Located in the heart of Gastown, Oku Izakaya is a relatively new Japanese bar offering up an authentic Japanese dining experience with a modern twist. Oku Izakaya serves up a variety of Japanese tapas dishes with a modern twist as well as a huge selection of their signature ‘temaki sushi’. This small restaurant has a cozy dining vibe, a fun ambiance that is good for gatherings with a few friends or a casual date. Oku Izakaya Gastown is a must try for your next visit in Vancouver.
Oku Izakaya Gastown – Otsumami (Small Sides)
To start off our meal we had a selection of Otsumami. Otsumami are simple dishes or snacks to accompany alcoholic beverages. We tried:
- Spicy Root Vegetable Kimpira Stir-fry with Chili Oil and Sesame ($6.90)
- Yellowtail with Wa-Chimichurri Sauce ($17.90)
- Spiced Chicken Karaage ($15.90)
- Smoked Black Cod ($27.90)
I adore kinpira so whenever I see it on a menu, I need to order it here. The version here features lotus root, bamboo shoots and daikon radish. Unlike the traditional preparation where the ingredients are shredded, they are served in large chunks here. The sauce was really flavourful, and the vegetables all had a nice crunch.
Next we got the Yellowtail with Wa-Chimichurri sauce. The menu describes it as a herby spicy seared hamachi but do note that the hamachi is definitely sashimi style (raw). I think this is one of my favourite dishes I have had this year. The chimichurri sauce is so bright and refreshing and there hamachi is fresh with the perfect firm texture. Combining the two together is such a great idea and I think this dish exemplifies what Oku Izakaya is about.
The Spiced Chicken Karaage came highly recommended so of course we had to get it. This is described as ‘Nagoya Style’. These are boneless chicken bites that were very moist and flavourful. The sauce was slightly sticky sweet with hints of garlic and ginger. The pickled onions on the side were great to break up the heaviness of the dish. I really like this dish!
The Smoked Black Cod is from their features and it was melt in your mouth tender. It comes with two large collar pieces and the meat is very flavourful with a strong soy flavour.
Oku Izakaya Gastown – Signature Temaki Sushi (Cone Sushi)
We couldn’t leave Oku Izakaya without trying some of their signature Temaki Sushi. Although Temaki sushi is ‘cone sushi’, I see these more as open handrolls. There are 12 flavours to choose from and we tried quite a few.
- OKU Temaki Sushi
- Shoyu Marinated Tuna with Oba Leaf ($5.90)
- Seared King Salmon ($6.90)
- Shrimp Tempura with Unagi ($6.90)
- Ikura with Sea Urchin ($10.90)
- Ikura ($6.90)
My favourites were definitely the Seared King Salmon, Ikura, and Shoyu Marinated Tuna with Oba Leaf. All the temaki have a crisp nori, not too much rice and a generous portion of toppings. The Ikura with Sea Urchin was the most expensive but I would probably not get it again because I couldn’t really taste the uni. I rather just get the Ikura one because that is the predominant flavour.
Worth a Try?
Yes! Oku Izakaya Gastown is such a cute Japanese izakaya in Vancouver. They are extremely busy so reservations are highly recommended. Oku Izakaya Gastown is available on OpenTable for reservations.
Do note, that Gastown is car free this summer in July and August. Water Street (from Richards to Cambie) is pedestrian only. And the two interior blocks from Cambie through Abbott and Carrall streets are ‘car light’. So I highly recommend taking transit to check out Oku Izakaya. It will be quite difficult to find parking or maneuver your car.
Oku Izakaya Gastown
Address: 2 Water Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 1A4
Website: https://okuizakayabar.com/