UPDATED – BUSINESS HAS CLOSED

622 West Pender Street, Vancouver

Tel: 604-336-5563

Web: http://gyozabar.ca/

Twitter: @GyozaBarRamen

Advice: No Reservations, put your name on the list and come back for your table.

Elevating the bar, Aburi Restaurants who own this restaurant went about creating a bit of a twist on the traditional gyoza and ramen while raising the bar above many of the more traditional restaurants offering these popular dishes. The room invokes an urban and rustic-elegant feel with its polished concrete, live edge maple, and BC pine beetle wood that complement the existing and timeless brick walls. Part of the kitchen is open to encourage guests to sit at the bar and see their food be prepared. A peek-a-boo window allows those interested to watch fresh ramen be prepared.

My friend Sheryl was visiting the city and she joined me for dinner, I started off with the refreshing Orchard Fizz non-alcohol Cocktail made with Yuzu-fig jam, apple juice and soda. We shared the delicious Miso Tofu Salad ($9.50), followed by their signature Teppan Gyoza ($8) an order of 7 (you can get a larger order as well) filled with Fraser Valley Pork served in a cast iron pan.

The Miso Beef Short Rib Gyoza ($12.50) crispy with feta, cherries, mushrooms, and zucchini, this preparation was outstanding and is the best gyoza I have had here yet.  I then had the Free Range Chicken Broth Ramen with awasa triple miso ($14) while Sheryl had the same Free Range Chicken Broth Ramen with Mediterranean salt ($13.50), the version I went with was richer in flavour. The ramen noodles are handcrafted in-house using a special ramen-making machine and the broths are made from scratch with all-natural flavours and without any MSG.

For dessert we shared two of them, the Ricotta Crepe ($8) with yuzu-fig jam, and yogurt sorbet and Yuzu Komichi ($8) with cactus pear granita.

You will find sake on tap, along with cocktails, beer and wine. I can’t wait to return for more of the Miso Beef Short Rib Gyoza.

Review by: Richard Wolak

Vancouver, BC V6G 2S3, Canada