nom nom foody.

These are restaurants that you dream about for years to come.

Japanese izakayas are traditionally little drinking houses which offer substantially better food than your local bar. If you're lucky enough to have one in your neighbourhood, please take a night to give it a try - izakayas have an atmosphere like no other restaurant. Back when I was still living in Vancouver and working until eleven in the evening, my work friends and I would look for a place to wind down and eat. Guu, a hideaway Japanese izakaya in downtown Vancouver, was one of them.

For those that get the chance to visit Vancouver (or already have the privilege of living there!), I highly recommend Guu. This little izakaya is tucked away on the corner of Robson and Thurlow Street (also home to the Starbucks coffee houses which face kitty-corner to each other). The exterior looks surprisingly unpromising; inside, however, is a friendly, casual atmosphere with tasty food that won't break your wallet. Guu is a restaurant that we have on our must-visit list whenever we're able to visit Vancouver. Try out their Calpico soda and kimchi fried rice!

On the east coast, our izakaya cravings have been appeased by the discovery of Yakitori Boy. A restaurant located on the outskirts of Chinatown in downtown Philadelphia, they also have a sushi bar for those who are adventuring into Japanese food. Their upstairs level promises karaoke, with the option of embarrassing yourself with your friends in a private room.


The restaurant's specialty - yakitori! - came out piping hot and delicious. I had read reviews that had stated otherwise, but each bite was wonderful. They have selections such as squid, chicken, asparagus, and other meats and vegetables, and the staff is more than understanding if you have a higher-than-normal squick factor. I took the more risky move of ordering smelt and chicken liver, while Ben decided to have quail egg wrapped in bacon. Smelt is rare to find in Philadelphia, so I'm extremely pleased to have found somewhere that makes it - and prepared well, too!

We also tried their sushi bar - one of their off-menu specials was a sushi roll with black pepper seared tuna and avocado, topped with salmon, yellowtail, tempura flakes, and four different kinds of caviar. Each bite was a subtle explosion of textures and flavours. That was accompanied by a spider roll (soft-shell crab and avocado, topped with scallion and spicy mayonnaise) and an avocado salad. While we didn't explore their drinks menu too thoroughly, I had an iced green tea which was smoky and refreshing.

If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend that you stop by and give it a go. I know this is a place that I'll be taking my friends to, if they ever get the urge to sing a few songs!

Guu Thurlow
838 Thurlow Street
Vancouver B.C. V6E 1W2

Yakitori Boy
211 North 11th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107