Suika Snack Bar is celebrating their 11th anniversary with a special Wagyu menu! Until October 3, they will be featuring 5 very special Wagyu forward dishes. Suika Snack Bar located in the Fairview area of Vancouver is a classic izakaya favourite. They serve up a variety of small Japanese tapas to go with their excellent selection of sake and cocktails. One of the must try items is the Suika stone grill wagyu that you can cook by yourself at your table.
Suika has always been a personal favourite of mine. When I was younger I was never a huge fan of sashimi. I had a terrible first experience when I was a kid and since then I avoided sashimi like the plague. However, in my first year of university I had dinner at Suika with a friend and that was the moment I fell in love with sashimi. As such, Suika will always have a soft spot in my heart. I am so happy to celebrate their 11th anniversary with them!
What is A5 Wagyu?
Japanese A5 Wagyu is one of the world’s most premium cuts of beef. It is known for its incredibly buttery texture as a result of rich fat marbling throughout the beef. Japanese A5 Wagyu beef is the pinnacle of luxury and is such a premium and rare ingredient in Vancouver.
What is an Izakaya?
An ‘izakaya’ is a casual dining Japanese bar that serves alcoholic drinks and small plates. Izakayas have a loud and boisterous atmosphere. When you enter an izakaya you will always be hear a cheerful “Irrashaimase!”.
Suika – 11th Anniversary Special Menu
The 11th Anniversary Special Menu at Suika features a plethora of incredible ingredients. From wagyu, otoro and uni, there is no shortage of luxury on this menu. The stand out dishes for me are:
- A5 Japanese Wagyu Yakiniku BBQ
- Wagyu, Otoro & Uni Supreme Bowl
- Kinako Tiramisu
While the entire menu is outstanding, these dishes really took it to the next level.
Suika 11th Anniversary Menu – A5 Japanese Wagyu Yakiniku BBQ Wagyu
The A5 Japanese Wagyu Yakiniku BBQ Wagyu ($75.00) is a must try experience. This is your chance to try DIY BBQ table side featuring A5 Miyazaki Wagyu! The staff will bring a super hot grilling stone to your table and you can grill your own A5 wagyu slices.
The marbling on the beef is unbelievable! However, you need to be careful when grilling because of the fat from the beef there is a lot of splatter. The beef was literally melt in your mouth tender. It quite literally melts in your mouth like butter. But it is so rich, so I would definitely recommend sharing it with a few friends.
Suika 11th Anniversary Menu – Wagyu, Otoro & Uni Supreme Bowl
The Wagyu, Otoro & Uni Supreme Bowl ($48.00) features wagyu steaks, uni, and bluefin otoro belly on top of premium sushi rice. It is then topped with ikura and tobiko. This bowl is the definition of luxury. If there is one sushi donburi you need in your life this is the one you need to try. It was so rich and flavourful and I wish I could eat it again!
All the different components just work together without overpowering each other. The otoro was so buttery and melt in your mouth. The ikura was the perfect salty component that made sure the fattiness of the tuna and wagyu didn’t overwhelm your palate.
Suika 11th Anniversary Menu – Salad, Rice & Noodles and Desserts
The rest of the special 11th Anniversary Menu all showcase Wagyu in some way (sans the dessert!). The Wagyu & Mentai Caesar Salad ($16.80), A5 Japanese Wagyu Sukiyaki Udon ($38.00) and Wagyu Sukiyaki Bibimbap ($20.80). Of all the desserts my favourite was the Kinako Tiramisu ($6.80).
The Wagyu & Mentai Caesar Salad features a romaine wedge with wagyu roast beef and a mentai flavoured caesar dressing. The dressing is packed full of flavour with a hint of sea brine saltiness from the mentai. The soft boiled egg yolk adds an unctuous layer to a rich salad.
The Wagyu Sukiyaki Bibimbap features lightly torched wagyu beef slices in a hot stone bowl with sukiyaki sauce, truffle slices, tofu, green onions and mushrooms. The aroma of truffle surrounds you the moment this sizzling bowl hits the table. Make sure you press the rice against the sides of the bowl after mixing for some extra crispy bits!
The tiramisu box features a rich mascarpone cream, brown sugar syrup and a healthy dusting of kinako powder on top.
Worth a Try?
Absolutely! Suika is by far one of my favourite izakayas in Vancouver, and their 11th anniversary menu is not to be missed! This is your chance to try authentic wagyu beef at a good price. This menu is only on until October 3rd, so make your reservations today.