supposed "mirugai roll". Instead of actual geoduck (i.e. Mirugai), they just stick in canned pacific clams. The same crap [but good crap] that you get in the supermarket in a can. Still, I was expecting geoduck. If I wanted canned clam roll, I would've ordered that. I haven't been back since. They charge a LOT for what you get. I don't mind paying $$$ for quality, but I do mind paying $$$ for crap.

Btw, I've also heard a while back that ALL their restaurants were like that: all tips went to the owner. Not sure if it's just a rumour or if it's true.

[liquidboi69]

I dont think its a rumor, my friend works at pebble, and it was the first time i got REAL service at any of the restraunts owned by this owner. When i was going to tip him like 5 dollars more, he told me to take it back because the owner gets it, not him. So im pretty sure he isn't lieing about it.

[infected]

Yep, owner collects it all.
I only like to go to Forbidden for hot pot. :drool:

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Man, that tip deal is bullshit. I went to the Misai about 5 years ago and it was superb, I went last year and it wasn't nearly as good. Not worth the price anymore.

[B20EF]

Originally posted by clem24
They charge a LOT for what you get. I don't mind paying $$$ for quality, but I do mind paying $$$ for crap.

Btw, I've also heard a while back that ALL their restaurants were like that: all tips went to the owner. Not sure if it's just a rumour or if it's true.

:werd: Misai was great a few years back but I went three times in a row and it was poor quality, so never went back, now I only go to Shikiji

Thats crazy about the spitting in the tea at Sun's BBQ, I go there all the time :eek:

[Gooseberry]

Originally posted by XTC323
I went to Sushi BBQ Inn and asked for more tea, the waitresses were pissed and spat into my teapot (thinking I didn't see) and then had the audacity to bring it back to the table and serve it to me.

I've never been more pissed and disgusted in my life.

Don't ever go there - you never know what else they're doing to your food behind closed (or open) doors. Nasty, just nasty.

Where is Sushi BBQ Inn?

[Hipermax_d]

misai has gone down hill about a year ago
it was actually pretty good when it first opened and it did taste like real japanese food
but a year ago, they started to cheap out on quality ingredients like the koroke
they used to use real potatos, but its powdered potatos now :thumbsdow

only japanese restaurant i go to now is shikiji

[clem24]

WTF?? Shikiji? That place is nasty. Their noodle/soups aren't even that good either. Soup doesn't even taste authentic. I remember the curry noodle was chock full of corn starch to thicken it. Yuck.

[Hipermax_d]

Originally posted by clem24
WTF?? Shikiji? That place is nasty. Their noodle/soups aren't even that good either. Soup doesn't even taste authentic. I remember the curry noodle was chock full of corn starch to thicken it. Yuck.

of course ramen doesnt taste authentic
the noodles not that great and also the soup base is...light

[GTS Jeff]

Originally posted by Xtrema


Yeah, heard they weren't doing well anyways. Too many competitions.


All the other restaurants in Vancouver are doing just fine with the competition. His restaurants got squeezed out because they just aren't run well. The thing is, he can get away with that in Calgary because there's no competition, whereas in Vancouver, where you actually have to be half decent to survive, he got squeezed out.

Here's my guess: a dude like that owning so many mediocre restaurants and following bad business practices (as mentioned in this thread) can't actually be that successful. These factors, combined with the sheer number of restaurants that he runs, all point towards massive debt. His baller cars are also more evidence for this, since most heavily indebted, wannabe-ballers will drive the flashiest car their LOC can afford.

Again, only a guess.

[max_boost]

His CAlgary restaurants are doing really well. I don't think he has any problems paying his bills. If he does, I'll let you know LOL since word in the Chinese food biz spreads around pretty fast haha

[GTS Jeff]

Originally posted by max_boost
His CAlgary restaurants are doing really well. I don't think he has any problems paying his bills. If he does, I'll let you know LOL since word in the Chinese food biz spreads around pretty fast haha Just because a restaurant seems busy doesn't mean it's turning a profit or enough of a profit to make someone successful. But I suppose your guess is as good as mine. :dunno:

[thich]

in the restaurant business it's all about the volume of customers you can push through in an allotted amount of time. Especially since most Chinese restaurants (and the restaurant industry in general) here have a low margin on their products, they need the volume of customers.

So technically the more busier a restaurant is, the better it technically should be doing. ... again a guess as well.

HOWEVER, I hate going to this guy's restaurants, his food is good for the most part but the thing that irks me is the customer service.

everytime I go to C/C, pebble street or Sun Chiu Kee, my friends and I are always shafted for some reason. We usually have 8 people and always order a big meal but honestly, would it hurt so much to be seated and served in a timely manner?

:thumbsdow

the way calgary is going, if some of these restaurants don't adopt better customer service, they will be beaten by smarter and younger entrepreneurs who know Customer service and quality food make a winning combo

[max_boost]

I can see some of his restaurants outperforming the others. Sun Chiu Kee and Calgary Court are probably two of his stronger links in his chain. I can't really speak for the other 3 or 4.

Service is usually pretty slow at the restaurants cause it's so busy. I try to avoid the rush and only go at certain hours or I get take out hehe

Service should be better but I don't expect it from these places. As long as they can get me my food and iced tea, good enough for me.

Everyone knows the formula for a successful business but it's still very difficult to put everything together and have it operate smoothly.

[cloud7]

the food is ok, but the price is higher than most restaurants... and what's with the no using credit card for any meal under $25 crap? They can't do that according to their agreement with credit card companies.

[clem24]

It's because they're cheap assholes and they don't want to take a hit on the credit card fees.

[RSeXy]

Originally posted by cloud7
the food is ok, but the price is higher than most restaurants... and what's with the no using credit card for any meal under $25 crap? They can't do that according to their agreement with credit card companies.

Cash is king. LOL :rofl:

[dragonone]

Originally posted by max_boost
I can see some of his restaurants outperforming the others. Sun Chiu Kee and Calgary Court are probably two of his stronger links in his chain. I can't really speak for the other 3 or 4.

Service is usually pretty slow at the restaurants cause it's so busy. I try to avoid the rush and only go at certain hours or I get take out hehe

Service should be better but I don't expect it from these places. As long as they can get me my food and iced tea, good enough for me.

Everyone knows the formula for a successful business but it's still very difficult to put everything together and have it operate smoothly.
:werd:
i complain about his shitty workers and their customer service all the time, a lot of it is because a while back they still only had hourly wages and no tips
yet i end up eating from at least one of his 'chain' restaurants weekly lol
u can totally see his 'formula' break down in vancouver, competition is fierce and, well, food is just much better elsewhere

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by cloud7
the food is ok, but the price is higher than most restaurants... and what's with the no using credit card for any meal under $25 crap? They can't do that according to their agreement with credit card companies.



Originally posted by clem24
It's because they're cheap assholes and they don't want to take a hit on the credit card fees.

They don't even take debit for transactions under $25 either. :thumbsdow

[sputnik]

Originally posted by RSeXy
Cash is king. LOL :rofl:

:werd:

Asian restaurants LOVE cash. (No taxes when you fill your matress with it)

There was an asian grocery store in Winnipeg that burned down and in the basement they found $3M in cash in a fireproof safe.

[GQBalla]

whoa ballin ^^^ 3 million.

but the owner always shafts his workers, they never get tips, all tips go to the owner.

Imagine all that tip with no taxes....

ahah scammer

[hs2000]

you guys should try out, mariju. on center st, just after that bridge by china town. if your heading northbound, the place is located on your left hand side, right by the starbucks.

good food, nice owners.

[r1_boii]

forbidden city any good?

service?

[Whitetiger]

It's not bad, prices are fair. ^^^