Unobtrusive Izakaya Bliss

Toratatsu
Japanese Cuisine / Izakaya
735 Denman St
Vancouver, BC
V6G2L6 Canada
ph:(604) 685-9399

We have an on-going Izakaya competition between friends weighing the good and the best amongst our favourite Japanese bistros. Toratatsu, a newcomer in Vancouver's expanding Japanese Izakaya family is surely a tough competitor. Having an edge for it's non-traditional Japanese look but delivering very good Izakaya staples such as Ebi Mayo and Agedashi Tofu makes this bistro a place to visit.

I first heard of Toratatsu from my Japanese roommate who obviously knows what an Izakaya should be. She came home from a night of drinking and gushed about this hidden gem and thinking that I have a radar for good restaurants, especially in the downtown area, not to have heard about it was a bit of a surprise. I immediately called my friend and reported what my roommate have said and sure enough we have found ourselves in this cozy bistro days after.

Toratatsu is located in the quiet area of Denman St. but it's also joined by a few other restaurants. It's a great location off Robson St. especially if you're looking for a more intimate night. The warm red hues of this bistro also contributes to the intimate environment and the modern decor gives this place the right amount of funky look that makes you feel stylishly comfortable.

We were given a warm, un-Izakaya like greeting meaning that they didn't scream intangible Japanese phrases to us as we entered. Our server quickly gave us the menu and left us to decide our picks for the night. We went for the very interesting Negitoro Tuna with avocado fries and tuna dip, Cheese Tofu, Spicy Chicken Wings and Ebi Mayo. The Negitoro Tuna was the first one to arrive and the first bite was just OK but as we ate more of the tuna dip, we find ourselves liking it more and more. The tuna was very well seasoned and complimented the avocado fries very much. It was a good start, but then the Ebi Mayo came and I silently wished that this dish came last so we could savour it more. The prawns were juicy and succulent and I have to say this is by far the best Ebi Mayo I have tried. It's not BS when they said "world famous Ebi Mayo" because it does deserve to be well-renowned. The almond and the wanton crisps also added a nice crunch to this dish. The cheese tofu came shortly after and it was surprisingly very very good. We didn't know what to expect but it was delicately sweet, more like a dessert that could make you forget that cheesecakes exist. It was absolutely divine. We saved the last bite of the Cheese Tofu for last for last and moved on to the chicken wings which was nothing great but I was having a bottle of Asahi and the "beer's best friend" written on the menu as a caption for the chicken wings pushed me to order it. Ah, the power of words! Beer and chicken wings was just hard to resist that night and if I wasn't craving for liquid yeast, I would have tried their sake since this little bistro serves premium sakes and to my delight it's also served in a bamboo pitcher! I guess that takes the edge out of Hapa Izakaya. Oh yeah, they still have their scantly clad servers to boot but obviously they're not for me.

We were in between full so we were deciding whether or not to go ahead and order the Kushi-age but for some reason I just said no but not to dessert this time! We ordered the Camembert cheesecake which was just slightly sweet, a little too slightly actually and the distinct taste of the Camembert overpowered the honey but it was still good especially for the people who are looking for a not-too-sweet dessert although the Cheese Tofu made more of an impression to us.

I promised myself to go back to this place and I did actually a week after and brought a boy. I first took him though to Guu on Robson but he hated the awkward sitting place by the bar the staff offered us and the 45 minute waiting time if we do decide to wait for a table and dine there. We declined the offer and I thought about Toratatsu which was my second option. We were happy because not only we were seated immediately but we also got to choose our table. He liked the ambiance as well which I knew he would for it's intimacy. I picked the Ebi Mayo right away and ordered the dishes I snubbed the last time like the Agedashi tofu, the Toratatsu roll and of course the Kushi-age. The Ebi Mayo is a sure winner as we enjoyed it down to the last bite. The Kushi-age came after the prawns and I have to say, I was a bit disappointed. It was dry and really it was no big deal but thankfully the two dishes which came after the Kushi-age put this Izakaya back on top of the scoreboard. The Agedashi tofu was very good and the slimy okra juice (which my guy hated for the texture, it's OK, more for me!) gave it more flavour. The Toratatsu roll made with prawns, avocado and salmon caviar was also a winner which my date claimed as his dish and gave me the whole bowl of tofu to finish.

Toratatsu is a really a good find, it is a great Izakaya sans the wait (ten points added). I'm glad that my roommate introduced me to this place. I would go to this bistro again and again most especially if I have Ebi Mayo on my mind. And like I said, there are tons of Izakayas to choose from in Vancouver and most of them are good, more than good actually but if you're looking for a more quiet night of Japanese tapas and sake where you don't hear loud Japanese phrases being exchanged every 2 seconds, Toratatsu is the place for you.

* picture stolen from toratatsu.com

Deliziosa Ristorante Vancouveriano

The Italian Kitchen
Italian Cuisine
1037 Alberni St.
Vancouver, BC
V6E 1A1 Canada
ph: (604) 687-2858

In spite of the air of pretentiousness in the Glowbal Group restaurants, I must admit that I appreciate this company for revolutionizing the Vancouver dining scene. They have been utterly creative in coming up with new restaurant ideas which leaves Vancouverites salivating for more. When the Glowbal Group decided to give the usual Italian ristorante a touch of Vancouver, the Italian Kitchen was born. This brand new restaurant joining the Glowbal Group family immediately created a buzz amongst food lovers, the in-the-know crowd and the like. Situated in the more business-y area of downtown Vancouver, this ristorante is not hard to miss. Having to pass by this sleek modern kitchen almost everyday and seeing it bustling as it was bursting with Italian aroma, it's almost stupid for me not to walk in through that door.

Coming in, the restaurant seemed busy and we had to wait at the front with a couple more people to let our presence known to the host/server so that she could take us to a table. We were seated near the bar and our very accommodating server immediately gave us our menus and offered us some water. The space was no different from the outside. It had simple but stylish decor giving the restaurant a casual feel to it. We went through the menu and we decided that the anti-pasto misto platter was the best way to go so that we could have a taste of almost everything this restaurant had to offer. We also ordered a glass of limoncello with prosecco and vanilla infused syrup called limonata and I was beyond delighted to find out that they have pitchers of their own concoctions on their menu. Offering pitchers of alcohol is a surefire way to lure a younger crowd who are out looking for a good dinner and a nice buzz.

Our limonata came in no time and as I took a sip, the syrup's sweetness immediately gave me a sugar shock. I usually gulp my cocktail but this drink should be sipped and slowly savoured. Our server also gave us a small plate of foccacia with balsamic and olive oil dip and as soon as my fingers touched the cold bread, I was turned off but when the bread touched my mouth and the flavours made me say "Mmmmm", I knew that I shouldn't have passed judgement until I've tried it. Our anti-pasto came as we were finishing up the bread and when we looked at the spread in front of us: zucchini blossoms stuffed with burrata cheese, eggplant parmesan, asparagus wrapped with proscuitto, forno baked clams, caprese salad, ahi tuna, spicy kobe meatballs and jumbo prawns -- I had a notion that we will leave with full bellies.

We started with the 1.) ahi tuna which was fresh and flavourful, you can never go wrong with ahi tuna regardless of where you go. 2.) The kobe meatball was just to die for, the spicy tomato sauce definitely gave a nice kick to it. 3.) The forno baked clams was a step behind the meatball for being the most unforgettable dish. It had a distinct Italian flavour very well suited with the clams. 4.) The jumbo prawns were lacking a bit of flavour but it was a nice break from the other dishes which already made a huge impression on our tastebuds. 5.) The zucchini blossoms were interesting, maybe I was expecting a jalapeño-cream cheese flavour but this deep fried croquette was definitely something different. 6.) The caprese salad was good but not out of the ordinary but it was definitely nice to have the fresh tomatoes and bonconccini cheese included on the platter. 7.) The asparagus and proscuitto had a very small serving, it was good but having just one made us hope to get a little more that what we had on our plate. We saved the 8.) eggplant parmesan for last but as we took a bite, we hoped that we should have saved the meatball instead. The eggplant was so-so, nothing spectacular but all-in-all, the whole platter is definitely a must-try.

After our server cleared our table of our empty dishes, he came back almost immediately and seemed enthusiastic about showing us their long list of desserts and recommended the Italian style doughnuts. My friend and I gushed about the good selection and we're already discussing if we should get the white chocolate pannacota or the chocolate parfait when all of a sudden, I had this flash of glutton guilt and declined to try what seemed to be an amazing dessert menu. My friend tried to subtly persuade me by asking me if I was sure and saying that it's not a dinner without the dessert. I looked down at my expanding belly which haven't had a break for awhile and said no. When we told our server that we'll be good and skip dessert, his face fell ever so slightly and left to get us our bill.

After the very satisfying Italian Kitchen dinner, my friend and I went to the movies when my sweet tooth craving attacked me and after the nice walk to the theatres, I am sure that I have room for dessert. I immediately regretted passing on the dessert at the restaurant although the TCBY frozen yogurt totally killed my craving. Maybe the frozen yogurt is more waistline friendly but I have to say that my friend was right, I actually already know it but the whole dinner experience is never complete without the dessert and so I made a mental note to go back to The Italian Kitchen, gorge on their desserts and maybe put a smile on our server's face.

* picture stolen from blog.jan-chan.com

A Taste of Le Marrakech

Le Marrakech
Moroccan Cuisine
52 Alexander Street in Gastown
Vancouver, BC
V6A 1B4 Canada
ph: 604 688 3714

Years ago, I watched a movie called Sabrina, the 1995 version with Julia Ormond and Harrison Ford. There was this very delicious scene when the two actors where bonding in a Moroccan restaurant relaxing on over-sized pillows while they eat with their hands and play with rose petals. I was drawn. I don't know if it was the very appetizing food, the exotic ambiance or the scene itself but as soon as I finished the movie I went on a search for a Moroccan restaurant. Back home in Manila, I did find a good one but it was interiored very modernly and it lacked the exotic appeal that I was looking for. I wanted the whole Moroccan feel where you feel like you're transported without paying a plane ticket to Morocco and when I moved to Vancouver I never stopped searching for that restaurant until I found Le Marrakech.

I have read about Le Marrakech in Georgia Straight. The article immediately caught my eye as I read the review and I was mostly excited when I read about washing your hands in rose water, belly dancers and the whole big production. This is exactly what I was looking for and I immediately called my friend to try it out.

We headed out to the touristy Gastown area and as we welcomed ourselves in, we were immediately greeted and ushered upstairs. Just by looking at the restaurant's bold choice of colours and intricately designed lamps and decors, I knew that I have found a gem. If the food wasn't all that great, the ambiance would definitely make up for it. Our server donning a bright pink kaftan gave us our menu, a basket of Moroccan bread and their homemade aged butter called smed. We asked another server for suggestions and he told us that if we like spicy the mussel appetizer was a very good choice. We took his advise and added the braised beef on a bed of cous-cous and veggies with that order. We attacked the bread while waiting for the food and we didn't expect it to tickle our tastebuds that much. The bread was filled with spices and the butter was salty, the first bite was over-whelming but as soon as you have jumpstarted your tastebuds, you wanted more. The smed was definitely addicting, well, I am a bread and butter fan but the smed is certainly not your usual, typical butter.

We tried to hold off on the bread as we waited for the mussles and when it arrived, it was a heaping serving and was swimming in spicy broth. It seemed like dipping the buttered bread into the broth was second nature but as soon as the moist bread touched my tongue, my reaction changed. The spiced bread, smed and broth combo gave a more intense flavour that brought exoticism in your palate. It was amazing. The braised beef arrived shortly after. It was served in a clay pot and looking at the portion, we were happy that my friend and I were just sharing one entree. We carefully tore the meat and took a spoonful of cous-cous for that one perfect bite, the raisins added some sweetness to the dish and once again, the flavours created a circus like feeling on my tongue. It seemed like all the flavours wanted to show up all at the same time, sweet, salty, sour, spicy... yummy...

While we were finishing up, a belly dancer started to strut her stuff. We were getting happily entertained as her dancing progressed. The restaurant was definitely an escape to Morocco, everything seemed very authentic. We enjoyed it to the last bit especially when we were chased back in to wash our hands with rose water which sent us leaving in fits of giggles.

Coming to Le Marrakech, I never expected to reinact the Julia Ormond-Harrison Ford moment, definitely not since I wasn't with a boy going on a romantic dinner but I was with a good friend who appreciates the experience of good food and we both know that finding a place that could bring not only the taste of an exotic country but also the feel of it is always worth the visit.

*** this was written several months ago but was never posted. I have recently been to this restaurant for my birthday dinner and was a bit disappointed with the service but I still appreciate what this restaurant is trying to offer.