asian comfort food on a blustery day
hapa chicken salad
It had been a while since I last visited Hapa Izakaya. This Robson Street hotspot has been a favourite of mine since moving to this fair city and back then, it was the place to go for innovative Japanese tapas – also known as izakaya.
So when a former roommate invited me out for dinner along with his girlfriend on a blustery Monday in March, I jumped at the chance to revisit an old favourite.
The ambiance is still warm and inviting, with beautiful Japanese Canadian women and men shouting (what I assume is) “welcome!” in Japanese as you walk in. But even for a Monday, the place was not as packed as I remembered.
Nonetheless, the familiar favourites were still there – like warm facecloths to wipe your hands as you sat down. We sat in the lower level, near the bar, and it felt like the March coldness had crept inside.
I was a little apprehensive about meeting for dinner – not because I hadn’t seen my friend in a while, but because I was three days away from finishing the Wild Rose D-Tox. This meant that I wasn’t supposed to eat anything containing yeast (including soy sauce), sugar or a whole variety of other seemingly random foods. And the only thing worse than dining out while on a cleanse… hmm… let me get back to you on that one.
I decided to only slightly break my diet, mostly because if I stuck with it, I would only be able to eat edamame. My friend and I split the tuna carpaccio, ishi-yaki, and beef yakiniku, while his girlfriend ordered the Hapa chicken salad.
The tuna carpaccio came first and did not disappoint. The fish was buttery soft and fresh as can be. The yuzu sauce had a slight bite to it and was a perfect compliment to the silky tuna.
beef yakiniku
The beef yakiniku was next, which was AAA beef lightly seared and marinated with garlic and salt. It was so simple, but so delicious. I can’t say that I’ve had a lot of seared beef that melts in your mouth, but this was so tender and juicy, I could have eaten the whole plate.
My friend’s girlfriend’s Hapa chicken salad came out next and was a sight to behold. Organic greens were pilled mile high with sliced teriyaki breast and drizzled with a light soy dressing. The sweet chicken blended nicely with the salty dressing, but left a bit of a “pool” in the bottom of the bowl. Nonetheless, if you’re hungry, this would be a great dish to order.
The ishi-yaki has always been a favourite of mine. I ordered it the first time I came to Hapa and I think I have ordered it almost every time since. It’s served in a Korean hot stone bowl brimming with rice, minced pork, flower chives, egg, tomato, lettuce and spicy miso. The server then beats the hell out of it at your table while you wait for a few minutes for the flavors to meld.
This is the ultimate Vancouver comfort food – warm, spicy, and a little like an Asian risotto.
My trip back to Hapa Izakaya was just like my visit with my old friend – no real surprises, but a good reminder of why we became friends in the first place.
Hapa Izakaya Robson
1479 Robson Street
Vancouver | BC
604.689.4272
Hapa Izakaya Kitsilano
1516 Yew Street
Vancouver | BC
604.738.4272
