Sushi 990

Sushi counters earn their regulars slowly, one careful tray at a time, and that suits Sushi 990. The restaurant operates from 110-1125 Nicola Avenue in Port Coquitlam, a suite address in a city of about 62,500 that grew up around the railway and still carries that working, unhurried character. It is the kind of place people find on an errand run and then keep coming back to, rather than one that shouts for attention.

The day-to-day of a neighborhood sushi shop is fairly consistent. Rice is prepared fresh through the service, fish arrives through suppliers and is handled by the kitchen, and the menu typically runs across rolls, nigiri and the cooked staples that round out a takeout order in this part of Metro Vancouver. Portions and combinations vary from shop to shop, so a first visit is a good chance to see how this kitchen builds its plates and what it leans on.

No phone number or website is available for Sushi 990 at this time, so dropping by the Nicola Avenue door is the sensible way to plan a visit. The restaurant sits within easy reach of the Lougheed Highway and the Mary Hill Bypass, the two routes commuters use to move through PoCo, which makes it a practical stop on the way home from almost anywhere in the city. A first tray is the usual way in.