Suika Snackbar

Front: Yuzu Shirley Temple (white)
Back: Honey Shirley Temple (yellow)
(Click photo to enlarge)

Suika Snackbar | $$-$$$
(W. Broadway x Fir)
1626 West Broadway, Vancouver
(604) 730-1678
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Claim to Fame 
Japanese izakaya, mixed drinks, shared tapas, fresh sheet.

Plus
Delicious food, daily specials, good drinks, beautiful decor, natural lighting, open concept, meticulous washrooms, lively staff.

Minus
Overwhelming menu, rushed sentiment, some items over-priced.

Quick Picks
My recommendations go to the "shake" salad, the frozen creme brulees, and the bibimbap. The octopus was tasty as well, but the grilled duck and tuna tartare were a bit lacklustre.

Nothing follows a lazy day at the beach better than a cool drink and fresh grub. On one of the busiest restaurant nights of the year, my friend and I snagged reservations at Suika Snackbar, Kingyo Izakaya's little sister. We packed up at the beach and made our way to Suika for a 5:30 dinner seating. We waited with a throng of eager diners until the host began to shout out names and seat parties. We were politely informed as we sat down that we would need to leave by 7PM. We were handed multiple menus to whet our appetite. The selection was exciting and overwhelming. It seemed that some items were repeated on the different menus, and it was difficult to keep track of our options. We were also given a lunch menu, which was quickly replaced once they realized their mistake. My friend and I each ordered a non-alcoholic beverage, a honey Shirley Temple for her and a yuzu one for me. My drink had a fizzier, citrus taste, while my friend's drink had a natural honey flavour, which she claimed complemented her meal.

Top L-R: Tuna tartare, sashimi "shake" salad
Centre: Matcha frozen brulee
Bottom L-R: Octopus, bibimbap, grilled duck
(Click photo to enlarge)

We settled on five items, in order to leave room for dessert. We began with a sashimi "shake" salad, followed by grilled duck, fresh octopus slices,* braised beef bibimbap,* and tuna tartare with garlic bread.* As we munched on our items, a server came by to do "last call" for us. We realized we had only about 30 minutes until 7PM and quickly ordered dessert. We attempted to scarf down the rest of our meal and strategically finished the raw items, but still had half the tuna tartare and bibimbap to pack up when our matcha and vanilla* frozen creme brulees arrived. The server picked up our plates and left us our bill. We scarcely paused to admire our desserts before efficiently dividing those between us.

With 5 minutes to go until 7PM, a server stopped by and told us we could stay until 7:30. We both noticeably slowed down, but I continued to feel hurried as new tables sat down around us. My friend and I waited to pay during this turnover period, and each asked for $5 change. The server scrutinized our bill before agreeing. She seemed cross, rather than confused. Our total bill was approximately $55 before tax, and approximately $62 after tax. What are your thoughts on leaving an $8-$10 tip on the amount before tax in our situation?

*Items from special menu, not always available