ashi

Food: 4/5 | Service: 3.5/5 | Ambiance: 3.5/5 | Overall: 4/5

This is a great little Japanese izakaya (bar) off of Robson on Thurlow. There is no maki (roll) sushi or teriyaki here, but plenty of other Japanese creations and tapas to explore.

Food

There are 3 menus: regular, seasonal specials (handwritten), chef’s recommendations (on one of the pillars in the tabled area). Their regular menu is mostly tried and true. The seasonal menu can be hit or miss, but there are certainly some good items here. I’ve not had a particularly good experience with the chef’s recommendations, unfortunately.

Service

Most of the waitresses here speak Japanese and are not very fluent in English. Normally this isn’t a problem as you can just point to what you want on the menus. Reservations can be tricky. If you’re late, they may cancel your reservation, so don’t be late. From my experience, even with a reservation you may need to wait.

The staff is very energetic and uplifting. They will shout your orders to the kitchen with a loud greeting as you enter or leave, which is typical of this type of restaurant.

Ambiance

Loud and busy atmosphere, as you would expect. It’s part of the dining experience. I must say, the stools and benches are not very comfortable. The kitchen is always an exciting place and you can watch them prepare your food if you sit at the bar.