Suika - Vancouver, BC

I've wanted to come here so many times but either the wait has been too long or the wait was WAY too long.  Well, just a regular afternoon and Mr. Piglet and I are in the area and there doesn't seem to be a wait outside.  The perfect storm!  In we go (irasshaimase!!!) and we're seated right away.  Excellent!

I like the comfy seating, electric ambiance and hipster/chic decor in here.  There's a bar for those who like bar seating and a great Japanese bottle chandelier in the middle of the dining area.  We take a seat and wait impatiently for our food...

Salad

This just arrived at our table...  not sure what it's for or what we ordered to get it but it's refreshing and tasty.  I love Japanese salad dressings because they're more tart in flavour and refreshes the palate better.

Smoked Tuna Tataki - $6

Great piece of tuna and I think the searing is perfect but this lacked flavour, even with the homemade chill oil.  There needs to be more spice to make this stand out.

My Ebi Mayo - $7.80

Great battering that wasn't mushy at all and Mr. and I like that the pieces aren't drowning in mayo like we've had at other places.  Overall, it's ebi mayo - deep fried tiger prawns so who wouldn't like it??  

The Hellz Chicken Set - $10.80

"Are you sure you want it?  It's VERY spicy!" - server
Well, now that you've said that, we have to try it!  First bite, it's sweet with a bit of spices...  and then it slowly builds on your tongue and BAM!  You're in the midst of a five alarm fire in the mouth!  If you like spice and crunchy chicken, this is the dish for you but if you're sensitive to spicy foods, stay away.  Mr. Piglet, who generally really enjoys the heat, had to eat a lot of rice, take a lot of time and drink a lot of water whilst eating this dish.  I also liked that despite all of the sauce, the chicken was still crunchy and there wasn't much grit - just good ole pieces of deep fried chicken.  The accompanying miso soup was a bit too salty for my liking though.  

Miso Ramen - $9.80

Oh the ramen...  Ramen is the perfect food for a cold and windy day like today.  It tastes good but somehow it doesn't tickle as much as other ramens have.  The broth is a bit thinner and there isn't as much pork flavour as other ramens we've had, the portions aren't as large and I found that most of the meat was too fatty and inedible.  However, whatever edible meat was available is absolutely tender and delicious.  In the scale of ramens, it comes in tied for second place.

Mr. Piglet and I would come back to this place if we were in the area - the food was pretty good and most of all the ambiance was quite electric and energetic.  A great place for a gathering for your peeps and to try a variety of dishes izakaya-style.  But beware what you order because it can get pricey!  Bon appetite!

 Oinks:

• Pretty good food
• Service was very friendly
• Great variety of dishes

Doinks:

• Can get pricey since the portion size is a bit smaller - think tapas-style
• Long waits during prime dining hours