Sometimes you go to a restaurant because it’s your favorite place, and every time you’re in the area, you MUST go there, because it is AMAZING. Now if you have to drive over 180 miles to get there, do you go to the same place twice in a weekend, or do you take your chances on some place new that might become your next new favorite place? Kingyo in Vancouver is definitely a favorite, and The Daring Ronin and I did have to think long and hard about whether or not we wanted to have the invincible dan dan noodles again so soon with the taste still so fresh in our minds (one must savor the memory of the flavor!), but in the end, we opted to try something new: Guu Garlic Izakaya on the north end of Robson, not the original one on Thurlow, but their second shop in the downtown area.
pork belly in broth – with poached egg, daikon, and green onions. There’s nothing more satisfying then a lovingly braised pork belly full of fat and porky flavor mingling with a hint of sweetness, soaking up a pork broth. It’s like my mom’s spare rib broth, but with added sweetness and a glorious egg that added some creaminess to transform just plain broth to something more sophisticated. Add the mustard to cut the richness if you need it, but that’s what the green onions and daikon are for. This was one of my favorite dishes.
Hamachi belly – thick cuts of fatty Hamachi belly. This was amazing! There were so many cuts of beautiful sashimi coming from the kitchen I would have sworn this was a sushi house had I not already known it was an izakaya place.
grilled squid – as advertised, with just enough chew and snap without being rubbery and tough. It’s a whole squid and it’s not on a stick like the Chinese would do it! Think gigantic calamari in its purest form with just a touch of lemon.
chicken karage – crispy flash fried skin with juicy and tender dark meat, a little bit of heat from chili pepper flakes and the house sweet BBQ sauce. An excellent karage, even if it had bones in it.
fried garlic scallops – with bonito flakes; just cooked tender scallops topped with delicate bonito flakes and given an added touch of fried garlic chips just to make it interesting. This was a last minute audible that we decided to try, and I’m glad we did!
We came before the rush at 6pm on a Sunday and sat at the bar – perfect timing as the tiny restaurant filled up quickly soon after. It’s a high energy restaurant, even if it is contained in such a small space, with the wait staff loudly announcing all the orders in Japanese and the kitchen staff dutifully repeating it. Every table orders at least 5 dishes, you learn to channel their energy and watch the counter closely for the delicious dishes fabricated by the chefs. Everything looked good, and I had to stop myself from ordering additional serving of sashimi after seeing thick, brightly colored cuts of tuna continuously coming out of the kitchen.
I love how the place is unassuming and that they are not afraid to use bold flavors without becoming Asian fusion. My favorite dishes were the pork belly broth and the Hamachi belly. The way Guu Garlic combines flavors and cooks things perfectly makes it hard to resist. We ordered 5 dishes between the two of us and left happily satiated, with just enough room for bubble tea afterwards.
Overall, I really liked Guu Garlic. While it may not be Kingyo, it’s still a great place to go. Kingyo is a little more refined and has more dishes that amaze, but Guu is perfect for those lower key nights, and still sure to please.
SUMMARY
Overall: happily ever after
Highlights: pork belly broth, Hamachi belly
Footnotes: it is noisy with the wait staff constantly yelling orders; they do take reservations for parties of 4+; dishes arrive as they are done, so pace yourself appropriately and keep a menu in case you see something you want to order come off the kitchen counter; these are small plates, order a variety of dishes and share!