Shu Raku

http://www.shuraku.net/

So we just landed in Vancouver and it was only 10pm there, so we decided to not stay in on our first night - especially as this place was a 15min walk from our hotel. On top of that it was highly recommended by a colleague and furthermore re-enforced by Urbanspoon

APPEARANCE
yellow-green color with hints of gold
Granville with its neon reflections off the wet paving was quite gorgeous and this little place, was also adding to all the life on the street.

NOSE
crisp, some floral nuances
So we entered and were quickly sat. Perhaps too quickly to take a good look at the natural curving wood counter or the adorable line of lamps with wooden sticks. So the second part of the restaurant, the back long room, is where the late-night snackers were lead to. There was an easy vibe, with spanish-sounding music (rather out of place), a blank lit-up wall on one side and an illuminating sushi bar on the other.

SWIRL

yellow plum, honey melon

The long menus came along with their playful-traditional wordmark everywhere, but most elegantly placed on the black chopsticks pockets. Our waiter was great. A Japanese guy who spoke with a Brit accent. He squat down to speak to us coming to our height - very polite. Due to our interest but lack of Sake knowledge we went with the Hot Sake Flight -  2 kinds of sake of the day. Cheri was curious to try their Beef Asparagus and I was really craving a Volcano Roll. I asked for his roll recommendations, he talked about the Roulette Roll which we decided to give a go the second time around.

PALATE
balanced, delicate, supple
The Sakes came in their traditional clay thermoses keeping them warm, and right in front there were little laminated coasters of taste notes on the back, whoa.. it is like wine/whiskey. One was Yuki Hotaru (Niigata): off-dry, light, refreshing, crisp and floral on the nose. The next one was Kagatobi Gokkan Jaumai (Ishikawa): full-bodied, with delicate flavours of nuts and tropical fruits. Both were lovely and easy to sip on. The Beef Asparagus came, elegantly presented, barbecued and not overwhelming in any particular flavour. Next came out our bowl of Volcano Roll - covered with tempura flakes and dry crispy sticks coming out. As I dug in, the fresh tuna melted in my mouth while the red spicy sauce really heated me up. Last but not least, the Roulette Roll is definitely popular for more than its classy presentation - with a long line of black seaweed soy sauce and lotus root chips crowning the roll. To be honest, neither of us are anything close to scallops enthusiast, but I did not even feel it, it mixed beautifully with the tuna, onion, avocado, and cucumber parts.


FINISH
pleasant with a long finish
We lingered on, sipping our sake and nibbling on the gorgeously delicious dishes. We sank into this fusion of trendy and traditional from the interior and vibe to our waiter and the dishes. The victim of our great evening was one little clay sake cup, which managed to jump as we built a cup column.. but again it was dealt with graciously and quietly.
A must go-back-to place!




overall.. a charming Beaujolais Blanc