Coal Harbour newcomer, Irashai Grill, is located on the ground level of a nondescript condo that’s easy to miss if you’re driving by, like most people. However, if you’re looking for top quality Japanese food with innovative French and Italian hooks, you may just want to stop by instead.
Irashai Grill
1368 West Pender Street | Vancouver
Tel: 604.688.8697
Email: info@irashaigrill.com
www.irashaigrill.com
Hours of Operation:
Lunch: Monday – Saturday, 11:30 am – 2:30 pm
Dinner: Monday – Thursday, 5:30 pm – 10 pm; Friday – Saturday, 5:30 pm – 11 pm
The Team:
Executive Head Chef | Ikoma Kenjiro
General Manager | Ray Mok
Beer: draught Lighthouse Beacon IPA, Race Rocks Amber; bottled Asahi, Kirin, Sapporo, Canadian, Coors Light, Kokanee.
Cocktail: eight cocktails, some with an Asian twist, e.g. Litchi Whisky Sour, Mango Cosmo, Sake Martini, Yuzu Crush.
Sake: 15 sakes, ranging in quality from Honjozoshu to Dai-ginjoshu and in size from 200ml to 720ml; two shochus.
Wine: 12 red, 13 white — a mixture of Old and New World; one champagne, one spumante.
The room is split down the middle with the bar on one side and a more formal dining area on the other, extending to the kitchen. This allows for flexible dining. If you’re wanting to gather with a group of friends and socialize over a variety of dishes, a banquette in the bar would suit just fine. Looking for a nibble while heading too or from home? A pit stop at the bar for a drink and a small plate would do the trick.
For a more formal dining experience with multiple courses, a table opposite the bar area may be more appropriate. In addition to appetizers, salads, sashimi, sushi, and tempura, there are larger plates from the grill or stovetop. There is also an Omakase option where you can let Chef Kenjiro prepare a special meal of his own creation, which may look something like:
^ Japanese Sea Scallop Salad.
^ Tataki-style Big Eye Tuna with ponzu sauce.
^Tempura: lobster tail, eggplant, Japanese mint, and Shiitake with lime and smoked sea salt.
^Mr. Green Roll: asparagus, avocado, mango, spinach.
^Vegan-friendly vegetable roll with mango.
^Tataki-style Duck Breast with asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, and the chef’s secret sauce.
^ A Japanese twist on a French classic: Macha Crème Brulée.
While many of these dishes are also available during lunch, there are 15 combination lunches for those who may not have time to linger over a slow food experience. Given the options, though, it will be hard not to.
Upcoming: Sake Sessions at Irashai Grill
Thursday, July 16, 6 – 8 pm
Gekkeikan, Kirin Beer, and Select Wines present a tasting evening with hors d’oeuvres created by Chef Ikoma Kenjiro. Gekkeikan will be pouring their premium sakes, including some special order items, such as Horin Junmai Daiginjo. Kirin will be offering Kirin Ichiban lager and their new Kirin Light. Guests will also be able to sample a special cocktail featuring Gekkeikan Plum Wine.
Tickets: $25 in advance, $30 at the door; e-mail info@irashaigrill.com or call 604.688.8697
~ RG
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Simply LOVE this place. Takes the ambience of some of the funnest spots in the city and add food that is always fresh and served up creatively. I’m lucky enough to live around the corner. One of the top five spots in my rotation for sure!
Somebody there has a sense of humour because they have a big tanuki statue on the bar to greet you. Screw the manake-neko.
great review and great pictures, rick!
Do ask if they have snapper sashimi with basil and olive oil available – one of my all-time favourite dishes.
These owners started out many years ago with the still-packed Irashai Grill in Kerrisdale – less snazzy, but very popular sushi joint.
they are a little pricey…55$ a ticket. But the food looks good and like you said: very fancy. i like more the simple restaurants…they have more authentic food
Depends on what you mean by authentic, Xavier. The chef is Japanese from Tokyo with decades of kitchen experience. He’s also had some French and Italian training. So rather than offer the classics, he’s trying to do something different. I would still call it Japanese food, but not necessarily traditional.
lauraf – Tai Carpaccio (snapper) is on the menu! It’s served with an herb oil, spicy red pepper yuzu sauce (per the website). I’ve had it and it is delish! I only end up paying about $35 for myself (w/out drinks) so it can definitely be done reasonably priced.
Jamie you’ll appreciate the Tanuki, as I did, once you get a sense of it’s place in the culture and it’s role as a ’spirit of hospitality’ or ‘god of restaurateurs’.
They can often be found outside of pubs and bars in Japan, and are notable for their rather large testicles, named Kinkbukuro, or ‘money bags’.
Holding a sake bottle in one hand, and a promisary note (for the bill it never pays) is how these statues are normally depicted, and are said to bring good luck to the host.
The real Tanuki is a type of dog, but is often mistaken for a badger or a racoon, due to it’s stature and coloring.
Google it for some fascinating Japanese folklore, you won’t be disappointed.
Once you get a bit into the history you’ll see that the tanuki statue is a tremendously appropriate guest on their bartop.
Thanks for this post Rick.
I walk by Irashai Grill a couple times a week and keep meaning to pop in.
We’ll definitely be trying it out on one of our Friday sushi nights.