Sunday, January 15, 2012

Japanese Bar Food @ Hapa Izakaya, Vancouver

Visiting an Izakaya is a must whenever I'm in Vancouver. This time round instead of visiting Guu we opted to try Hapa Izakaya on Robson. Unlike Guu, Hapa spots a modern and romantic ambiance similar to Wine Bars instead of a traditional Sake Bar. The menu is focuses on a number of typical Izakaya Style Agemono dishes, Salads, Sashimi and some seasonal specials that are only featured at Hapa's Robson Branch.


Beef Tataki
Beef Tataki
The Beef just melts in your mouth. It was complemented with some Scallions, a Sweet and Spicy Sauce and sliced Shallots.


Goma-Ae
Goma-Ae
A beautiful way to plate Goma-Ae. The Sesame Sauce was really good with the Spinach which was cooked soft but still maintaining some good crunch.


Spicy Tuna Tartare
Spicy Tuna Tartare
I’ve never had a Spicy Tuna Tartare before. Hapa’s rendition of a Tartare uses Korean Bean Paste Sauce, Diced Scallions and Flying Fish Eggs all tossed together to make the Tartare. It was actually really good with the buttered croutons.


Mentaiko Udon
Mentaiko Udon
This was actually my first time Mentaiko Udon and I loved it! The Udon was a little chewy and had a nice bite to it. It was so good with the Fish Eggs, Tomatos and Mayo Sauce!


Grilled Saba Sashimi
Grilled Saba
The Fresh Saba Sashimi was torched right infront of our table. The Saba did not have a fishy taste that is usually associated with it and had a nice firm texture.


Ebi Mayo
Ebi Mayo
The Ebi Mayo was disappointing. Although the Prawns were fresh, the batter was very soggy. Guu in my opinion still has the best Ebi Mayo.


Except for the Ebi Mayo the food at Hapa was good especially their Mentaiko Udon and Beef Tataki. The prices are a little steeper than Guu and the ambiance is modern and not as noisy.

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Price: $$$$ (Approximately USD $45 per person)

Contact Information
Address: 1479 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Tel: +1 (604) 689-4272
Web: hapaizakaya.com‎
Map:

View Larger Map

No comments: