Author: bentgenliaces1971

Brue Sky Japanese Bistro on Kitsilano’s 1st Av — just before Burrard — is another restaurant which has reopened now that B.C. government regulations allow inside dining. I was hoping to get a seating at another one of 1st Ave’s eateries but was told I...may have to wait between an hour & two to get a table. The restaurant took my cell number to text me when a place became available. Well, that is a long time to wait & I was hungry as it was later evening so I popped into Blue Sky to see if I could get something to eat while I waited & mulled my next move. It was a warm night late May night so I ordered a large Sapporo beer at 8:95$. It was very nicely cold. To nibble alongside it I ordered a California roll & asked if I could upgrade it to real crab. One was able to order off an extensive menu I remember from previous visits, The selection of rolls, combos & sushi & sashimi is sizable, & there are a good few Japanese beers on offer My California roll was certainly nice & of a good size, & at 6:95$ gave good value, bringing my bill with beer to 17.65$. before tip. As is often the case in smaller Japanese & Chinese establishments, the bill is quick & hand-written so breakdowns re tax & extras are often difficult to discern. While I was contemplating whether to stay & order another dish, a text came in saying a table was available much earlier, did I want it. I said yes, thanked Blue Sky staff, asked for my my bill & made my way back along 1st Ave, happy for the time of respite. I have been to Blue Sky a number of times in the past & while never wowed by the food I have found it had hit the spot, as it certainly did this time. I was grateful for a pleasant place to have waited, & happy to see sanitization processes at work. There were only three other people dinning, a table with two, & another table of one. It is a fairly big restaurant with a large patio so social distancing was easy. One does not by any means get the welcoming service one gets at nearby. Octopus’ Garden on Cornwall from chef/ owner Sada & his graceful team, nor the great service one gets from Endo & his gracious team at Kibune on nearby Yew. but overall the Blue Sky is solid. Both OG & Kibune are currently still closed for dining service but are hoping to be back soon, so sometime in June, & both are offering. takeouts as they have been all through phase one of the restrictions. Always good to have a nice range of Japanese eateries in the hood. Posted by S Fuller.