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Wasabi House
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
29 reviews for Wasabi House
29 reviews in English
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Review from Travis N.
Portland - East Woodlawn, NS
5/23/2012
What can I say about Wasabi House? It is by far my favorite sushi place that I have ever been to. Before I came to Wasabi I was going to another local competitor and I noticed that the competitor's service was sinking and the quality was not there. I had a few people mention to me that I should really try Wasabi. So before I decided to switch sushi places I decided to read Yelp. I notice a lot of the complaints were about the wait time. But everything else seemed to have rave reviews, and an overall decent rating.
I called and made reservations. When I arrived there was a fairly large line up of people waiting to be seated. I thought to myself "oh no." A waitress asked if we made reservations and we were seated right away. My first impression of the inside was, "wow, this is place is small and a little crowded."
The very friendly waitress took our drink and returned with them promptly and then took out order. The menu is your standard menu for a sushi house with some nicely added specialty rolls.
While we were waiting the table next to us was complaining on how long it was taking, so we listened to them complain for a bit about the wait time. I admit the wait was a little long, but the place was PACKED! I think so people expect instant gratification without high quality.
When our meal arrived I was so happy to see how beautiful and decadent of the sushi presentation. I took a bite of the nicely rolled sushi and it was instant LOVE! If I loved my partner as much as I loved that sushi, we would have the perfect relationship.
So the quality we received was defiantly worth the wait. The "10 % OFF" to those who pay with cash is a great option. I say to those who complain about how long it takes. "Just think of the times it takes to prefect this art that you are about to eat. Take the time, relax, and enjoy the company you are with, have a couple of drink and a couple of laughs." Also if you don't make reservations, it is your own damn fault that you have to wait for a while to get seated.
So I thought I would NEVER give a 5 star rating but Wasabi House is well deserving of that rating, and I have become your biggest fan. -
Review from Dan C.
West End, NS
5/20/2012
My fiancée and I have been to Wasabi House 3 times for dinner. Here's the breakdown:
1st trip - No long wait, and service was fine. But the food was uninspired - we ordered agedashi tofu, veggie gyoza and an assortment of maki rolls (including tempura rolls) with a special request for spicy mayo. Some of the rolls we received were missing ingredients, and hers lacked the requested spicy mayo. The agadeshi tofu was too soft and couldn't be picked up. The tempura in the rolls was not crisp at all. We were really unimpressed, and wondered, what was all the raving about? We were also struck by the interior design, which lacks inspiration.
2nd trip - We decided to go back, after hearing more positive reviews from friends and online. Our experience this time was a complete 180 - Really amazing! What the hell? Is this the same place we came to 3 weeks ago? We ordered the agedashi tofu again, edamame, veggie tempura appetizer, and an assortment of maki rolls (again with tempura) and veggie sushi, this time with a side of fresh wasabi. Everything was just great. The tempura in the rolls was crispy. The agedashi tofu didn't crumble. The food seemed, somehow, more flavorful than before. And the fresh wasabi completely floored me - really impressed! I ordered the banana tempura with ice cream for dessert. Very nice!
3rd trip - Somewhere in the middle. We ordered an assortment of the same items we had before, including the fresh wasabi again - which I think is the most special thing about Wasabi House. Our experience wasn't bad, but not quite as great as our 2nd time there. We wondered if the gyoza was made fresh - my lady said it tasted like it was cooked from frozen.
We're thinking something's going on in the kitchen to make such inconsistency. Are some of the cooks better than others? Are the cooks themselves inconsistent? Are some items made fresh and others cooked from frozen? (Have to ask about that next time..) Hard to know from our limited experience. We're taking Wasabi House one visit at a time. -
Review from Tara M.
Halifax, NS
Confession: I read a lot of yelp reviews. I often let my opinion be swayed by the number of stars and what other people have said before even stepping into an establishment.
That being said, I put off going to Wasabi house because many other yelpers found it very busy and the wait time almost unbearable. I would walk by and peer in and wonder what it would be like to go in but then my little yelper voice in the back of my head (we all have one of those don't we?) would chime in...
"long wait times"...
"service isn't very good"
"wait staff seem unorganized"
Finally I let curiosity get the best of me because dammit I love sushi. We picked a perfect time to go: early afternoon. Just after the "lunch time" hour on a Saturday afternoon we walked in and found the place almost to ourselves. No wait time what so ever.
Just a few minutes after settling in we ordered: Miso soup, edamame, dragon roll and veggie tempura roll with sweet potato...
Our service: Very Good and Very Organized.
The food: So good and just because this is my review let me spend a few lines talking about the dragon roll. Fresh avocado/ cucumber topped with sweet slices of mango with a mango reduction...It was amazing. (hmmmmmm, now I'm thinking about dragon rolls; another early afternoon lunch perhaps?).
My one complaint? Too warm inside. I think that crosses out the complaint that the bathrooms are too cold by another yelper (maybe next time I'll just go back and forth so my temperature stays regulated)
Extra Bonus: 10% discount with cash payment.
If you're a little leary about trying this place out because of other reviews, just go when it seems a little less chaotic (afternoons). Of course places are going to be busier at night and seem less organized. Plan it right and this could be your next favorite sushi spot! -
Review from Laura C.
Halifax, NS
5/24/2012
I highly recommend their sushi pizza - it is simply gorgeous.
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Review from Ina S.
Halifax, NS
5/14/2012
FANTASTIC! The udon noodle "veggie tempura" meal is a great deal, at about $11, but a HUGE bowl of soup, plus a plate of veggie tempura as well. Gyoza are absolutely to die for.. Our bill for gyoza, spicy miso soup, two maki rolls and the udon/tempura meal was $30 even. Wow! If you can find a time to come in when it's not crazy busy (We went at about 6pm on a monday and it was nice and quiet) it's a fantastic joint and a welcome addition to the neighbourhood. I am in LOVE.
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Review from Maureen J.
Halifax, NS
4/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
I was surprised to find a 20 minute line-up at the Wasabi House on a Thursday evening but was also a tiny bit happy. You see, I don't treat myself to sushi too too often so I was a bit hesitant to stray away from my go-to sushi spots in the city. The Wasabi House has happily been added to said list!
To start off, the atmosphere was super fun and inviting. It's a small space so the crowd provided a great energy to the dinning room without feeling over crowded. Our server was fantastic - throughout the whole meal he was cracking jokes and making great recommendations while also being very attentive.
Although I'm usually not a fan, my dinner guest and I ended up splitting a combo. It provided us with our choice of a soup or salad, 3 maki rolls and 1 specialty roll. I'm not usually a combo fan because I find them limiting in variety but the menu had a few varieties to choose from. Another plus to combos are the prices - for about $20 (including tax and tip), I basically rolled out of the restaurant chocked full of sushi. That's my kind of way to end a day!! -
Review from Marc L.
Halifax, NS
4/30/2012
-The first time I ate here was at night. We waited for 30 minutes before any food showed up on our table, but they were busy.
-The second time, I went for lunch. I ordered the bento box and a flask of cold sake.
The bento box sat somewhere for so long that by the time it got to my table, the food was no longer warm/hot. Add to that sake which was room temp and not cold, had to add ice. I got apologies for the cold food (no, I don't mean sushi!) and they prepared me a new bento lunch.
-The third time, I went around 5:30pm and ordered cold sake and 7 nigiri sushis.
It took 29 minutes before I got my sushi on my table, but this time the sake was cold.
There were 6 clients in the restaurant, 3 wait staff, 2 sushi makers behind the sushi bar and one cook in the kitchen. It was beyond me why it took almost half an hour for me to get 7 sushis!
I am not going back. -
Review from Emma R.
Bedford, NS
2/12/2012
In my visits to Wasabi House, I've enjoyed generally solid sushi and good service. However, there are some kinks they have yet to work out that detract from the experience.
Tea/soup often arrives cold, rolls are often tightly packed and fall apart, and the bathrooms tend to be very cold. My largest issue is they are not allergy aware, and make no effort to accommodate your dietary restrictions. They don't keep a bottle of gluten free tamari on hand, which is very standard for Halifax sushi restaurants (the only other place I've encountered without it is I Love Sushi).
However, they do have some rolls/menu items not offered elsewhere, and their happy hour deals are fantastically priced. In particular, the spicy miso soup is a delicious alternative to the traditional stand-by.
I like Wasabi House for a lighter meal/late night snack, but if I have serious sushi business to conduct I will go elsewhere. -
Review from R N.
Halifax, NS
1/28/2012
My partner and I were excited to try Wasabi House as we love Japanese food, and it's great to have another good option on Quinpool (although until this city changes its liquor license policies and there are some more bars on the strip, it will not be our destination of choice. can't you imagine it yelpers, a cozy gastropub on quinpool? an artisanal cocktail bar? a place to get a glass of wine and plate of cheese? one can dream.).
Anyway, we were excited to try Wasabi House because we always like something new. Wasabi House has some identity issues. It is a little confusing when you enter: the tables are crowded together and the lighting is very bright, but the decor and the music are going for something more elegant. It seems as if they can't decide if they are a quick and casual noodle house or someplace nicer.
Our waitress was friendly and efficient, and we got our food in a timely manner, although it was very crowded. The menu is huge and with lots of vegetarian options--so appreciated! The food however was only ok (they were out of the famous vegetable gyoza): the miso soup was not very flavorful; the spinach gomae was too salty; and the sushi rolls were strangely cold. Maybe they were made ahead of time? They were also very dense for sushi, as if they were too tightly packed.
We will probably come back for the large selection of reasonably priced vegetarian sushi, and we will be perfectly happy, but we will keep dreaming of something better. -
Review from Mel H.
12/30/2011
I'm not going to lie, when I first heard there was a sushi place opening on Quinpool I was beyond skeptical. I for some reason just always associate Quinpool eateries as being cheap and cheerful and mostly just for breakfast. But I do love me some sushi and after hearing good reviews from some friends, I was anxious to go.
We rolled in around 7pm a few days after Christmas and the place was packed. Then, that dreaded awkward moment happened, there was no sign indicating to wait to be seated, or just find a table and hope for the best. So I spotted a friend, and made my way over to sit at a table next to him. Yeah, turns out, this is a wait to be seated kind of place. Oops. Nothing more awkward than sitting down, and then standing awkwardly, and then being reseated in a busy restaurant.
Luckily, we were seated in a little private nook so we could avoid the scrutinizing looks (real or imagined....) from the other diners.
Service was a bit shaky starting off, one server gave us menus, and took a drink order and then forgot about us. Another server stepped in to take our order saying that the other server was really busy, she then became our server. It happens, and the place was quite busy. Our new server was great- friendly, but not overbearing.
Due to some sketchy food allergies, my selection for sushi is shrinking, so I was stoked to see some different and unique rolls on the menu that I could actually eat. The fact that everything was incredibly delicious was a great added bonus.
I'm a big fan of a place that offers a discount for paying with cash, which they do. PLUS! They give you Ovations with the bill. Best thing ever.
In summary, I hope this little place sticks around for awhile and keeps on keeping on. They seem to have a good thing going. And I will be back. -
Review from Adam S.
1/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have a new favourite sushi restaurant in Halifax.
Mike B. and I checked out this place before going to a movie (which might now be my favourite combination of things to do on Quinpool) and I was really impressed. Others have noted that the restaurant can be busy and it can be difficult to get a table. I can't offer an opinion on that, as we definitely arrived later in the evening - around 8:30. It was still busy, but we had no issue getting a table.
The service was excellent. Our waitress brought me complimentary miso soup... She brought it to me because I apparently looked so horrible that she thought it might make me feel better, so I guess it was a bit of a backhanded freebie, but it was VERY appreciated just the same.
We ordered the vegetable gyoza to start, as others had noted that it's a specialty of the restaurant. And those dumplings really were fantastic. Yum!
I ordered WAY too much sushi. Like, six pieces too many. But when there are so many awesome veggie options, what's a non-seafood-eater to do?? The Caribbean Sweet Potato and Bananyama were particular highlights, but I also enjoyed the Yam Tempura. (Yes, I ordered three whole rolls for myself. It was, like, 22 pieces.)
I really liked the atmosphere of the place. It's small, but not cramped, and Asian-inspired, but subtle. It was just a nice experience.
I almost took a star away for slightly slow service, as we did end up being about five minutes late for the movie, despite arriving an hour beforehand at a restaurant directly across the street. But I don't think the service was especially slow - we just know to show up slightly earlier next time, just in case.
Also, Ovation sticks. Those are worth three stars alone in my book. -
Review from Tony H.
Halifax, NS
Updated - 2/3/2012
Another outing at Wasabi House...
What cold frigid weather does to your hunger and your senses...
We immediately decide on the warm Sake to soothe the aches...
The last time I was here I decided to go with the house rolls and specialties...
But it was time to be a little more simpler and go for the bread and butter so to speak.
So I decided to get the Crystal Maki combo since I felt famished. The rice filled rolls usually slay hunger. Its an assortment of Spicy Tuna, Spicy Salmon and Dragon rolls.
I have an addiction to Tuna Tataki and I have never tried it at Wasabi House so I orded that for an app. Its basically raw Tuna steak covered with crushed black pepper or other special spices and seared at the edges...
Its just amazing. I prefer this to the regular Sashimi slices...
The Tuna Tataki here doesnt disappoint...its quite tender, the slices are perfect in thickness and fresh tasting. The dip is a gorgeous mix of Spicy sweet and sour tasting goodness...
The presentation is splendid as well, it begs to be admired for a while before eating.
Then came the Crystal Combo. If a restaurant can nail Spicy Tuna and or Spicy Salmon rolls the rest is less hard work in my opinion.
The rolls are great. The meat tasted fresh and tender and didnt lack flavour or elacticity. The rice was perfect blend of stickyness, softness and it wasnt hard on the edges which is what usually turns me off...my only slight complaint is the tempura in the rolls wasnt as fresh or cripsy tasting as say other places like I Love Sushi, Hamachi or Fujiyama who all make similar spicy rolls.
The sake flowed, our bellies were full. overall a really good experience with the Tuna Tataki was the icing on my sushi cake.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/20/2012
Halifax is basking in Sushi joints...
They all have their plus and minuses with some dish or aspect… Read more »
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Review from Tiffany T.
Halifax, NS
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is the third restaurant I have been to at this location. And, this one is by far the best.
There are so many sushi places in Halifax and it takes quite the effort to prevail over others. With this being said, I think Wasabi House is off to a terrific start.
We ordered assorted tempura to start followed by the "Diamond Maki" combo to share that consisted of Spicy Salmon, Tuna, California and Dragon Maki rolls. The combo came with Miso Soup and a house salad. The Miso soup was tasty, just a tad salty. The tempura was done just right; crispy. The dressing for the salad was too bitter for my liking, too much of something although the bf enjoyed it. The rolls were FANTASTIC. They were tight and fresh and no where near sloppy like some other establishments in Halifax.
Everything was presented fabulous. To quote the bf "what ever happened to round plates?" I laughed, but I truly enjoy seeing the different presentations of food and how decorative some places can make their meals.
As for the venue itself, it is still small because there isn't a whole lot to work with. However, the restaurant looks great and the decor matched the menu items. Not to mention the music was truly remarkable and fits the whole idea.
Prices are fair, our bill came to under $40 and we left full. Nothing wrong with that!
So yes, there will be a next time and hopefully another time after that! -
Review from Jie L.
Halifax, NS
4/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Good sushi with affordable price. What else u want?
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Review from Kate S.
Halifax, NS
1/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
My first encounter with Wasabi House staff was about 6 weeks before opening when I spoke with a lovely Japanese man who was painting the front of the building. I was really excited to get to speak with someone to learn more about the new restaurant that would be opening. Though his English was limited, he seemed really happy about the new project and so was I.
Every since opening, Wasabi House has consistently been packed. I live around Quinpool so I pass by quite often. Other friends told me of experiences of not being able to get tables either, which I took as a good sign.
One Sunday afternoon two friends and I decided to go for an early dinner. It was just five o'clock and there were only 3 tables vacant in the place!
Service was good and if you're a sushi regular you may recognize the familiar faces of Hamachi House on Morris St alum servers.
The menu is vast and there are some unique options to try. If you're looking for an Uptown sushi option, give Wasabi House a whirl. -
Review from Cheryl C.
1/31/2012
Calm down everyone - the two stars is not entirely related to the food.
When WH opened we stopped in and were treated to amazing service and absolutely delicious food. The soft shell crab starter wasn't the best I've encountered, but everything else was cracking. Really lovely. We were sold.
Then we ordered delivery. We were giddy. We were anticipating deliciousness in the comfort of our own home.
What we got was food delivered almost 2 hours after it was ordered, cold (or warm depending on its starting temp)and awful .
We called twice while waiting and both times were told that the delivery has just left - which obviously could not be true.
So here's two tips, one for you the customer and one for the business owner:
1. Eat in.
2. Be honest with your customers. If you can't deliver in a timely fashion, tell them straight up. If they call to see what's up, be honest and say it's going to be a while. Don't add an order of mystery noodles in compensation (i guess?) that like everything else in the bags, was cold and unappetizing by the time it arrived.
This really coloured our opinion of this restaurant - all they had to do was say "we're swamped, it will be 90 minutes" or " we're so sorry it's going to be late - you can cancel or can we offer you a discount or coupon."
A little frankess goes a long way. -
Review from Yi J.
North End, NS
5/6/2012
I was going to give it a 5 stars, nothing wrong with the sushi, but the waiting time annoying me a lot.
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Review from Sabrina B.
Halifax, NS
3/24/2012
Waited over an hour and a half to receive our food. Should I remind anyone that sushi is raw? This is after having stood for half an hour waiting for the table.
The fish tasted very watery, as if it had been badly frozen. And whatever that salmon, tuna, lobster, and caviar piled up on top a mound of rice concoction was...just don't do it
I guess the tea was good...water, hot, tea. Easy enough -
Review from Ann M.
Halifax, NS
12/20/2011
I've been to Wasabi House twice so far, and each visit impressed me. On visit number one my friend and I shared a pot of brown rice tea and I ordered the soba soup with veggie tempura. The soup was very hearty and the noodles cooked to perfection. The accompanying plate of tempura was more than I could eat, but very tasty.
Visit number two was the night of the Jay & Silent Bob Get Old Tour, and being nearby the restaurant was very busy. Regardless my friend and I got a table quickly and service was as fast and friendly as it could be. I ordered veggie gyoza, jalapeno maki and some california rolls. All was wonderful but the veggie gyoza are worth particular mention. I've eaten gyoza all over Asia and even even been given lessons on how to make them by a Chinese friend, but never had I had some this perfect. This was the first time I've been served gyoza that I'd describe as "fresh tasting." Crisp ingredients on the inside, lightly fried on the outside instead of being boiled to goo.
On both occasions my bill was less than $20 (thanks to a smart 10% discount on cash payments). The wait staff was friendly and efficient.
I'll be back, although I am concerned that it's going to be almost impossible to get a seat at Wasabi House before any show at the Oxford! -
Review from Scott D.
Halifax, NS
3/1/2012
I ordered take out on a Monday Wednesday night, they told me 25 minutes. When i got there 25 mins later they had just started my order and I had to wait another 25 minutes for it. The sushi was good but setting the expectation right for wait times is more important.
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Review from Emmanuel C.
Halifax, NS
2/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
My first and only time at Wasabi house was this Tuesday before catching a show at the Oxford. I'm not usually one to order combos when going for sushi, but I was in a bit of a rush and despite the house speciality rolls looking amazing, I figure a combo would be the quickest in and out... Turns out it wasn't. The place was quite busy and a lot of take out orders were going out but I did end up waiting close to 30 minutes for my order. That said, when I did get my food, I had to inhale in and what I did taste was quite yummy! I'm definitely going to try this place out again when I'm not in a time crunch
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Review from L S.
Halifax, NS
1/20/2012
Visited Wasabi House this evening and what a treat! The menu is huge, with many offerings and it was hard to decide. We may have gone overboard. I had the Ruby Maki dinner which came with miso, salad, 6 spicy salmon roll, 6 yam tempura roll and 6 alaska roll (which the waitress graciously let me sub for the california roll). The BF had katsu-don, a spicy eel roll, alaskan king crab roll and a philly roll. The food was amazingly fresh and delicious. There was plenty of wasabi and ginger (of which I find sushi places usually scrimp on).
Waitress was attentive, kept water filled and made sure to ask how the food tasted.
As a bonus, since the place was packed, and wait for meal was rather long, the waitress brought out some yummy friend scallops to snack on which was really nice.
We will definitely be back. So glad Quinpool has a decent Sushi restaurant and we don't have to go all the way downtown or to Clayton Park for a sushi fix! -
Review from Nathaniel L.
Halifax, NS
1/28/2012
Brilliant design an decore. The place feels like a slice of Japan and it is done right. The true star is the food, a great deal of care and quality is put into everything, considering the modest price tag.
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Review from Leslie F.
1/1/2012
Wasabi House is a fantastic new addition to the Quinpool Road dining scene. What the restaurant lacks in size (not a ton of seating), it makes up for in menu selection with its inventive and delicious creations. You can order rolls individually - the Mango Maki, Calla Roll, and Sweet Potato Tempura Roll are all fantastic and worth sampling - or go for one of the combo deals which come with miso soup and salad (featuring a delicious citrus/sesame/ginger dressing). While the menu is sushi-centric, Wasabi House also has several other noodle and rice-dish options for those who aren't in the mood for rolls. With dinner and beers for 3 coming in at around $65, it's a great price tag for great food and I would definitely recommend this place... if you can get a seat!
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Review from Michelle Y.
Halifax, NS
11/19/2011 ROTD 12/2/2011
My sister called me Wednesday night asking if I had plans Friday 'cause she wanted to try the new sushi place that just opened on Quinpool Rd. My sister doesn't even like sushi but saw the menu and really wanted to go. Having just come home from a sushi dinner and despite having plans Friday evening (which I would go to later), I jumped at the chance for another sushi feed.
We arrived around 5:50 pm to a packed house but a table cleared within a couple of minutes and we were seated next to a table of four guys with a garbage bag of laundry. Turns out that one of the guys was a waiter (Hyun? sp?), on his day off, having dinner with his friends and the garbage bag of laundry was full of napkins that the waiter had taken home to launder and proceeded to fold when his friends left. He was very friendly and offered his assistance with the menu....then he offered for us to try the maki rolls on the tray that he and his friends were sharing since he had already started on his red bean ice cream. We tried the rolls...an appetizer if you will, and were very impressed...I with the Paris roll and my sister with one that was vegetarian. Another treat we got to try was FRESH WASABI...aka awesome-sauce! Apparently it's much more expensive per pound than sushi grade tuna but I would be willing to pay for it. We chat with Hyun some more and find out that , Michelle (I recognize her from when she worked at Hamachi on Morris a couple years ago), one of the owners makes great gyoza and I think that I will have to try next time. I suddenly remember that I forgot to order my sushi with brown rice (I always forget) but just shrug and say "oh, well". Hyun gets up and upon return tells me he was able to changed my order to brown rice (and my sister's too after he asks her if she wanted the same and went back again).
The miso soup and salad arrive. The miso soup is nice and hot and not too salty as it can sometimes be. The house-made ginger dressing on the salad is yummy, my sister wants to drink what's left in the bowl (we would if we were home).
Our combo plates arrive, my sister's is vegetarian and mine is the Maki Crystal (spicy tuna, spicy salmon and spicy dragon roll....but that's not all that arrives....a bowl with two gyoza (one each) for us to try (and yes, they were delish) and my plate has two pieces of salmon sashimi. But wait...that"s not all...Hyun had them put the FRESH WASABI on our plates!! (as well as the regular wasabi, which I also use up...I always do!)
The meal was yummy. The service from the 'off duty' Hyun was incredible (they did forget about us at first but we didn't really notice since we we talking to Hyun and had 'appetizers' if I could only take 1/2 a star off for this I would but to be fair, it was SUPER BUSY and people were being turned away as we ate...so it will remain 5 stars)
I mentioned to Hyan that it would be great to have the #twushi group there sometime. He has heard of the #twushi group and they would welcome us with open arms (we'd just have to make an advanced reservation) and gave me a handful of 10% coupons. My sister has some and I will share the rest with my #twushi friends.
My brother-in-law asked my sister before we went out, "Why would you want to go to a place that just opened?" Whatever she answered him at the time, it doesn't matter. All I can say now is, "I'm so glad we did!" -
Review from Blake H.
Halifax, NS
12/20/2011
Recently two fine gentlemen of my acquaintance chose Wasabi House for an impromptu dinner date. Upon arriving they found themselves confronted by a dining room crammed with both patrons and tables. They were promptly seated in what is likely not the restaurant's finest table, situated as it was directly in front of the entrance. My gentlemen friends, however, had not had time to arrange reservations and so were simply content to have a space in the tiny compact crowd to call their own.
The menus arrived and proved to be as large as the restaurant was not. A large menu can be an equally large warning, leading one to wonder how a kitchen so small can specialize in anything with a menu so vast. The dapper young men realized, however, that the panoply of choices sounded both imaginative and plausibly delicious. They settled on three, the names of which they were unable to pass on to me for reasons that will soon become apparent.
As they waited for their rolls to arrive, my fine acquaintances enjoyed miso that was salty, tangy and delicious. They sipped sake that was served piping hot in sufficient quantity to make the fellows question, accept, and finally celebrate the wisdom of ordering the larger bottle.
As the sake dwindled, my gentlemen friends tell me they began to notice a change in the restaurant. What had once seemed unusually cramped and awkward had slowly become cozy and intimate. The charming and intuitive waitress, seeing how the two young gentlemen were enjoying themselves, approached only once to ensure that all remained well despite the wait.
"What wait?" inquired one of the dapper gentlemen, only to be informed that they had been seated almost an hour earlier.
Four rolls arrived almost immediately. As an unexpected arrival at the meal, the Alaska roll remains the only one the diners can positively identify. I am assured it was excellent, the most delightful of the four in fact. Served with copious amounts of ginger and enough wasabi to justify the name of the establishment, the rolls were each as delicious as they appeared. I'm told this was no small feat.
The Alaska, the waitress explained, was compliments of the house as an apology for the long wait. The less subtle of my two acquaintances laughed aloud and reminded the lovely server that he and his companion were in no state to notice something so unimportant as the passage of time. Had she stayed silent, he pointed out, her customers would have been none the wiser.
The waitress shrugged, bid them enjoy, and left with a smile. -
Review from Breighan H.
Halifax, NS
11/17/2011 2 photos
I'm pretty sure this restaurant will eventually kick ass. Not tonight, though. I'm giving Wasabi House three stars because the food was good (probably better than a 3), and I'm in a good mood, but the service was a two.
I've been eagerly anticipating the opening of this restaurant to because a) I love Quinpool Road and b) I love sushi!The thought of a second sushi restaurant on Quinpool Road was obviously tempting for a lot of other people tonight, because this place was pretty busy. I'm pretty sure they calculated the exact amount of room that skinny servers would need to squeeze by-- it's a pretty cramped little spot (wait 'til you see the bathrooms)! We waited just over an hour for our food. At least two tables were served before us (one had a plane to catch, but still, they came WAY after we sat down), and we saw one table leave because they'd been waiting too long for their order to be taken. Some folks that arrived as we were leaving were told they would be waiting a half to three quarters of an hour and were offered something complimentary, but nothing was offered to us. I was so hungry (and admittedly a little too into ginger) that I actually nabbed the untouched pile of ginger off our neighbour's platter after he left. The ginger is probably house-made and was very delicious.
Oh yes, the food... So, the menu is gigantic! I was pleased to see lots of selection on the vegetarian menu, including some interesting if not overplayed choices including tropical fruit. The miso soup was full-bodied and delicious, the house salad pretty and colourful. The presentation of everything was pretty fantastic. My roll was spicy and fresh, but only came with 6 pieces rather than 8. My friend's carefully selected to be free of gluten roll was served with an undisclosed ingredient. There's also no gluten-free soy sauce in-house, so if you go gluten-free, you might want to tote your own tamari.
The bathrooms wouldn't be roomy even for a scrawny toddler, and if I were so inclined, I could've dispensed the toilet paper with my nose without stretching. There was floss available, though (as well as some heavy promotion for a local dentist, including business cards) which was a unique touch.
Now this restaurant only opened two or three days ago, but it has some kinks to work out. I really really wanted it to go seamlessly and to be blown away by the food, neither of which happened. The staff seemed stressed and our server was unapologetic about the mistakes (although he did take care of them financially). Perhaps it's the Maritimer in me that was disappointed not to be offered a couple of sorrys. And if you want to drown your wait-time sorrows in some Japanese beer or sake, you'll have to wait 'til next week when they get their liquor license. Wasabi House kind of makes you feel like you're not in Halifax which was fun (no offense to our fine city), but it's got some tightening up to do before it becomes an integral part of the sushi scene in this city.Listed in: Que Pasa, Quinpool?
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Review from Anna P.
West End, NS
3/17/2012
Four of us went here recently and found the service arrogant and condescending. Everything was slow. I was embarrassed in front of our guests. I will never ever go there again. Neither will the other three. Never.
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Review from s m.
Halifax, NS
1/29/2012
good food but slow service when i was there without a full house.
