There's a new spot to get stunning sushi and sashimi in Vancouver, and it deserves a place on your must-try list.
Moltan Roll Bar + Sake recently opened its doors in Kitsilano, and is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Located at 1941 Cornwall Street in the former Cantina Pana location, Moltan has joined the ranks of spots in Vancouver doing super-fresh and gorgeous seafood-centric sushi bar eats.
The restaurant describes itself as a "fusion izakaya," and the Moltan menu touches on many popular categories of Japanese cuisine. From the sushi bar comes an array of nigiri featuring gorgeous fresh seafood cut in generous slices, including specials like imported and local uni (sea urchin) and several preparations of salmon and tuna. One option is the chef's choice eight-piece nigiri, which gives you a good range of bites to enjoy, and might feature things like salmon belly, plump ikura (roe), and tender unagi.
Moltan's nigiri chef's choice platter. Photo by Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is AwesomeSushi fans can also order up a number of maki (rolls), like the Alaskan (salmon, avocado, masago, mayo, cucumber, house dressing) or one of the specialties showcasing bluefin tuna like the Blue & Uni, which pairs the ruby-hued tuna with sea urchin and sesame oil for a decadent maki option. These are thoughtful rolls, aimed at letting the star ingredients shine, though you can have a little fun with things like The Bomb Roll, which features spicy tuna tempura, cream cheese, asparagus, teriyaki sauce, and sriracha.
Moltan does several preparations of sashimi, many available in half-portions, which are sizeable nonetheless. Enjoy the fish in its naked glory, or try a soy-cured selection of tuna or salmon.
Further, Moltan makes some showstopping donburi-style bowls under the Kaisendon section of the menu, including the Moltan's option, featuring a selection of the chef's choosing of fresh seafood artfully arranged atop rice. They're also doing aburi "pressed" or battera-style sushi, as well as inari sushi sets. The inari (fried rice stuffed in sweet bean curd casing) come with a number of toppings, which is definitely one spot where Moltan's "fusion" twists come to play; look for inari "toppings" like bacon and kimchi, tuna mayo, or guacamole, among others.
More on the fusion side, Moltan has a menu of pasta; some are more traditionally Italian-inspired, like a chicken pesto pasta, while some teeter almost over into the Japanese spaghetti zone, like their tomato and lobster pasta. Moltan is also doing grilled dishes, izakaya-style, along with Japanese "sandos" (sandwiches), and a few salads.
When it comes to sake, Moltan has several options for the traditional fermented Japanese rice beverage to be enjoyed hot or cold.
Follow Moltan Roll Bar + Sake on Instagram to see what their current hours are, and to keep up to date on its specials, and the upcoming addition of online ordering for take-out.
