Tokyo Zone - Brandon

NOTE: Review should be a 3.5/5, but as always, I can't actually put that down.It seems the winds of fate once again blew me into places I have been able to avoid for years. Despite being sent on business to Winnipeg for almost 10 years now, I was never actually asked to visit Brandon, MB.Well, that obviously changed this time around.So I ended up spending one night in Brandon before heading back to Winnipeg for the rest of the week, meaning I really only had time for one meal. Curious as to what the Sushi scene was like in this city, I turned to Tripadvisor for some sage advice, and Tokyo Zone came up, with multiple reviews proclaiming this place the real deal and that it was the best in the area.I obviously cannot speak to how it compares to others in the area, but I can review my meal.I arrived for dinner on my own (as always), and ordered my meal, tired and famished from the days travel from Toronto to Winnipeg, then by car to Brandon. See attached pictures.The thoughts on pricing, as always, are going to be subjective. I found that coming from Toronto, the prices were a smidgen higher than I'd have thought given the portion size and quality of fish itself, but of course one must chalk up some of the $$ to the remoteness factor. So overall, not bad, and definitely not as insulting to ones wallet as that Sashimi Salad I had in Thunder Bay, ON.With regards to the food itself, I recall it being probably around a 3/5 - 4/5 depending on what you ordered. It's kind of hard to screw up Unagi, but the actual raw fish itself was frozen for longer than typical periods of time.. I know, I know.. they're not exactly in the most accessible place in the world for seafood, but I call it as it I see it. The fish is nowhere near spoiled or inedible, but I think control over the thawing process and more importantly, turnover, would help with this.The salad actually used green vegetables (YAY!) though I have to say those are the smallest shrimp I have ever seen, and that includes the ones used on Dim Sum, which typically aren't the biggest.Rice was at the right temperature and correctly seasoned (when appropriate).I will applaud the restaurant for bringing a little bit of the wild side to their dishes, which for my tasting experience was the Bacon Roll. Exactly what it sounds like, I think the roll could have been improved had the bacon been fresher/hotter. Maybe tomato, lettuce, and mayo it and call it a BLT Roll.There is some potential there, folks.So overall, my dining experience was a pleasant one. The service was good, the food wasn't bad, with extra points added for the fact it's located pretty far from Winnipeg. I think with a bit better control over the processing of the raw fish items, this restaurant could be even better.Should I come back to Brandon, I'd be sure to drop by to have a bite and see what's changed.

Regularly here, best sushi in Brandon. Friendly. If you are looking for sushi in brandon, this is it. Open kitchen, always like this feature.

I am picky about tempura and this tempura is excellent! Fresh ingredients and tastes authentic to me. A nice visit to 'Tokyo' in Manitoba!

Miso soup was not made from scratch, it was not excellent, but tasted ok. The sushi was nice, fish was fresh and tasty.

I like this place, but it seems the quality of the food continues to decline. Both of us had lunch specials that included tempura items. Batter was soggy, not crisp. My rice was reheated or perhaps had sat in the rice cooker too long. The...More