Vents

http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/dlc-me/curious/caOc96KR.html

Guu is like going over to your friend's house in university to eat. But this wouldn't be the usual student fare since your friend happens to be an excellent Japanese chef!

Hapa Izakaya is like going to back to visit that same friend several years after graduation. He now lives in his own, unshared house and his dining room is that much more stylish and the food, while still the same in essence, is a touch more sophisticated and mature.

Of course, if you were like my friends, you'd sit back and wax nostalgic about the good old days but you would realize you could never go back. Luckily, here in Vancouver we can!

Our meal tonight at Hapa Izakaya was just like coming back to "an old college buddy who's done well"'s kitchen and diing room.

Stylish black decor and a lovely open kitchen that we can observe and vicariously be a chef. Excellent drinks. Barb and I loved the Cassis Oolong and Cassis Grapefruit cocktails ($4.50 each).

And of course the great food. We loved everything but my highlights were the Kabocha & Walnut Salad (Japanese pumpkin puree with a slightly sweet cream that we spread on melba toasts and devoured happily; $4.50), the Yaki Niku (beef with daikon in a delicious sweet and a bit sour sauce; $5.20) , the Ishi-Yaku ($7.80; crispy rice hot pot with kimchi; absolutely yummy) and the spicy horseradish that came with the Shiro Kuro Oden ($6.50) complemented the flavours of the tofu, vegetables and slow cooked broth perfectly.

Two cocktails, a tea and seven small dishes fed three people easily for $56 including taxes but not the tip. Not cheap but inexpensive. Highly recommended!

We'll be back for a full review of Hapa Izakaya (and of course we'll happily continue eating at Guu because we love reminiscing about our student days!). [VanEats]