Are you familiar with the Japanese term "kuidaore"? It basically means to bring yourself to ruin by engaging in excessive eating - but a less formal usage is to deploy the term when you've eaten so much you feel full enough to burst.
Why am I talking about eating until you're about to burst? The term has a long connection to the Japanese city of Osaka, long known as a great place to "ruin yourself" by over-indulging in food. And while I'd never advocate taking it that far, there's a just-opened Vancouver restaurant where you certainly could easily accomplish eating too much - and it just happens to specialize in dishes popular in Osaka.
Guu with Toramasa is the newest restaurant from the "pioneer" of izakaya-style dining in Vancouver, the Guu group of restaurants. Guu - which itself is Japanese slang for "good" - has mastered the izakaya experience in the city with their family of casual, authentic gathering places with menus of small share plates and a great drinks selection.
Located at 757 Seymour St, Guu with Toramasa is built around the culture and food of Osaka; the concept took its cue from the new restaurant's managers, both of whom hail from Osaka - Japan's second-largest city.
To that end, the Guu with Toramasa's menu includes many of the brand's beloved izakaya dishes, including sashimi, pan-fried noodles, and oden (fish broth-based Japanese hot pot), but also spotlights Osaka specialties.
Look for spins on familiar items like crispy, creamy takoyaki that you can get with round, pink prawn crackers (the dish is called takosen) - you "smash" the octopus ball between the crackers and eat the takoyaki by hand like a mini sandwich. Toramasa is also doing another famous Osaka dish, okonomiyaki, which is a big, round batter-based pancake-like item.
While Toromasa has a robust regular menu, they also offer an absolutely packed fresh sheet, which is where you'll not only find the Osaka specialties, but also fresh sashimi options and other raw bar creations (I regret not ordering the spot prawn, scallop and uni "parfait" when I saw one being made for another table), along with a stellar line-up of mix-and-match appetizer dishes. From that latter category I enjoyed trying out a spicy "kimchi" octopus with cooling cucumber, daikon, and seaweed in a sour plum sauce, and crispy fried fish cakes with a smoky, tangy, sticky dipping sauce.
Though I don't typically order pan-fried noodles, I'm so glad I did; Toramasa's plate of snappy Yaki Udon was delightfully buttery, and the beef beautifully tender - a really fun plate of noodles to slurp.
The ambiance is easygoing and lively, with the staff calling out welcomes and farewells as is the izakaya tradition, and the service is fast and efficient.
Guu with Toramasa officially opened in early April, and is currently offering dinner service only, from 5 to 11 p.m. daily.
Watch: New Japanese izakaya restaurant Guu with Toramasa features Osaka specialties
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