Japas Bistro
552 W Broadway
Vancouver, BC
I have mentioned previously that a perk of food blogging is that you get to met new people. Whether he/she is a new blogger or somebody who has just started, or even readers – sometimes it is different from dining with people you have met previously. Of course, to get to have a good meeting, a small dinner is better than a larger one but I digress. Anyway, in this case, I got to meet Elaine (or, as I have been referring to as Elaine2 to avoid confusions with Elaine of Parker Pages), who writes O My Sweet Tooth!. And, given I am meeting another food blogger, that usual “discussion” is guaranteed to ensue: Where? When? Etc. etc. After some emails going back and forth, we decided to go to Japas Bistro.
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Tagged as:
Cambie,
Izakaya,
Japanese,
Vancouver
Guu Garden
M101-888 Nelson Street
Vancouver, BC
Every once in a while, I notice new food bloggers dropping by and, well, since I am always up to meet more people, what better way than breaking bread with them? Of course, barring some wacky circumstances like feeling under the weather business trips, hey, I am always up for it! This time, it was Mariko “Mare-Bear” who writes 604 On the Go, who by sheer coincidence, lives relatively close to my workplace. Well, that means trying somewhere nearby, right? Wrong! Initially, we were planning to go to Kosetsu – a newly open izakaya in Robson and Cardero (as if we needed yet one more…); however, when we arrived, we found out they weren’t open yet. That was a bit of a curveball because the sign outside contradicted the waitress who was refusing us entrance. Oh, well, we said, how about we walk to some other place in Downtown? In a random turn of events, we walked by Guu Garden and, well, why not!
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Tagged as:
Downtown,
Izakaya,
Japanese,
Vancouver
Kingyo
871 Denman Street
Vancouver, BC
Izakaya places in Vancouver are places I have seldom gone because you need to go in a small group; something I rarely have opportunities to do. Hmmmmm… I guess outside of my food bloggers circle of friends, I need to find other friends more willing to eat out… (OK, PO aside, who has been a good sport; in fact, he was a partner in crime on this visit!). Sure, you could go by yourself but that does not necessarily work that well, as you can only try that many things. But this post is not about the regular izakaya fare; rather, it is about lunch, something that might be an oxymoron if you are having it in an izakaya (unless you work graveyard shift). And, given my previous lunch experience in an izakaya (check my visit to Guu with Garlic and Wanoma ), my expectations were all over the place. Oh, well, I was about to find out!
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Tagged as:
Downtown,
Izakaya,
Japanese,
Lunch,
Vancouver,
West End
Wanoma Izakaya
867 Denman Street
Vancouver, BC
Nobody can deny the fact there has been a plethora of izakaya in Vancouver. Ever since that “explosion” in the West End, it is almost guaranteed you will see one open each year. The “new kid on the block” is Wanoma Izakaya which, in a really strange move, opened next to last year’s “new kid”, Kingyo. I admit I haven’t been to izakaya in a long while (Guu in Gastown last year, blogged here), I have been there for lunches (Guu with Garlic). While I know the lunch experience and the afterwork-”snack” experience is like day and night, at least such visit can give me a glimpse of what they can offer. With that in mind, I went to Wanoma Izakaya for lunch.
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Tagged as:
Izakaya,
Japanese,
Lunch,
Vancouver,
West End
Kitanoya Guu
375 Water St
Vancouver, BC V6B
I wonder how long has Guu been in Vancouver. What surprises me more though is that I have never been to one! When a group of ex-colleagues agreed on meeting after work and Guu was mentioned, I was all up for it. (On that note, some places refer it as “Guu with Otokomae” rather than Kitanoya Guu. Don’t ask what is the difference…)
We agreed on meeting in the Gastown location.
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Tagged as:
Izakaya,
Japanese,
Tapas,
Vancouver
