Sapporo Ichibang
67 Cedar St.
705.673.2233
Takeout available
Closed Sundays
Sapporo Ichibang had a faithful following with fans of Asian dishes such as sushi, maki, sashimi, teriyaki, tempura and noodles.
Unfortunately, in January 2014, the restaurant owners received devastating news. The rooftop parking lot above the restaurant was condemned and this forced the restaurant to close for nine months.
Sapporo Ichibang re-opened in a new location two doors down from their original restaurant. The new location, the former Joe Lesar Men’s Wear shop, has been converted into a beautiful restaurant space.
Beautiful oriental paintings on the walls and lots of wooden accents truly make for an authentic dining experience.
Opening a new restaurant required money, and Sudburians came from far and wide in a crowdsourcing campaign raising more than $10,000 to help the Kangs.
Not only did the Kangs rebuild their business, their menu got a major overhaul all while maintaining their traditional dishes. From appetizers to mains, the menu offers a new culinary adventure for diehard Sapporo fans.
The new hamachi kama, which is the collar of the yellowtail, is grilled, seasoned to perfection and offers great flavours. The meat is extremely tender and juicy.
For the adventurous foodie, the sea foie gras dish is a must. No, it isn’t real foie gras, rather, a succulent and rich dish of monk fish liver seasoned and topped with radish and a citrus lime ponzu. The citrus helps overcome the richness of the liver and really complements the flavours.
The new menu also offers torched salmon belly sashimi. The fatty belly is cut thick and then torched to create a beautiful brown surface and texture contrast. (In Japanese culture, the cost of the fish is determined primarily by its fat content.) It is served with a creamy wasabi tartar sauce which offers a wide range of flavours that go extremely well with the sashimi.
The spicy squid donburi is spectacular. Served as a stir fry, it offers flavours from peppers, onions sesame seeds, a spicy chili sauce and an abundance of squid. The squid is cooked to perfection and not chewy. The sauce is spicy, but if you like spice, you are sure to enjoy.
Despite all of the trouble faced in 2014, Jeff and Angela Kang have definitely made a huge comeback.
