New Winnipeg restaurant a fish out of water at core-area hotel

[SpongeG]

A new sushi restaurant is about to open in Winnipeg, but its location at an aging downtown hotel is raising a few eyebrows.

The once impressive McLaren Hotel at Main Street and Rupert Avenue is known more now for its beer sales or seedy bar just off the lobby than for its restaurant.

At lunch hour, the busiest spot in the McLaren Hotel is the beer vendor. The hotel's long-term residents are unlikely consumers of sushi.

But Kang Seog Lee is bringing the tasty Asian raw-fish treats to the neighbourhood anyway, converting the hotel's former greasy-spoon restaurant into a sushi joint.

Lee, who immigrated to Canada from Korea in 2002, has already opened two Winnipeg locations for Ta-Ke Sushi, one on Pembina Highway and the other on Portage Avenue.

Lee admits the restaurant's newest branch is a bit of a gamble. But there is room for it in the neighbourhood, he said, noting the hotel's proximity to museums, live performance venues and city hall.

"I know this area is not the very top," he told CBC. "Hopefully I will make good opportunity here."

Harmin Kang, one of the owners and manager of the McLaren, said the sushi restaurant could be a good fit.

"Especially having all the ethnic community around … I think it'll be good. It's downtown. Not too many restaurants around here, lot of businesses," he said.

Lee's initiative to open at the hotel — on the cusp of the revitalizing Exchange District neighbourhood — is another example of improvement in the city core, Kang said.

"With the new development coming on, the riverfront and everything around, the condos, things are changing. Downtown is becoming the focal point, I think, for Winnipeg now."

Lee hopes to have Ta-Ke Sushi's Main Street location open in the next few days.

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/200...-ke-sushi.html

[vid]

Yuki Sushi!

[berzerkled]

There were a whack load of police and firetrucks surrounding the building at around 9 this morning. Did the Winnipeg SSP meet not go well?

[annyc]

I'm going there next Thursday and really looking forward to it!

[1ajs]

lunch ? good luck getting a seat

[annyc]

Supper.

They are open for supper, aren't they?

Do you know the hours?

[Donovanf]

Originally Posted by annyc

Supper.

They are open for supper, aren't they?

Do you know the hours?

went on Monday, I think they are open till 8 most days.

[annyc]

What has everyone thought of the food and service? What should we order and what should we avoid?

[1ajs]

yea its open till around 8.. theres only the owner working there i think still

avoid no clue thats based on your tastes...

opens between 10-10:30 am and closes between 7-8pm mon to sat closed sundays

[rgalston]

Go for the lunch special: two rolls (choice of basics like California, shrimp tempura, spicey crab, Dynamite, etc) and Miso soup or coffee for an incredible $6.98 (taxes included). The food is excellent, and the atmosphere is quiet and nice (it's so nice to eat at a place that plays classical music rather than Gwen Stefani or "lite rock" garbage). One potential drawback to the place is that the proprietor is usually working alone, so if you're behind a group of people, you may be in for a bit of a wait.

[annyc]

Thanks for the feedback, rgalston.

It sounds like this place is better for cooked sushi. I had some bad reviews from self-labelled sushi experts.

That lunch special rocks, though! I'll have to go down sometime at lunch.

[IntotheWest]

^If the sushi isn't great, it's too bad he didn't open a Koreann restaurant. For anyone that hasn't tried, "Right There" is fantastic and quite authentic.

As for the location of this restaurant, glad to hear someone is taking the "gamble"...hopefully more will take that gamble as well.

[Greco Roman]

delete post

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by annyc

Thanks for the feedback, rgalston.

It sounds like this place is better for cooked sushi. I had some bad reviews from self-labelled sushi experts.

That lunch special rocks, though! I'll have to go down sometime at lunch.

yes but... somtimes your tastes are way difent from your friends and so you gota go for the adventure your self

[annyc]

Good food is good food regardless of "taste," in my opinion.

[Greco Roman]

Heard the food is pretty good. Maybe I'll have to try it when I go home next time.

[IntotheWest]

Originally Posted by 1ajs

yes but... somtimes your tastes are way difent from your friends and so you gota go for the adventure your self

Sushi is all about the quality. Surprisingly, I've found Winnipeg to have a few good Sushi restaurants Meiji (sp??) and I believe one called Wasabi (right on Osborne) were two of my favourites in Winnipeg...and this is when I had to have sushi back-to-back against the likes of Tojo's in Vancouver (spent half-weeks in Winnipeg, last half in Vancouver before going home). Obviously, nothing compares to Van, but it was great regardless.

If the sushi is indeed good, people will go there for lunch/dinner for sure. Though, there were a few great restaurants in downtown with arguably better locations that seem to fail.

[Biff]

I have eaten at the owners other restaraunt Ta'ke and while the food is good it is not the highest caliber sushi in town. I compare it to Sushi Train which has very good, affordable sushi. I love having these places for lunch where it is a little more affordable. I do prefer the better quality restaraunts such as Wasabi, Edohai, Masa and my favorite Yujiro on Grant.

[IntotheWest]

^Sushi train at the Forks (correct?) isn't bad quality...though, they always were missing one of the two favourites on my list...Toro or Saba.

[1ajs]

took the two electrians out for sushi that are out here from edmonton to yuki was a hit and he was in shock at how cheap it was and there was a group having a birthday party lol the owner closed the place so the party could have some beer lol they probly droping 300 400$ on sushi though shoulda seen the stuff they were ordering......

o hes got a helper now......