There once was a time when Guu with Garlic was my all time favorite restaurant in Vancouver. To the point that my best friend and I spent most Friday and Saturday night dinners there. But that was in 2004.
Having just recently returned to Vancouver I was looking forward to going back to Guu. With all my high expectations in place I went back over the weekend and although it was not in any way horrible it just was not the same. Back in the day Guu was amazing and was less known than it is now. As a rule of thumb I always trust a restaurant whose majority clientele are of the same origin as the food. The local Japanese community used to flock to this restaurant…! As you may have noted by now I do consider myself Japanese on the inside (given my love for all things Japanese) and thus also flocked here every weekend.
But on to the actual restaurant: The menu has changed completely and there is not as much selection as there was before. And of course with the popularity has come smaller portions. The tuna tataki and beef sashimi were once my all time favorite but have now lost all flavor. They used to be infused with delicious sauces which are now served on the side (and again the portions are noticeably smaller).
However, for those going to Guu for the first time they will not be disappointed as they won’t realize what Guu was then and what it is now. Through word of mouth I heard that it has new management…which makes sense since Guu now has 5 locations in Vancouver including Guu Garden that I have yet to try.
If you do happen to be in the mood for Japanese I still recommend making a trip to Guu. My favorites still remain the same: kimchi udon noodles, beef udon noodles, beef sashimi, agadeshi tofu, beef tongue, and calamari.
I am now on the hunt for the new jewel of the Vancouver Japanese Izakaya world. Any suggestions?
As soon as you enter this small and crowded restaurant every host, server and cook is yelling at you in Japanese… I assume they are welcoming you to their restaurant. The food is Japanese Izakaya and I think the photos will do all the explaining.
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| Tuna Tataki |
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| Shark fin and Jelly fish |
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| Calamari |
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| Kimchi Udon |
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| Beef Shashimi |
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| Whole grilled squid |
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| Octopus balls or Takoyaki |
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| Yellow fin Sashimi (melts in your mouth) |
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| Prawn tempura served with mayonnaise |
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| Agadeshi Tofu |
Guu with Garlic is located at: 1698 Robson Street, Vancouver,
Tel: (604) 685-8678
3 Comments
booo sharkfin soup. Why not just take that off the menu? Would anybody eat Tiger, or any other threatened animal? Regardless of how great their food is, I am disappointed to see it served here…
I get the pumpkin croquette every time… mmm… all the Guus are great!