(You get bonus points for recognizing the subject without needing a quick Google.)

One of my favorite places that’s close enough to work is Toyo Sushi. As per your typical Japanese joint, it’s got sushi. That’s all fine and dandy. But you know what the fun bonus is? Random Korean food!

My coworkers and I are a tiny obsessed with the Al-Bab here: fish roe and other miscellaneous items arranged in colorful bloom. Even in a takeout box the spread is so appealing. The spectrum of flavors varies from savory to slightly sweet to a tiny bit pickled.

Like your other Korean rice/babs, you take the lottery wheel of yummy toppings and you spin it all around until you’ve mixed it up nice and good with the rice. The result is little dabs of beef, roe, pollock (I think), beansprouts, oshinko, pickled seaweed, and kimchi all in a hurricane of deliciousness chaotically ramming against your different senses of taste in one fell swoop.

This isn’t something that’s for everyone, but if you can stomach it, it is so-oh-oh-oh good. On a scale of never-go-near-my-mouth-orifice to I’d-probably-snort-it-if-I-could, this is a definite loves it til I die of disgusting food overload. Mmm.

» Toyo Sushi on 2211 Cambie Street (604) 879-0990