The 14th annual Taste of Yaletown presented by the Yaletown Business Association is now on until October 28 with 25 participating restaurants offering innovative pairings, and special menus at set prices of $25, $35, and $45. Hapa Izakaya is presenting a $35 menu for this year’s festival. I had the opportunity to try out a variety of their menu items.
$35 TASTE OF YALETOWN MENU
FIRST COURSE
ALBACORE TATAKI
lightly seared Albacore tuna sashimi with a citrus dressing. Served with raw onions, fried onions and mint leaves
or
BEEF YUKKE
thinly sliced AAA Angus beef, quail egg yolk, sweet soy sauce, garlic chips, green onions. Served with sliced cucumber and seaweed.
or
VEGETABLE TARTARE
layered trio of beets, butternut squash, avocado with apple jam and teriyaki-yuzu sauce. Served with wonton chips.
SECOND COURSE
KAARAGE WRAP
deep fried boneless chicken, shoestring potatoes, avocado, pickled purple cabbage, lettuce, nori with wasabi mayo wrapped in a flour tortilla.
or
PRAWN SHINJO AGEDASHI
deep fried minced prawn and cod balls in a sweet soy broth. Topped with grated daikon, nori and green onions.
or
KABOCHA KOROKKE
panko breaded pumpkin and mozzarella. Served with lotus root chips, sour cream and teriyaki-balsamic sauce.
THIRD COURSE
OYSTER MOTOYAKI
oyster with enoki, shiitake and kale. Baked in a Japanese-style gratin, topped with mozzarella. Served with thinly sliced baguettes.
or
TOFU TSUKUNE BALLS
vegetarian friendly. Tofu, shiitake, lotus root and onions. Served with Brussels sprouts, baby carrots, cauliflower and dengaku miso sauce.
or
KAKUNI
seared pork belly, simmered in sweet-ginger soy. Served with agitama and karashi
What I Tried
For my Taste of Yaletown dinner at Hapa Izakaya, I went with all vegetarian selections.
VEGETABLE TARTARE
This was a sweet and tangy appetizer where you could enjoy the vegetables with crispy, wonton chips.
KABOCHA KOROKKE
The filling of the croquette was pipping hot and tasty. The mozzarella was a nicely melted and blended well with the pumpkin. The lotus root chips added a fun textural contrast to the dish and balanced out the heaviness of the deep fried croquette.
TOFU TSUKUNE BALLS
Unfortunately, this was not my favourite course of the evening. I think the mashed up tofu made for an unappetizing texture in the mouth.
Hapa Izakaya
Address: 1193 Hamilton St, Vancouver, BC
Website: hapaizakaya.com
Check out other Taste of Yaletown 2018 posts: