Vancouver Good

I tell everyone that Kingyo is the best izakaya in town and I still stand by this. Yes, all the Guu and Hapa locations are great, but for me Kingyo is the benchmark. When Kingyo opened a second location at Broadway & Fir,  snack bar Suika, I was stoked. Kingyo food without having to drive to Denman Street? Score!

I finally got to Suika last week and it’s great. Kingyo is still better (and always will be, as long as their seared saba pressed sushi is on the menu), but Suika is a more casual and better priced sister restaurant that I expect to frequent regularly.

The yummy factor:

- Pressed toro and avocado sushi. Toro on its own is buttery and fresh. Pressed down with avocado it melts on your tongue and is even more delicious.

- Beef filet & garlic fried rice. Tender cubes of beef tossed with rice and lots of crispy fried garlic. Satisfying, but you definitely need gum after this one.

- Plum marinated Ika Karaage – Loved the plum marinate, give the Ika a delicious flavour. The breading on the squid was a bit greasy and texture tough…but still tasty. Would probably try the chicken next time

- Tofu salad – Cold tofu, fresh greens, tasty sweet and spicy dressing. Tofu can be good.

- Agedashi tofu – comes with two big pieces of crispy fried shrimp, all sitting in a warm sauce for dipping

A fun room too – dark lighting, a projector playing on the bar wall, a fun sake/booze bottle chandelier, and open kitchen.

You can go to Suika for a quick bite or  spend an evening with a group of friends. Most izakayas are located downtown, so Suika is a welcome restaurant just across the bridge. It’s also near the Arts Club Theatre and a great spot for dinner before a show.

Suika
1626 West Broadway (@ Fir), Vancouver
604 730 1678