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Shuraku Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Japanese Japanese [Edit]
833 Granville StreetVancouver, BC V6Z
Neighbourhoods: Downtown, Granville Entertainment District
(604) 687-6622
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
57 reviews for Shuraku Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"The sushi is consistently good." In 22 reviews -
"Real-Crab California Roll: real dungeness crab." In 2 reviews -
"Plus the usuals of agedashi tofu, edmame, and tempura." In 10 reviews
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57 reviews in English
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Review from Andrea L.
Vancouver, BC
5/2/2012
delish delish delishhhh!!
I wasn't able to try out the real crab roll, but I had the volcano roll and it was SOO DELICIOUS!
The yakisoba was quite good too! Came on a hot plate and was well seasoned!
Will be back for more..stay tuned! -
Review from Janice F.
4/12/2012
A surprisingly good meal here! I pretty much dismiss anything within the heart of the "entertainment" Granville st district as possibly having good food, so this was a pleasant surprise.
Calming, dark, zen-like narrow restaurant with a few TV's that seem out of place.
As for the food - pricier, creative sushi rolls and standard izakaya menu items, they've got a daily special sheet as well.
Chicken karaage came with lots of juicy, big chunks of chicken - but no mayo, boo.
BBQ Whole squid was excellent - meaty, tender and lots of flavour, we got 2 orders of it. I wish the night market squids were as good as this.
BBQ Back Ribs - also very tender and juicy, a bit too salty but that's my fault for being overly enthusiastic with the sauce it comes with.
Enchanted Forest Roll - vegetarian, crunchy with eggplant tempura -
Review from Buzz B.
Vancouver, BC
3/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
Their menu is a little limited but I do appreciate their daily specials menu. I'd personally recommend you try their daily deserts. Presentation of their dishes is exquisite but in regards to tastes, it's just eh-okay. Portions are somewhat small for what you're paying for but then again, it is Downtown.
If anything, the reason I've gone here multiple times is for their ambiance. It has a bit of a fusion theme going on, very post-modern/oriental is as best as I can describe it. Jazzy lounge music playing in the back.
Definitely worth a visit or two for those of you who hasn't been before. -
Review from Jon J.
Vancouver, BC
5/26/2012
Hot Saturday afternoon, hungry, figured why not.
We were seated right away, the place had hardly any other patrons.
Once we were seated, that was the end of our service. We waited 15 mins and nothing. Our waiter came out and served a table that had been waiting longer then he disappeared again. No visit by anyone even to get us started with drinks or pour a glass of water.
We left without ordering and found a cheaper quicker sushi place on Davie (Yamato on Davie @ Seymour. Wide selection, low price, excellent quality!) and were very satisfied. -
Review from Trudi C.
3/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Stuck on Granville, too lazy to wander to Gastown, hungry. Ahh sushi, can never fail! And it certainly didn't disappoint, but didn't really thrill either. The prices are a little above what I pay at my absolute fave sushi restaurant (Hime Sushi!), and was in no way near as fresh or tasty. But hey, you're in the entertainment district, no real surprise.
Large supply of sake, and expensive too, but such lovely presentation. It does feel awful when you ask, 'Have you got anything cheaper?' Which they did, off menu. I just ordered an avocado roll and yam roll (plain I know), and it wasn't horrible, but it didn't exactly set the taste buds alight either.
Cool atmosphere in there, and we did secure a booth. People were all friendly enough, but I know too many other cool places to ever return. -
Review from Houng T.
Sunset, Vancouver, BC
5/7/2012
The restaurant is quite hidden even though it's on the Granville strip. I expected it to be a loud izakaya style restaurant like Guu, however, this place is quiet and subdue. The presentation for the food was amazing but the portions are quite small but the ingredients were fresh. This restaurant would fall under the higher end izakayas.
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Review from Rudolf P.
Vancouver, BC
4/26/2012
Place is going downhill. Still good: green string seaweed salad (exellent), puffy eggplant poppers - deep-fried, chopped scallop sushi nigiri, agedashi (deep fried tofu) OK. Lukewarm miso soup. We went in the afternoon.
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Review from Ellen L.
4/3/2012
I don't know man. After 3 visits, including lunch and dinner, I'm just not feeling this place. Everything about it is just alright. It's hard finding that interesting aspect about the restaurant to entice revisits. Menu offerings seem similar to every other generic Japanese restaurant in town. And you charge for tea? COME ON!!
Listed in: Lunching it up Downtown
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Review from Brittney C.
Vancouver, BC
1/25/2012
Based on sushi only.
This place is generally overpriced, and generic.
You pay more obviously because it's a sit down restaurant and it's in the entertainment dist. It wasn't like BAD but I won't go back again. -
Review from Tanya K.
4/9/2012
I was out of town and looking for a nice sushi bar to sit down at. This was recommended by someone at the hotel so I decided to try it out. Overall, decent experience but did not exceed my expecations. I sat at the sushi bar thinking it would be a friendly atmosphere where you can talk to the chef and they would serve you directly. This is not the case. It actually took quite some time to get my entire order from several different servers who brought it out. The fish was good quality and presentation was superb. If you're looking for a fun sushi bar vibe, this is not the place.
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Review from Niko D.
1/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
The restaurant is right in the entertainment disctrict on Granville
Upon entering there is nice décor and you get greeted by the traditional Japanese sushi fashion..Loud and all at once ha ha.. Its nice
We ordered a bunch of things off the menu. The hot sake is nice but a bit overpriced. I would opt not to pay 20 for a small Carafe when the same at Alpha Sushi down the street is 9.95!
Enchanted Forest Roll:
Very interesting and tasty roll! The textures, flavors and freshness really came out. A very well put together Roll! A must order.
Dynamite Roll:
Lots of crispy prawns, Good size. I like the authentic miso mayo they use to keep it together. The rolls are not Giantmongous either..makes it much more manageable to eat.
Pork Cutlet Donburi Bowl:
The bowl was pretty good. The meat was pretty tender but the batter was falling off. The egg and veggies went with the rice and sauce well!
Sukiyaki
This dish was spectacular, The veggies and meat was perfectly cooked. The meat was so so tender. The sauce..this was so nice a bit sweet but gosh gee darnit! What a sauce! I literally licked the bowl after being done. The ceramic bowl came fitted on a flamed warmer to keep the dish warm. What a nice touch! I was very impressed with this.
Overall, a great experience. I would definitely go here again. It was a touch pricy so I would stay away from the sake. I would rate it on par with Alpha Sushi. They both have excellent merrits!
Happy Eating Nom nom nom! -
Review from Michelle M.
Port Moody, BC
Seared tuna = WOW! Experience
We went prior to Kevin Smith "Red State" screening, and if it weren't for Kevin himself on the bill; I would have stayed longer.
The service, impeccable and the food divine. If you love sushi, and Granville St. Live the best of both worlds and stop there on you jaunt. -
Review from Kenneth E.
Vancouver, BC
12/25/2011
Guess after going to all of the Guu's, Gyoza King, Kingyo, etc., Shuraku is pretty much all the same. Probably a bit tougher than I should be, but nothing special, though still recommend it to others in the sense it's still worth checking out. I'll just stick to my favourites at the forementioned ones lol.
For example, I like my chicken karaage to come w/ the mayonnaise dipping sauce alas Gyoza King haha.
But I do recommend the deep fried spring rolls and the prawn gyoza, wrapped w/ a wonton-like thin shell, dipped in soya. And their kimchi udon was good.
also i don't recommend the server's (as well on the menu's "signature dish") suggestion of their BBQ spare ribs. It was a bit dry, and their 'special sauce' was ordinary..
Chicken knee--just plain.
Still an overall good atmosphere, trendy. -
Review from Antonia U.
Burnaby, BC
12/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
I notice Shuraku everytime I'm down on Granville and one day a friend and i decided to just try it, and we definitely didn't regret it. Every time since then, I've always enjoyed the food. I normally order the dish with a variety of nigiri sushi, and they are more than okay with substituting any of the fish (the cost of the dish will depend on which sushi you sub in). The fish is always so tender. From time to time I will try one of the salads, and they are usually tart but tasty.
The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. One time I brought out my Sustainable Sushi App on my phone and my server knew about it and offered to come back in a bit so I could go through the menu and the app. Also, the chefs often ask how the food is and offer a bit of small talk, much like the sushi places in Japan. -
Review from Yuhei M.
10/16/2011
I'm Japanese and I know my food
to be clear this place dose serve authentic Japanese food
cooked by Japanese chefs and served by Japanese servers.
however, the quality of food was disappointing...
rise was dry because they use lowest ranked rice...
fishes where not fresh. it smelt so fishy that I almost threw up...
the second nightmare is the architecture. the floor were so sensitive to foot steps that it made me VERY uncomfortable.
Amen -
Review from Nicole F.
10/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
I hadn't been here since... before it was Shuraku! I don't even remember what it used to be called.
Anyways, Lex B and I stopped here for dinner last night and had a pretty decent time. Our server Alex was adorable, and joked with us the whole time.
I ordered the Enchanted Forest Roll, which came with carrot, asparagus, avocado, and cucumber inside, and topped with eggplant tempura slices and some jalapeno slices. It was on top of miso mayo drizzle. Yum yum yum! It was a pricey roll at $9, but it was delicious and had the perfect crunch to it.
Unfortunately they were out of the Osaka Crouqettes that we wanted to share. We were a little disappointed but shared some Agedashi Tofu instead. It was alright, I don't have a whole lot to say about it.
The menu isn't very vegetarian friendly, and I didn't see Inari anywhere... I would come back if someone else wanted to, but I doubt it will ever be my first choice. -
Review from Jay B.
Vancouver, BC
12/22/2011
It was a little jarring when we first walked in not knowing what to expect and the entire serving staff screamed at us in Japanese. But you soon learn it is their greeting to all who enter.
honestly It was the best sushi I have had. Every ingredient was fresh and melted in your mouth. the presentation was impressive, the ambiance of the room is romantic, modern, and classy. It feels very expensive but our whole meal was very reasonably priced.
If you want to impress your dinner guest or date, I would highly recommend it.
hint* when you order a Sapporo from the tap the glass is huge! -
Review from Jill R.
Vancouver, BC
2/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
I had suggested this place after eating there in the spring and was disappointed to see they had taken most of the yummy sushi rolls off of their menu. At first I wondered if it was the same place but it was. I decided to order up some chicken donburi and spicy tuna roll. The roll was good but the bowl was bland and gross. The chicken was slimy textured and tasted overly chickeny. There was no real flavor and I only got through about a quarter of my meal. I gave it 2 stars because the tea was good, and the one roll I ordered was okay. I don't think I'll go back though....
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Review from Samantha E.
6/28/2011
I didn't know Japanese food could be this good. Wow.
We were in Vancouver for less than twenty-four hours total, but knew we wanted to try the Asian food, since your city is famous for it. We were staying near the waterfront and wanted to go somewhere we could walk to, and OpenTable found me Shuraku. I'm so glad it did.
We ordered:
--Sukiyaki: both my aunt and I had this, and just thinking about it is making me hungry. Amazing broth, delicious beef, and great vegetables. You should definitely order this.
--BBQ-back ribs: my grandma-- not the most adventurous eater-- had these, and loved them. The small 4-piece order was actually pretty big, and she saved some to have for breakfast in the hotel the next morning.
--Real-Crab California Roll: real dungeness crab? enough said.
--Assorted sushi plate: the fiancé is a connoisseur, and said this was amazing. They substituted white fatty tuna for the regular tuna, and he gave me a bite-- absolutely delicious.
We had to wait a little bit even though we had a reservation, but they happily let us sit at the bar until our table was ready. Drinks were good; I had some fruity concoction and a sake drink was ordered as well. When we got to our table, service was fast and friendly. Plus, for the quality of food and what seemed to be a fancier neighborhood, it was really reasonably priced.
I can't compare this to any other Japanese place in Vancouver, but I would definitely go back. And order sukiyaki.Listed in: Pretending to be a…
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Review from Rick C.
7/19/2011 5 photos
After knocking back the martinis, I literally went next door to feed the beast.
I stumbled the ten steps to this sushi bar for some fine Japanese food. Along with some refreshing Sapporo, we dined on the avocado salad which was quite delicious.
The salmon and tuna sashimi was pretty solid if standard. It certainly did the trick.
I wasn't enthralled my the beef carpaccio. I found it just okay. The chopped scallop was quite tasty and I enjoyed the presentation and quality of the food served.
The barbecue squid was pretty scrumptious. All in all, it was a solid effort for Japanese dining. I found it a tad pricey, but the service was really good and I liked the friendly atmosphere. -
Review from Shannon B.
Vancouver, BC
1/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
When my friend that was visiting from Japan suggested we go to the Japanese restaurant on Granville and Robson I cringed. I said to her that that place was nothing special. Oh no she tells me, the place is new!
I have no idea when the old Vancouver special sushi place disappeared and Shuraku took its place. I figured that if someone from Japan gives it the thumbs up I certainly should be willing to give it a try.
With 6 of us at our table it was a great opportunity to order a variety of things. My Japanese friend took the liberty of ordering things we had most likely never tried nor would order due to unfamiliarity.
We ordered Chicken Tsukune a deliciously marinated bbq chicken patty served with flash fried egg york and home-made teriyaki sauce. Yum.
5 kinds of Sashimi - which has to be by far the best sashimi I've ever had in this city! Every tender morsel just melted in your mouth.
Hitsuma-bushi - A bowl of seasoned rice topped with Unagi accompanied by a pot of Dashi stock. This item comes in a perfect little single serving size.
Plus the usuals of agedashi tofu, edmame, and tempura.
We also indulged in a sake flight of 3 2oz pours of the chefs choice paired with our meals. From that we opted for a bottle of the Moonstone Asian Pear Sake -sweet, smooth and fantastic!
The service was impeccable, most likely due to the fact that we had a Japanese speaking person with our group; either way I will be back and hope that Shuraku can keep its perfect rating.Listed in: Asian Cuisine
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Review from Mary S.
Surrey, BC
2/26/2011
Oh ShuRaku... how do I love thee? let me count the ways...
it's not just your fantastic atmosphere, your wood accents and your fantastic lighting.
It's not just your great service, your attentive servers and skilled bartenders.
It's not just your AMAZING and innovative rolls, oh, its more than that...
it's the fresh produce that you use, the way you can mix ingredients and make them taste like a party in your mouth.
It's the way you create shrimp gyoza and make every bite taste like heaven.
If you're ever in the Granville - Robson St. area, you have to try this restaurant. If you're visiting Vancouver and you only have time to check out ONE sushi restaurant, this is the one you must try.
And this is the stuff you have to order:
Start with their shrimp gyoza appetizer - prawn and chicken dumplings served with a tasty sauce. Perfect for sharing.
Follow that with their exquisite beef asparagus - asparagus spears wrapped in thinly sliced BBQ beef served hot and covered in tangy teriaki sauce. Somehow the folks at ShuRaku manage to keep the asparagus crispy and juicy underneath the pipping hot beef.
After that, you have to try at least two of their signature rolls: My two favorites are The Godfather Roll ( cucumber, avocado and cream cheese topped with mango slices and prosciutto ham and capers with kiwi sauce and balsamic vinagrette) and the Enchanted Forest Roll ( avocado, asparagus, celery kinpira and carrot topped with tempura eggplant and slices of jalapeno pepper with miso infused mayo). They're to die for.
Also don't forget to check out their extensive Sake menu - I recommend the Sake Flight - for $16 you get to try three of their most popular sakes. And the staff at ShuRaku are always willing to offer suggestions that will compliment your meal perfectly.Listed in: Great food in Van
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Review from Dee B.
5/22/2011
This place is ok. I headed here after a workout on a rainy day for a bowl of ramen.
The ramen was good and satisfied my craving. I also had a california roll with real crab. It is a bit overpriced for what it is, as some others say, but unless you want to go on a hike while starving to the end of Robson or Denman, this place will do. -
Review from Bronwyn G.
North Vancouver, BC
5/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
The izakaya places in Vancouver I have tried all seem to have a particular subset of the genre they excel in. Looking at my fellow diners' plates, I have to conclude that Shuraku does a great job on salads.
I'm not kidding! Salads aren't something I would immediately associate with an izakaya place, but the tofu-and-avocado salad at our neighbours table and the sashimi salad at our table were really awesome-looking.
Several Yelpers have recommended the ebi gyoza, but I wasn't blown away by it. To be honest, I was it came off like an ebi-version of a dim sum pork shumei.
Some other Yelpers suggested the beef-wrapped-asparagus. Again, it was good but not amazing. For a really amazing version, you've got to check out Zakkushi. -
Review from Quan H.
4/18/2011 3 photos
The last time I came here was when it first opened, and remembered that I liked the ambiance and food there. I went here recently with a couple of friends to grab a bite. We were dressed pretty casually (I was in sweats), but it was not a problem.
We got seated in this corner table that's wedged in and literally hidden from the rest of the restaurant, so I naturally dreaded that we'd be forgotten. However, place had excellent service; had a server checking up on us every so often so that was good.
We ordered the volcano roll, eggplant poppers, yakisoba, and avocado & tofu salad. And because I felt like it, I also added one order of toro nigiri.
All the food came with nice garnishes; even the lone nigiri wasn't forgotten. The poppers, roll and salad were really good- yakisoba I'm not really a fan of it so no comment.
We ended the night with the strawberry daifuku for dessert.
Because it's in downtown, I wouldn't recommend driving, and it is a bit pricey, but I think it's definitely worth trying. -
Review from Emma L.
2/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
Excellent sushi. The sashimi is perfectly fresh -- none of that thawing texture you'll get at bad Japanese restaurants. The tuna three ways is interesting, although the spicy tuna in the middle is kind of meh. California rolls have real crab (they are very proud of that), and most of the rolls are variations on tradition. The ramen was a great portion size for the price, which was on the lower end of things on their menu (although you can still get cheaper ramen at a ramen place).
Best if you share dishes, but two is about perfect for a moderate dinner appetite if your dining partners are selfish.
Huge long sake list, and excellent interesting cocktails. Sangria is offered three ways, with a base of red or white wine or sake.
Prices are a bit high, but the ambiance is great, serving staff are crazy polite and quite attentive, and the food is good. Great option for downtown. -
Review from Cait j.
Vancouver, BC
3/29/2011
I dont often find myself willingly strolling down Granville street when I am hunting for a good meal. Can we agree it carries a certain stigma? Anyways, I like Shuraku and have been a few times and have left impressed by the food, service and drinks each time. Worth the strut down Granville, and worth the Granville prices. So you splurged a little, no biggy. Worth it.
Ive ordered from the menu and the fresh sheet in my visits.. the Chefs specials are outstanding and often poorly named. Nearly impossible to pick a favourite item, though Ive had better beef tataki. The sake list is one of the best in the city, and their house cocktail made with plum wine is trrrouuuble!
The Chefs are all excited about the food, and it shows in their service. I like that. -
Review from Rheanna F.
Vancouver, BC
8/6/2010 ROTD 5/31/2011
Does anyone else remember when this place wasn't Shuraku? It was a typical Vancouver sushi special. You know the kind- where a California roll is more like a mayo roll. I never went back after a few meals like that. Years later, two of the most discerning sushi critics i know said to meet up there. Something seemed WAY off. Were my friends staging an intervention? I went either way since i figured if people were going to lecture me on drinking too much, maybe they'd at least pay for my meal.
Well, what a pleasant surprise Shuraku was! A totally new restaurant with an INCREDIBLE MENU!! I don't know when the sushi hell hole that was there before closed, but good riddance. They have daily specials that are ACTUAL daily specials. You know how when you go into a Vancouver sushi special they have the exact same day-glo yellow sign with the exact same "daily" special? Not here! The menu changes with the season and uses more traditional Japanese ingredients (occasionally combining them with west coast fair) to make super tasty, unique flavors! Everything here always tastes so fresh too!
The first time i went i instantly started kicking myself when the food arrived, because everyone who ordered the daily sashimi special were clearly the winners. If how good and fresh the sushi looked wasn't indicator enough, the dishes they're served on have fucking BLUE LED LIGHTS in them. I'm sure there's some sort of law out there stating that only really, really fantastic food can be served with LED lights. You seriously HAVE to try it.
Speaking of staging an intervention... It isn't cheap to drink here, but holy hell, check out their freaking martini menu!! They have a bunch of drinks with a Japanese twist that you can only get here, and man are they worth it!
The fact that i'm excited about a drink menu at a sushi place is actually a great indicator of how fantastic this place is. I don't usually drink when i go for sushi, because you can get the exact same dishes at so many places in the city that sushi is usually about as special as a cheeseburger. The menu at Shuraku is so interesting and so diverse though that it really makes eating at a Japanese food restaurant feel special again! No small feat in the city of '18 pieces for $5.99!'Listed in: Sushi
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Review from Jasmine T.
Burnaby, BC
1/20/2011
My brother raved about this place and used Open Table to make us a reservation as we picked him up to to dinner. Since I only remembered it as Kitto Sushi, I was blown away at the difference.
I equate this place to Ebisu. When you walk through the door, loud. Everyone, yes E V E R Y O N E yells a welcome. The interior is modern and while the front of the restaurant is dark, the rear is pretty bright. There are booths and bench seating against a lit wall.
The restaurant wasn't that busy. It was 8pm on a Monday night. When we told them we had a reservation, the waitress/hostess walked away to find us a table. Another couple who came in after us got seated before we did... not sure why. I asked my fiance if he thought the lady we had talked to was coming back. She did, but only after the bartender (?) seated the other couple first.
We got three menus: the drink, the regular and the Fresh Sheet. My brother ordered the beef you have to grill yourself and a dragon roll. I ordered the salmon tartare, a california roll and the wagyu beef. My fiance ordered a yakisoba. For dessert, my brother got the cheesecake, but I stole his side of ice cream.
I don't remember the order of how things came out, but I know for sure what was last... The yakisoba, the only thing my fiance ordered came about 10 minutes after the last item that came--- my beef. I felt so bad for him. Perhaps, the aim of the restaurant is for everyone to share everything. That was not case for us though. They kept apologizing, but words don't make the food come faster. By the time his noodles came, my brother and I were almost done. I shared with my fiance everything I got, but what if we were just acquaintances... or worse yet, on a first date. Maybe I'm not ready to share food with you, but at the same time don't want you to just watch me eat. My point is that they need to work on their timing.
Anyhoo, I loved my salmon tartare. They said it was spicy, but I didn't get that much spice. The salmon was finely chopped and in the shape of a hockey puck. On top was a raw quail egg and you mix it all together. It comes with a side of tempura nori and you put the tartare on top and munch it all together. So good. I was a little scared. I wasn't sure how my tummy was going to react. It liked it. It liked it a lot. I tried spreading some of the wasabi from my california roll on the nori to add a little kick, but the wasabi wasn't that hot.
The smell of vinegar wafted up from my california roll. It was okay, nothing really memorable, but when I ran out of nori, I used it as a vehicle for my salmon tartare.
The beef was okay. It came sizzling on a hot plate, but was so itty bitty. The size was less than the palm of my hand and was all cut up. It was well done and covered in soy and radish. I thought of my favourite japadog. The texture was soft even though it was cooked through and through.
I watched my brother grill his beef. I thought of the hot grill falling off onto his lap. I wasn't wishing for it or anything, it just didn't look that stable. His beef came covered in green onions, wait... a better word might be slathered. I love green onions, but it looked like overkill.
They have black sesame ice cream. If anyone knows where to get it by the bucket, let me know... I love it. It has such a unique flavour... kind of savoury, but definitely sweet. No one else wanted it... MINE! The cheesecake was okay, but it wasn't baked. It was marbled with chocolate. The blueberries on the side tasted like they were frozen and then defrosted.
Their presentation is beautiful. All of their plates were odd shapes and heavy stone. They were really fast at clearing the empty plates.
Even though it's a weekday, I still got a coke. It was okay... it wasn't terrible fountain. -
Review from Josh G.
8/2/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Tried Shuraku for the first time last night. Sat outside on a nice covered patio. The food was good. The sashimi was fresh and flavorful. The dishes were very well presented, though somewhat on the small side. Their rolls are very neat and quite delicious. We also tried their BBQ ribs. The ribs were very well done. Just about fall off the bone, and considering the size of the other dishes, the ribs were certainly large. The flavors were great, though there was a bit too much Teriyaki sauce. It came with a bowl of rice so it was a reasonable dish for $10.
It was a good meal, but given the price ($120 for 2), there are definitley better options *see Kadoya. Something nice for a change. -
Review from Crystal H.
Vancouver, BC
8/13/2010 2 Check-ins Here
It's hard to keep a smile away when the whole staff is welcoming you to have a seat, is bringing you water quickly and going over the lunch menu.
I had what I call a working lunch, which means typing, talking on the phone and eating. I ordered the special cold noodles. Okay, I admit it, I'm definitely not a fan of cold ramen. I've tried it twice and both times I've been less than impressed. But that has more to do with me than the taste of it. I liked how Shu Raku's was presented - noodles with sides of sesame seeds, green onion, wasabi and tempura. The tempura sauce was awesome - I wished it were easier to dip or pour the cold noodles on it, just to give them a less slimy soya like flavouring. The prawn tempura was good in that the prawns weren't overly cooked which I'm guessing would be a tough thing to master. In fact, I think this has been the best prawn tempura I've had in a while. However, the veggies (only 2 pieces) were really mushy and moist, although still tasty!
I'd likely go back again, but it won't be soon, and not for nigiri. The prices are quite high - $2.95 for unagi... salmon $2.50. I think there are better value places to go with similar quality. But dang, I love unagi!Listed in: The Granville Strip, Vancouver's Unagi Love
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Review from Victoria R.
BC
12/27/2008
Re-modelled, swanky and super friendly, Shuraku gets my sushi points anyday.
Scenario: Me and two friends, hungry for sushi saunter in at 3:30pm in the middle of the biggest blizzard Vancouver's seen in 20 years. Servers are friendly and operating as usual. decor is chic, dark and very non Japanese-y. Prompt hot tea and diet cokes served within 5 minutes of us de-icing. We get miso soup (good) california and tuna rolls (good and fresh) and sample a lunch box $8.95 and a rice bowl $8.95 and are happy. I liked the pork cutlet which was deep fried and the tobiko nigiri. When we asked for them to separate the bill, they did it pronto no questions asked. Yey! -
Review from Paul B.
10/12/2010
This place was a pleasant surprise. We came up from Seattle on a daytrip on Labor Day, and we had no idea that some Canadians also celebrated. Crap! A bunch of places were closed, so after roaming around for a good bit, we ended up at this place.
Ambiance was the first thing we noticed. It was pretty tiny and narrow, but everything was very well put together and reminded me of some restaurant out of Asia (Thailand). We ended up sitting at the bar, and got to see the full range of what was going on in the place.
The food was overall, pretty good. We ordered udon, Hitsuma bushi, and some sushi. The most unique thing was the histuma bushi which came in a small portion that I think would be best left as a compliment to your other dinner items. You can eat the components of it individually or combine them into your rice to make a type of congee.
My final note about this place was their dedication to SCREAMING out irashaimase at the literal top of their lungs to every customer who walked through the door. It was a bit ridiculous. Haha. I'm no stranger to Japanese restaurants, but this time, the screaming was OVER THE TOP. Your conversations would be interrupted by the intensity haha. -
Review from geraldine g.
Toronto, ON
4/14/2009 4 photos
Shu Raku replaces Kitto. A welcome improvement from its rather poor predecessor. Kitto was busy but just crappy and so unclean. i went once and was appalled by it so when I heard it re-opened into this swanky place I just had to go.
I tried several dishes. The one that surprised me the most was the Edamame Potatoe Sticks. I'd never had it nor seen it on another menu. It's really wonderful. It's this unusual deep fried french fry like but edamame tasting appetizer.
The other items I tried paled in comparison. The fried chicken (karaage nanban) was good but i think it was primarily because of the nanban sauce. The tempura was mediocre. We agreed the distraction was the gummy batter. The Renon kinpara was OK. I love lotus root but i found this dish so boring,
On the plus side, the interior is beautiful. It's a great place to lounge for its late night eats.
See photos! -
Review from Margot R.
Vancouver, BC
3/1/2011
This is my favourite sushi joint in the city, my fiancee and I have been going here for a couple years now. The service is great, it's a very nice atmosphere, mmmm and the food is to die for!! If you go here you MUST MUST try the Ebi Gyoza, it's almost ridiculous how good it is. I would have obbbbbbbviously given this place 5 stars, because I love it,
BUTTT they're lunch menu is such a let down. If you're planning to try this place out for your first time make sure it's for dinner n not lunch or you may leave a little dissappointed. Hope you enjoy this place as much as I do!!!! -
Review from Gina I.
2/15/2010
Even when this place was Kitto House, I never had a problem with the food.
This past Friday I went here & they were doing more reno's. Very swanky looking.
The food was good, the service was good.. I guess I just got them on a good day! -
Review from Anthony F.
Vancouver, BC
3/16/2010
Background: Vancouver's full of izakaya's so I think I'm fairly confident in this review.
Food: Oden was flavourful and the light broth really saved an otherwise damp cold day. Spicy salmon tartar came with tempura seaweed chips and the combination was a fantastic party in my mouth. The portion was generous. The snapper and yellowtail were fresh as advertised and made scrumptious nigiri.
Ambiance: More high-end than I've seen at other izakaya's, probably more likened to Hapa Kitsilano than any of the Guu's.
Service: Friendly, chipper, and the orders aren't yelled out at the chefs, if you're not into that.
Pricepoint: Pricy... you'll spend at least $30-40 per person here to eat well.
Overall: Although the food was well done, I can't really say it beats Guu or Hapa in any tangible way... and Guu is cheaper. You are paying extra for the ambiance here.Listed in: Izakaya oisheee!
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Review from Scott H.
8/25/2010
Noice! Totally impressed with the upgrades on this place. How many sushi restaurants have a bar to sit and watch world cup (or hockey, or baseball or....you get my drift). The sushi is consistently good. Nice size portions, great Saba, and good service. The cost is moving up into the pricey range, but I guess that's expected for downtown Vancouver. The location is good, especially for a extended lunch meeting.
The only real issue I have is the whitey waiter they had working. Come on guys, it's a sushi place, Canadians need to enjoy the fake ethnic authenticity. Let's just say he was easy to spot. -
Review from Diane L.
10/18/2010
Sashami is the name of the game here. The night started off right with a bottle of their soju for three of us.
We ordered a smattering of foods here and started with the sashmi platter. The fish was like butter. All the fish was fresh and delicious. They even fried the shrimp heads for us to eat afterwards. :) Yum. Just more proof that anything is good as long as it is fried.
Then we got the fried squid and dumplings. Both were passable. Nothing to yelp about.
We then got presented with some ribs We had some yakisoba both of which I thought was oversalted.
As I'm writing this review, I should probably only give this place 3 stars with most of the cooked food being average. So it might be the soju still talking but Shuraku was a fun place to spend a Saturday night. -
Review from Christopher E.
Chilliwack, BC
7/18/2011
I would imagine that there is a great amount of competition for sushi in Vancouver, and I admit that I haven't been to many places yet, but I loved Shuraku. Great food, great atmosphere, and a delicious flight of Sake - a DINK's paradise.
