622 W Pender Street, Vancouver (Downtown)
Vancouver has no shortage of fusion restaurants, and Gyoza Bar shows great promise among the landscape in Vancouver's fusion eateries. Located on the edge of Gastown, Gyoza Bar brings a fresh take on Japanese cuisine that isn't sushi. Rather, it showcases ramen bowls, extensive bao boards and the beloved dumpling - the gyoza. I went to Gyoza Bar with my friend Jamie, and we decided to get a couple plates to share. The menu was bursting with incredible dishes that all sounded incredibly delicious, and after a lot of deliberating we decided on getting the Japanese curry poutine, the lettuce wrapped crispy chicken tacos and of course, a platter of the pork teppan gyoza. Because did you really go to Gyoza Bar if you didn't have gyoza? Teppan is a style of Japanese cuisine that use iron griddle to cook food, and in this case, it was cooking the gyoza. Pork gyoza is a classic, and it was absolutely delicious! Our gyoza was served with a spicy mayo and umami soy dipping sauce, which really enhanced the flavours of it. I loved all of the dishes that night, but the gyoza was probably my favourite because it is so simple and yet so tasty! If you ever come to Gyoza Bar, the teppan gyoza is an absolute must. The Japanese curry poutine was definitely the most eclectic dish that we ordered and definitely was the epitome of fusion. Japanese curry is different from Indian curry in that it is less spicy and is typically very thick, making for an excellent gravy to pour over top of thick cut fries. The poutine was topped with pulled pork, pickled jalepenos and cheddar cheese. Reading the menu description honestly sounded so wrong, but somehow ended up tasting really good! I have tried many different kinds of poutine, but this is one for the books. Finally, the lettuce wrapped crispy chicken tacos were also quite delicious, although the name of the dish was a little misguided. There was no crispy chicken, but there were 5 deep fried gyoza which were delicious on their own. Using lettuce as the "taco shell", we placed the crispy gyoza inside and topped it with sriacha aioli, pico de gallo, and guacamole. While the dish sounded strange yet again, it still tasted really good. The deep friend gyoza really gave a nice crunch, but I wasn't too hot about the pico de gallo. All in all, Gyoza bar offered a fun and exotic atmosphere with dishes that are just as fun and exotic. It definitely requires a step - nay, a leap - outside of your comfort zone, but I promise that you will be rewarded with delicious food and a great experience.
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Guu with Otokomae - 375 Water Street, Vancouver (Gastown)
With so many locations to choose from, Guu Izakaya introduces patrons to Japanese tapas with a unique twist in a cool environment. It was my first time at Guu, and my friend Eivan and I went to the one in Gastown, or Guu with Otokomae (which translates to 'handsome man', apparently). We were seated fairly quickly at a cozy table. The interior is super cool at the Gastown location, with rustic wooden furniture and a haunting bar area. After being told by Eivan that I was to take the wheel on ordering (despite having never been to Guu), I had ordered for us takoyaki, karaage, and my favourite, cheese and mushroom bibimbap. The food came out really quick, and just like it was described online, each dish was presented in a very unique and beautiful way and it was so, so delicious! Each of the locations offer unique twists and menus - I'm eager to try out the other ones real soon!
3431 West Broadway, Vancouver (Kitsilano)
TASTE: 5/5 SERVICE: 5/5 PRICE: $ Even if you never get the chance to go check out The Eatery, go check out their website. Websites aside, The Eatery is a funky place for Japanese food. Owned by the same person who owns The General Public, the eclectic atmosphere is just as weird as the names of their rolls. I brought my friend Cielo down here on her first downtown adventure, and an adventure it certainly was. Cielo and I shared a Crazy Spice Roll, a Barbie Roll and a Tuna Crunch Roll along with a Chicken Yakisoba. The food was delicious and just as eccentric as the decorations hanging from the ceiling and the walls. It was all very good, and it came relatively fast as well. Just the same as The General Public, I recommend getting there a little earlier just to avoid the wait. However, the menus for The General Public and The Eatery are exactly the same, so at the end of the day it really doesn't matter which one you go to. If you are a relying on transit, then The General Public is an easier place to get to. If you are driving, then it's up to you! Both are incredibly strange but really delicious. 45 8th Street, New Westminster (Quayside)
TASTE: 3/5 SERVICE: 4/5 PRICE: $ As part of spontaneous dinner date that was nice and close, the reason why I wanted to go to Ki Sushi was solely for the Angel Roll - but I digress. Elaine and I started with a takoyaki, and followed it up with a spicy oyster roll, a house roll and the Angel roll. My favourite roll was probably the spicy oyster, something that I have never tried before in any other Japanese restaurant. But the other thing that I have never had was ice cream on sushi, also known as the Angel Roll. Green tea, mango and coconut ice cream over top of a cucumber, mango and avocado roll. I have to say that the sweet and savoury, soft ice cream and rice was a weird feeling but nonetheless, I commend Ki Sushi for something so innovative. The rolls were good but not exceptional, but the prices were definitely affordable. Worth trying and going back to! *Note: my sister went recently to Ki Sushi and told me that the Angel Roll (below, right with ice cream) is no longer served on the menu. Sorry about that!! 2521 Main Street, Vancouver (Mount Pleasant)
TASTE: 3/5 SERVICE: 3/5 PRICE: $$$ So I'll be really transparent for a second - the only reason why I wanted to come to Miura Waffle Milk Bar was because I wanted to try their alcoholic bubble tea option. Aside from the adult version of my favourite drink, Miura is well know for their waffles, both sweet and savoury. Having tried sweet Belgian waffles before, I decided to try something new and have one of their "waffle-wiches" as I liked to call them. With Asian inspired mixes such as Bulgogi or wasabi salmon or the Asian nod to chicken and waffles, the waffle-wiches were filling and delicious, filled with fresh veggies and meats and tons of flavour. The bubble tea options are comparable to that of Bubble World or Pearl Fever. The one thing that sets it apart is the bubble tea cocktails - milk tea with Kahlua, strawberry and amaretto, gin and passion fruit - just to name a few. Like other places, it costs $0.50 to add pearls, but it definitely is worth it to try alcoholic bubble tea. The alcohol content is not too overpowering, but it is just enough to make it taste a little more "adult like" than your ordinary bubble teas. Miura Waffle Milk Bar definitely has something that sets itself apart from its counterparts, but at the end of the day, the bubble teas and waffle sandwiches are a little pricey. I think it's more of a novelty thing, so while I did enjoy it, I probably will not return again. 3289 Main Street (Vancouver - Mount Pleasant)
TASTE: 5/5 SERVICE: 3/5 PRICE: $ As part of a girls night, my friend Rebbecca and I made the trek out to The General Public for a simple sushi dinner. Or was it? Being greeted with colorful wind ornaments against a solid black canopy and wooden tables on the outside was an interesting sight to see. Upon entry into the restaurant, we were greeted with white character heads hanging on the walls, animals made from toys hanging from the ceiling and antlers. Antlers, everywhere. We quickly found that this was no ordinary Japanese restaurant. It definitely was anything but authentic - it was unique and one of a kind. Despite it's lack of authenticity, the sushi was able to hold it's own twist of sushi which was just as delicious as rolls from other places. With funky named rolls such as Found Nemo, the Bob Marley, and the KFC roll (yes, Kentucky Fried Chicken), it was truly a memorable experience. The owner of The General Public described the restaurant as "a hunting lodge... with sushi". I guess that's where the antlers come in. With another equally unique location in the Kitsilano neighbourhood called The Eatery, "funky sushi" is definitely a one of a kind dining experience. |
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