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Ko-Doraku
Category: Restaurants Sushi Bars Sushi Bars [Edit]
5640 Spring Garden RdHalifax, NS B3J 3M7
(902) 423-8787
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Has TV:
- No
10 reviews for Ko-Doraku
10 reviews in English
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Review from Hannah S.
Halifax, NS
11/1/2011
The wonderful people and fantastic sushi has made this one of my favourite lunch spots in the city!
Sushi is always made fresh to order and is the most reasonably priced around town. I always start with their house salad, which is rather simple - lettuce, tomato, cucumber, corn with a vinagrette. Depending on what their daily special is I often order is (usually $6.75 and includes a side salad and 9 piece rolls). If I'm not into the special, Ko-Doraku roll and a spicy tuna roll always does the trick!
The Ko-Doraku roll is legendary - tempura shrimp, avocado, cucumber, spicy sauce - it is a two bite roll and is definitely my favourite menu item at any sushi place in Halifax.
That being said, I'm hungry and off to Ko-Doraku for lunch! -
Review from Andrew P.
3/8/2012 4 Check-ins Here
I love Ko-Doraku. Every time I am in the Spring Garden Place at lunch time, I try making a pit stop here on the lower level.
The sushi is always very fresh tasting. The rice is always warm and the spicy sauce is in fact spicy.
Complementary ice water is also provided, just in case you can't take the heat.
There are usually two daily specials in addition to an entire board of combo options.
The only drawback that I can think of is that they are cash only.
My personal recommendation is to try the spicy salmon or spicy tuna rolls.Listed in: Lunching in Town: Halifax…
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Review from Lyndsay B.
Dartmouth Centre, NS
5/5/2012
Love this restaurant. For the money you get a ton! Sometimes the service can be a little slow even when there aren't many customers. Can't wait to go back.
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Review from L. D.
Halifax, NS
10/12/2011
This place is amazing! I've been here twice; the first time the line was super long but they're so fast it took no time at all! While in line I was amused by watching them make sushi with a machine. So cool! (They make rolls by hand aswell)
The second time I went they had just opened not long beforehand so I was the only one in line. I ordered chicken teriyaki and a yam tempura roll and expected it would take a bit to cook it but they put it on my tray instantly. I figured 'oh great, it's been sitting awhile pre-prepared' but no, it tasted super fresh and was still warm. The chicken was very tender and just...perfect!
Everything I've ever tried here is great and fast and I have no complaints! So why 4 stars then? They take CASH ONLY!! I'm one of those people who only carry my cards. Cash is so annoying. :( -
Review from Kirby G.
Caraquet, NB
1/24/2011
My favourite sushi spot in Halifax. Who knew you would find such awesome sushi in the basement of a Mall? - A kiosk-type food-court-ish spot at that.
Try their sweet potato maki rolls - VERY good and always super fresh. Everything here is great, and like higher-end sushi spots, you get to see the chefs make the stuff right in front of you, so you know it's fresh.
To top it all off, this place is about 80% cheaper than your more-upscale eat-in place. If you don't mind searching for an available table in the food court area nearby - this is the PERFECT spot to grab sushi for lunch.
Thanks to RG for introducing me. -
Review from Vanessa J.
Halifax, NS
5/8/2011
This place is my favorite spot for a cheap and quick lunch, it makes me miss working downtown. A counter service sushi spot, with cheap per piece or per roll options and well as some sushi combos. The rolls are not super fancy, but they are fresh and made to order and hit the spot. Their sweet potato tempura roll is a fave of mine as the roll is warm, because they fry the tempura to order.The team at Ko-doraku are very efficient and friendly.
They have a lunch stamp card which entiles you to a free lunch after 10 stamps, which is nice. I also like that you can help yourself to their cooler filled with ice-water.
The one downside, which is a large one for me is that they are cash only and I never carry cash on me, so I have to make a point of going to an atm before I go for lunch.
All in all a great spot for a quick hit of sushi and a much better option IMO than Petes take away sushi. -
Review from Sue A.
10/23/2010
Love sushi? Like a bargain? Want it quick? Ko-Doraku is for you.
Tucked in the basement of Spring Garden Place, Ko-Doraku is the hidden jewel in the surprisingly large number of Halifax sushi restaurants. This casual sushi bar has an extensive selection of rolls, rounded out by a few other items including teriyaki dishes and spring rolls.
When you arrive, don't be surprised to see a line. More people than you would think know about this place, but the staff move at top speed. Even when the line is long, it moves along very quickly.
As you place your order, you can peek into the kitchen and watch the sushi masters whipping up your food. My favourite is the yoga roll (shrimp tempura with avocado and spicy sauce). I can usually see the shrimp tempura coming out of the fryer. Just something about being able to see that kind of freshness makes the sushi even more delicious. I also find the rolls to be wrapped more loosely than other places, keeping the rice light and fluffy.
Most rolls are $5 and under. There are usually a couple of specials, often a combo of a couple of rolls or teriyaki with salad and rice that run about $7-8. Keep your costs down by rounding out your lunch with a glass of ice water from the cooler on the counter.
If you find the food delicious, be sure to get a lunch card. You get a stamp for every $6 you spend (taxes excluded) and after 10 purchases, you get a free $6 lunch.
For the price, quality and speed, Ko-Doraku is one of Halifax's best sushi bargains.Listed in: Downtown Lunch Under $10
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Review from Brittney K.
Halifax, NS
11/6/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Ko-Doraku is was I like to call my "sushi on the fly"- perfect for when I'm on the go but still craving my sushi-fix.
I'm not usually a fan of food-court sushi bars; in my experience, the vast majority of selections there look and taste like they were merely " thrown together", and yet they are priced like higher-end sushi restaurants (Essentially, they're sort of rip-offs). Ko-doraku is a definite exception. The rolls here are made fresh and fast, but still feature the attention to detail and quality that is characteristic of the authentic Doraku sushi restaurant.
The most incredible aspect about this place? The pricing is excellent- comparable with other "fast-food" Sushi joints (ie,under $10), yet as mentioned, the quality of the food here actually warrants a higher range of pricing (not that I'm complaining!!)
Bottom-line: this is the place to go for quality, conveniently fast sushi at a price that won't burn a hole in your pocket! -
Review from Val G.
11/27/2009
This cheap lower food-court sushi outlet in Spring Garden Place(the place with the Roots on the corner) otherwise known as 'Basement Sushi' is the best sushi deal in town.
Why?
Halifax is expensive whether you live there or are visiting. Ko-Doraku can satisfy your cheapo lunch-time hunger for only $4 with a delicious sweet potato tempura roll, freshly made and loaded with rice. They have great combos for $6-8 and daily specials. Try the Zen combo - 8 pieces of avocado-cucumber roll, 2 inari rolls, and a side salad. Bonus: they have a huge tank of filtered water on the counter so don't forget your bottle for a free fill up.
There's an atrium area with skylights, a tv tuned to CNN and nice couches to lounge and eat. Prime for meeting a friend for a quick, cheap, and healthy mid-day bite.
Closes at 4pm and not open Sunday. They cater as well and are prone to randomly closing if they are doing a big event. They are the sister restaurant of Doraku on Dresden Row selling basically the same food for much, much less.Listed in: Veg Out in the 'Fax
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Review from Laura P.
7/10/2010
No time for the full meal deal? Doraku offers a take-out express on the lower level of Spring Garden Place Mall. I hopped down for a peak one afternoon last week, and let me tell you-- the line up was knee-deep.
Mind you, it was lunch hour and business folks were bustling. I am a huge Doraku fan, so naturally I assumed that the express food will translate. Prices seem pretty clutch, with $4-8 dollar bites and full meal combos for under $8. The results were tasty and cost effective. Sold.
Quick, easy, cheap, delicious. What's better than that? I suggest avoiding peak business hours at noon, but other than that this spot is a steal. Great sushi dishes to take home and enjoy in your own sweet time.Listed in: The Sushi Experience
