Vancouver Voyage | DAY 4: Banzai Sushi + Shiny Tea Preview

Personally, I find it quite impressive that I'm already knee-deep in backlog on my fourth day in Vancouver. I took to working away at this said backlog for the entirety of the morning, munching solely on a granola bar, Kit-Kat, and Chocolate Croissant every two hours to curb hunger.

The fact that I had been left with an empty fridge and the inability to drive and purchase groceries to sustain myself meant sheer starvation. But desperate times call for desperate measures: not being to withstand the shakiness-inducing rumbling from the pit of my stomach, I dressed and bolted out the door around quarter to three.

I was probably about 50 metres from the bus stop when the high occupancy vehicle almost whizzed by, but the bus driver had noted the sense of urgency on my face and, to my surprise, purposely stopped for me. It hadn't been a designated stop sign, and I can guarantee that no other bus driver back home would have been kind enough to repeat these actions. Along the way, he also made an additional five-minute stopover at another bus stop such that an elderly lady could board without running. Well I'll be!

Within twenty five minutes, I arrived at Banzai Sushi, a late-night sushi joint that had made waves on several online articles for being one of Richmond's "best cheap eats".

I must confess: this wasn't my first visit to the Vietnamese-run quick service restaurant; a relative of mine had introduced Banzai to us some few years ago after being stunned by their enormous portions.

Making my entrance at 3pm, I almost suffered a slight heart attack at witnessing the emptiness of the dimly-lit establishment.

"Are you open?" I inquired earnestly, for I was about to collapse from hunger at any given moment.
"Yes, we're open." responded the man at the reception desk. "Waiting for you."
"Ha! That's an amusing answer." I thought, cracking a smile while gazing at the various menu options.

After being seated, I was immediately provided hot tea, dishes, and utensils in the form of disposable chopsticks. The remaining components of the table layout were extremely simple: soy sauce and a napkin dispenser; then again, there wasn't a particular need for fancy elements anyway.

I took a liking to their House Roll, which was available in a "half order" for $6.00 or "full order" for $11.00. The staff member appeared slightly dubious when I chose the half order, but didn't question me further. Before a total of five minutes had even passed, the House Roll had been prepared with incredulous speed and laid before my eyes.

The dish comprised of five XL sushi rolls, each with a diameter that spanned the size of my clenched fist. Enclosed within were creamy bits of crab meat salad, overly ripe avocado, chunks of sweet tamago, and fresh slices sashimi (salmon and two other unnamed varieties) - all with a generous dusting of tobiko on the surface (as well as the inside). Overall, it was superb.

The consumption process was speedy, especially given my deprived morning situation. I was in and out in a matter of fifteen minutes, which was beyond remarkable for the efficiency-loving monster that I am.

After conducting a general evaluation, I can confidently conclude that one can never really go wrong with Banzai: meals are produced at an alarmingly swift rate, portions and quality are exceptional, and it's easily accessible by both car and transit. Banzai is essentially the epitome of no-nonsense dining.
(Side: I recall an occasion where the restaurant had been brimming with customers at a late hour, leading us to order takeout instead. Banzai also focuses heavily in this aspect, as they note special discounts on their menu for giving prior notice on party trays: 10% off when orders are placed one day in advance and 5% off when placed two hours before. With prices already being economic though, this is really more than customers could ask for.)

My post-lunch plans initially involved hunting down a cafe at which I could lounge for a few hours while utilizing their Wi-Fi. With the weight of my laptop weighing my down every six steps, my options were limited to establishments in close proximity. Estea was far from being my destination of choice, but it wasn't too far either.
Along the way, though, I noticed the lineup forming at Shiny Tea. The new bubble tea counter was located on the second floor of Aberdeen Square, just above Estea. I re-analyzed my options, and opted to join in on the hype before heading home to continue the backlog-minimizing process.

Immediately after queuing, I noticed that the line moved painfully slowly. There were a total of four members of staff taking orders and crafting beverages - this was equivalent to Chatime's staff count during off-peak/mid-peak hours, yet the number of customers did not exhibit any signs of decreasing. I soon realized the issue at hand when my turn to order finally arrived.

"I'd like one Number 1, one Number 3, and one Number 4." I said, pointing to the LED-backlit menu in front of the cashier.
"Number 1...HanLin Creation?" the cap-donning server said.
"Yes. Can I get 1, 3, and 4?"
There was a brief pause of confusion at the other end.
"...So you want a Number 1 HanLin Creation?" Her non-native English accent began to peek through.
"Yes." My patience was falling sharply.
"Medium or large?"
"Medium."
"Ok, sugar and ice?"
"50% sugar and less ice"
"Is that everything?"

Resisting the immense urge to roll my eyes I restated my orders a third time, but this time with a noticeable edge in my voice. Taking a deep breath, I grimly uttered, "I want Number 1, 3, and 4. ALL medium, all 50% sugar, and all with less ice."
"You said 30% for the first drink."
"..No. I want 50%."
"Ok."
"Can I get a bag please?" I reminded her, tucking the receipt away. Of course, her ears were much too clogged to perceive any of it.

I was thoroughly frustrated towards the end of the ordering process, as were several of the other customers in line behind me. She merely stared at my drinks as they were sealed and placed on the countertop, only clicking back into reality afterwards to ask, "Would you like a bag?".  Dear goodness.
The timer was counting down as I had a bus to catch in the next two minutes. That being said, I was practically driven past the point of threshold annoyance as she stood inverting my last drink with sloth-like movements.

Despite the impossibly terrible customer service experience, the products themselves were well worth the wait. Each tea was sealed in a firm plastic cup, which was greatly appreciated for the bumpy ride home. Number 1, deemed the "HanLin Creation", was a milk tea with large tapioca pearls and sago; it had evidently been crafted with milk powder, masking any hints of black tea, though the milkiness was muted enough that the end result would still be refreshing when consumed under the sun.

Number 3 Honey Tieguanyin was the winner among the trio - the simple concoction of bitter Oolong mixed with subtle punches of honey was fragrant, flavourful, and very well received. Hands down, I'll be re-purchasing this one. (It also happened to be the most budget-friendly of them all!)
Number 4 White Pearl Lemon Green was essentially a lemon-flavoured green tea with sago pearls. The drink was refreshing, but otherwise none too memorable as it lacked a defining flavour.

Shiny Tea's products definitely warranted the lineup, though I'd be less than thrilled to have to deal with the same cashier assistant a second time. Bring cash and oodles of time with you should you decide to participate in this hype.