By Amy Van Veen (The Cascade) – Email
Date Posted: November 1, 2011
Print Edition: October 26, 2011
#115-20151 Fraser Highway
Langley, BC
604.534.3622
Prices: up to $20.95 (not including family combinations)
Hours: Monday to Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sunday, Holiday 12:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Japanese is one of the hardest cuisines to try without any prior knowledge. There are too many variables that could go wrong: the fish could be off, the rolls could be pricey, the rice could be dry, there could be too much rice, there could be too little rice or there could be too little filling. It takes a person of great courage to step into an unknown sushi joint and hope for the best, which is why this place was chosen as a result of that trusty go-to, word of mouth.
Seh-Mi sushi is tucked away by PriceMart foods and the only drive-thru Starbucks south of 72 Ave in Langley. Upon stepping through the door, it was apparent that this place puts effort into their work. Two walls, one windowed, are lined with booths separated by a handful of tables and chairs. The booths aren’t as private as some more traditional Japanese locations, but they suffice for hushed conversations. Paper lanterns with cherry blossoms painted on hang above every table and the walls, in the name of Halloween décor, are bedecked with just enough ghostly cobwebs to avoid being tacky, but still remain festive.
At first, the menu seemed to show average pricing from appetizers to special rolls, but it wasn’t until the food was delivered to the table that I realized just how much of a deal everything really was. The large servings made me rethink my decision to order three dishes instead of just two.
Of course, my order consisted of gyoza – the make or break dish in my opinion – as well as classic dynamite and something called the “snow roll.” It had one flame next to its name, but after my Thai experience a few weeks back, it was definitely in my wheelhouse of spiciness. Though the snow roll’s presentation was both stunning and mouth-watering, the real shocker was the size of the portions. The gyoza, for only five dollars, consisted of eight separate dumplings. Each roll was also divided into eight whopping pieces. And their whopping quality was not made up of that all-too-easy filler of rice, they were almost entirely the filling ingredients. Sushi places usually have simple dynamite rolls that pale in comparison to the special house rolls, but Seh-Mi dynamite rolls give the ornate specials a run for their money.
The snow roll, too, looked like a work of art with bright yellow and red sauces creating a colourful Pollock right before my eyes, but the flavour was awe-inspiring. Who knew honey mustard and a red spicy sauce could blend so well with chicken and smoked salmon – apparently Seh-Mi did.
The gyoza, though, made my day. As mentioned, the gyoza is always a bit of a risk. Sometimes it’s chewy, sometimes it’s soggy and sometimes it’s just a hot mess. This gyoza – all eight pieces – served up the perfect amount of crunchy outside and flavourful inside while thankfully avoiding the unfortunate aftertaste these dumplings usually hold. The aftertaste that usually lingers for a day or two before giving up its fight.
If the food and the prices weren’t enough to beckon a return to this Fraser Highway eatery, the service certainly would be. The server was attentive without being overbearing and her quiet thoughtfulness left me all-too appreciative.
Good for take-out or eat-in, Seh-Mi has made another return customer – though next time my order won’t be quite so overwhelming.
