If you’ve only ever visited Hello Nori for the hand rolls, there’s now another reason to stay a little longer. Known for its signature tableside hand rolls, Hello Nori has introduced kushiyaki, a traditional style of Japanese charcoal-grilled skewers and one of the restaurant’s biggest menu additions since opening.
To celebrate the launch, they’ve also introduced the Signature Dinner Shokai, a six-course tasting menu for just $65 per person. Considering many Japanese tasting menus in Vancouver now start well over $100, this honestly feels like one of the best-value dinner experiences I’ve come across recently.
I’ve written about Hello Nori a few times over the years, including when I visited their Park Royal location to try their interactive tableside hand roll experience. While the hand rolls are still every bit as good as I remembered, it was the new charcoal-grilled skewers that left the biggest impression. The skewers immediately brought me back to evenings spent hopping between neighbourhood izakayas, where a few skewers fresh off the grill are just as essential as great sushi. Whether you’re planning a date night, catching up with friends or simply looking for a great Japanese restaurant in West Vancouver, this is a menu worth knowing about.
What is Kushiyaki?
If you’re unfamiliar with kushiyaki, it refers to Japanese skewers grilled over charcoal. While many people associate Japanese skewers with yakitori, yakitori specifically refers to chicken, whereas kushiyaki includes a wider variety of meats, seafood and vegetables. The cooking method is intentionally simple. Each skewer is lightly seasoned before being grilled over high heat, allowing the natural flavours of the ingredients to shine while picking up a subtle smokiness from the charcoal.
Although Vancouver has plenty of excellent sushi restaurants, there are surprisingly few places that specialize in Japanese charcoal grilling. That’s what makes Hello Nori’s newest addition so exciting. It introduces another traditional Japanese cooking style to a restaurant that’s already known for its hand rolls.
The Best Way to Experience the New Kushiyaki Menu
To introduce its new charcoal-grilled kushiyaki, Hello Nori has created the Signature Dinner Shokai. This is a six-course dinner designed to showcase both the restaurant’s signature dishes and its newest additions. Rather than simply adding a few skewers to the menu, the experience takes you through a thoughtfully curated progression of Japanese flavours and cooking styles.
The meal begins with premium sashimi before moving into aburi oshi sushi, Hello Nori’s signature tableside hand rolls, the new charcoal-grilled kushiyaki, a refreshing palate cleanser and dessert. Each course feels intentionally paced, allowing you to experience everything the restaurant is known for in one sitting.
At $65 per person, it’s also one of the best-value Japanese tasting menus I’ve come across recently. Considering the quality of the seafood, the variety of dishes and the number of courses included, it offers an impressive amount of value.
Signature Dinner Shokai – Fresh Seafood to Start
The $65 Signature Dinner Shokai begins with two courses that showcase the quality of seafood Hello Nori has become known for. It’s a light and elegant start to the meal, allowing the freshness of each ingredient to shine before moving into the richer, more indulgent courses.
The first course features Sashimi with two pieces of hamachi, two pieces of king salmon and a Hokkaido scallop. Simple in presentation but incredibly fresh, it’s the perfect introduction and sets the tone for the rest of the evening. Each piece was buttery soft and melted in your mouth. The King Salmon was a personal favourite.
The second course features an Aburi Oshi Trio with ebi, salmon and wagyu. Each piece is lightly flame-seared to enhance the flavour without overpowering the fish. The wagyu was easily my favourite of the three. It was rich, buttery and one of those bites you immediately wish there was more of.
Signature Dinner Shokai – The Signature Hello Nori Experience
Most Hello Nori locations are designed around bar seating, where hand rolls are prepared and served immediately by the chefs. Since the Park Royal location also offers table seating, Hello Nori created a tableside hand roll experience so guests can still enjoy each hand roll freshly made and served at its peak.
The Signature Dinner includes two of Hello Nori’s most popular hand rolls: the Negi Bluefin Tuna and the Truffle Lobster. The Truffle Lobster remains one of my favourites. The sweetness of the lobster paired with the subtle earthiness of the truffle makes it incredibly satisfying without feeling too heavy. It’s easy to see why these hand rolls have become Hello Nori’s signature. Assembling your own hand rolls adds an interactive element that makes the experience even more memorable.
Hello Nori’s New Kushiyaki Menu
While the hand rolls are what originally put Hello Nori on the map, it was the new kushiyaki that made this visit feel different. The Signature Dinner Shokai includes three skewers:
- Tori Momo (Chicken Thigh)
- Tori Mune (Chicken Breast)
- Miso Japanese Eggplant
Each skewer was cooked beautifully over authentic Binchotan white charcoal, giving them a subtle smoky aroma that’s difficult to replicate. The chicken thigh was juicy and flavourful, the breast remained impressively tender, and the miso Japanese eggplant was one of my favourite bites of the night. Soft, caramelized and packed with umami, it’s the kind of dish I’d happily order again on its own. That distinctive charcoal flavour instantly transported me back to Japan, where Binchotan grilling is a hallmark of so many memorable izakaya meals. It’s not something you come across often in Vancouver, which made this course feel even more special.
A Refreshing Finish
After the richness of the kushiyaki, the meal finishes on a lighter note with a Yuzu Mint Granita. Bright, citrusy and refreshing, it works exactly as a palate cleanser should before dessert arrives.
For the final course, guests can choose between the Matcha Tiramisu or three pieces of Mochi Ice Cream. I went with the matcha tiramisu, which was creamy, earthy and not overly sweet. It was a light, balanced finish that rounded out the meal perfectly.
My Favourite Kushiyaki Skewers at Hello Nori
The three kushiyaki skewers included in the Signature Dinner Shokai completely won me over.
By the time I finished that course, I knew I wasn’t ready to leave without trying more from the à la carte menu. So naturally, I ordered a few additional skewers:
- Sori Resu (Chicken Oyster) ($7.00)
- Black Tiger Shrimp ($13.00)
- Hotate (Hokkaido scallop) with Yuzu vinaigrette + wasabi chimichurri ($15.00)
- Saikyo Miso Wagyu with Kyoto style miso sauce ($30.00)
- Buta Bara (pork belly) ($7.00)
If you ever see chicken oyster on a menu, order it. Despite the name, it isn’t seafood at all. The chicken oyster is a small, incredibly tender piece of dark meat tucked into either side of the chicken’s thigh. Since there are only two pieces per bird, it’s considered one of the most prized and difficult-to-source cuts, making it a rarity even at many yakitori restaurants. Juicy, intensely flavourful and beautifully charred over Binchotan white charcoal, this was my favourite skewer of the evening. It’s the kind of ingredient that chicken lovers immediately recognize and one that’s still surprisingly hard to find in Vancouver.
The Hokkaido scallop was incredibly sweet and buttery, while the yuzu vinaigrette and wasabi chimichurri adds just enough brightness without masking the natural flavour of the scallop. Combined with the subtle smokiness from the Binchotan grill, every bite felt balanced, delicate and incredibly satisfying. The Black Tiger Shrimp had a great bounce and the garlic complements the smokiness of the shrimp.
The wagyu was beautifully marbled and practically melted in your mouth. The Kyoto-style Saikyo miso sauce adds a delicate sweetness and savoury depth that complemented the beef perfectly. At $30, it’s certainly one of the most indulgent options on the menu, but it’s also one of the most memorable.
Is the $65 Signature Dinner Shokai Worth It?
Without hesitation, yes!
At $65, it’s rare to find a Japanese tasting menu in Vancouver that includes premium sashimi, aburi oshi, freshly made hand rolls, charcoal-grilled skewers, a palate cleanser and dessert.
What I appreciated most wasn’t just the value, though. It was how thoughtfully the menu was put together. Every course builds on the last, and the introduction of kushiyaki adds a completely new dimension that makes the meal feel more balanced than simply ordering hand rolls à la carte.
Whether you’re already a Hello Nori fan or visiting for the first time, I think this is the best way to experience everything the restaurant has to offer.
Hello Nori Signature (Park Royal) – Quick Facts
Cuisine: Japanese hand rolls, sashimi, aburi oshi sushi and Binchotan-grilled kushiyaki
Location: West Vancouver, BC (Park Royal South)
Known For:
- Signature hand rolls made to order
- Exclusive tableside hand roll experience at the Park Royal location
- Authentic Binchotan charcoal-grilled kushiyaki
- Premium Japanese ingredients and seafood
- One of the best-value Japanese tasting menus in Metro Vancouver
Best For:
- Date nights
- Japanese food lovers
- Special occasions
- Catching up with friends
- Trying authentic Japanese charcoal grilling
- Elevated yet affordable dining
Reservations Recommended: Yes
Vegetarian Options: Available
Hello Nori Signature (Park Royal)
Address: 731 Main St #140, West Vancouver, BC V7T 0A5
Website: https://www.hellonori.com/parkroyal
