THIS RESTAURANT HAS CHANGED LOCATIONS Hapa Izakaya Awards

THIS RESTAURANT HAS CHANGED LOCATIONS Hapa Izakaya Restaurant Review:

Opened in 2003 by Justin Ault, a Japanese-Canadian, and his wife Lea, this spot inspired a new wave of Japanese dining and a reinterpretation of traditional izakaya pub food. As with any izakaya worth its saké, Hapa is crowded, lively, and home to dynamic clientele and fast-paced servers. Creative small plates incorporating local ingredients are the order of the day. Tuck into the bintoro, lightly seared albacore tuna sashimi with ponzu sauce, mackerel blow-torched tableside, and ika grilled squid with saké-soy-garlic marinade. Spicy pork ishi-yaki brings rice, minced pork, garlic sprouts, egg, tomato, lettuce and spicy miso together in a hot stone bowl. Rice bowl fans enjoy pressing the rice mixture against the sizzling stone bowl to maximize its toasty tidbits. Oyster risotto with its vegetables, mozzarella and miso cream broth is pure comfort food, while the Hapa poutine of braised beef, cheddar curds, beef gravy and tater tots presents Japanese-Canadian goodness. Sweets are not overlooked, so try the cheese tofu or the chocolate parfait. Attentive, warm service and expanding bar offerings, plus a comprehensive saké list, make this a top izakaya experience in town. Other locations.