I didn’t think this day would come…but it did. Building on the success of their first Hapa Izakaya (www.hapaizakaya.com) on Robson Street (opened in 2003), Justin and Lea Ault opened their doors in the ever-chilled Kitsilano mecca (my own backyard!) in May 2007.
In fact, Kitsilano residents should immediately recognize their location at 1516 Yew Street – the former co-ordinates of the Urban Well. You know, ‘that lounge/restaurant place just off Cornwall where Robin Williams and Brett Butt used to frequent on Tuesday nights for improv comedy’.
In my view, Hapa Izakaya has re-defined customer service when it comes to the restaurant experience. What do I mean by that? Well, from the second you walk in, you are greeted not only by a gracious host (which is oftentimes Justin himself – a truly passionate proprietor and great guy to talk to) but by an absolutely ridiculously loud (in a good kinda way) Japanese welcome from the staff (from servers, to cooks, to whoever else is around that knows Japanese). But wait, there’s more!
Once you’ve gotten over the initial shock of being received like a modern day rock star, you will undoubtedly be taken aback by the super chic décor – the dimly lit, minimalistic Japanese style that has defined them.
In fact, I liked it so much that in my most recent condo renovation (which just so happened to be going on at the same time as Hapa was opening), I attempted to incorporate the same zen-like feeling, except, I don’t serve food. Guess what? – it worked, huge!
And now, getting down to brass tacks – how’s the food? In a word – simple. You’ll find that the menu at the Kits location is largely the same as the mother ship on Robson. Regardless, the food is absolutely stunning (if food can be called stunning) because it not only looks great but will have your taste buds in party mode.
Hapa’s tapas-sized dishes are not going to break anyone’s bank account either – price range from about $7 to $8 on average. My staples include the Renkon Gyoza and the Ebi Mayo…you can’t go wrong with these two powerhouse dishes!
To round out your meal, be sure to order cold sake as well; we always do. Aside from arriving at your table chilled to the extreme (I didn’t know you could get things this cold), it’s presented in a bamboo serving ‘device’ (with mini bamboo cups, of course) which, along with the food and service you receive, will have you wanting to learn Japanese when you leave.
If you are after a truly unique Japanese fusion experience, Hapa Izakaya has got this market nailed!
Irasshaii!
darren
T&D Rating: 5 plates (out of 5)
I agree. Hapa Izakaya on Yew is all that you said and more. It is has an unassuming entrance. Dark wooden tables & chairs are outside that lead to what you might think is a small restaurant inside. But once your in, it opens up into a spacious, beautifully lit area. What an exciting place to dine. They greet you like you’re a returning Roman conqueror with all the accompanying rewards. Then, everyone throughout the evening, treats you like they’ve known you since Caesar was a Cowboy. The lighting is warm and low with simple, comfortable but chic Japanese chairs & tables. The food is great. To get you really in the Japanese dining mood, I recommend that you order Saki. It is served chilled in a bamboo carafe with bamboo cups - very cool.
it’s a cool place for sure… I like their patio and the fact that you can order little bits of food at a time. I’ve been there about 3 or 4 times now, and I’ve never had a bad experience.
Been a long fan of the old Hapa on Robson but I hadn’t been to it in a long time. Popped by a few weeks ago expecting the worst (sequels generally suck) but was surprised on how good the food was. The place definitely showed the money was well spent. Originally the restaurant was supposed to open a lot sooner after a few minor renos on the Urban well site. After a short while the owners decided to gut the place and restart which is what we see.
More surprising is how well their service is. Vancouver has had a lot of high profile new restos open this summer. Between the great economy and the new openings it’s been really hard to hire and keep good wait staff.
I’ll have to give Hapa Izakaya a try. If you like the Japanese tapas, give Ichiro Japanese Restaurant a try in the Steveston area in Richmond. Yesterday evening, I was there with my wife and another empty nester couple and we totally enjoyed the multitude of Japanese cuisine. The wives settled on some Bento type set boxed dinners with not your average fare. My wife’s dinner included a Miso mackeral. YUMMMM. (always have my chopsticks ready to try what my wife orders)
My buddy and I decided to order a number of the specials (among them a braised beef tendon with mushrooms and seaweed, miso steamed mussels in sake, a teppan thinly sliced beef tongue with sweet onion), and our favorites which included a dish of ginger soy marinated chunks of tuna and salmon called Ichiro Zuke and aptly named Maki roll called the Steveston.
Worth the trip to Steveston.
First I want to say that I really want to like Happa Izakaya but they keep preventing that from happening! I will say, the food is good and I love the drinks there. However, I have never experienced the great service people are referring to. I have been to the one in Kits a few times and no one has ever greeted me enthusiastically. As a former server, I also have to say, my servers have always been far from attentive. One time I had to ask who our server was after about fifteen minutes of being ignored. I don’t consider that good service. This is too bad because it has all the ingredients you find in a good restaurant, but somehow doesn’t come together quite right for me. Perhaps I will give it one more try.
when are they going to get their website going?