Always in search of good Japanese food I was introduced to this little gem of a place hidden downtown on Thurlow. You see it’s one of those restaurants located inside one of those common busy buildings you walk by everyday. If you never venture down those stairs to discover the numerous shops that are located below ground level you would never know what you’re missing out on.

You see most Japanese restaurants these days are no longer run by Japanese, where Aki differs is it is extremely popular with the local Japanese crowd. The food is most amazing and the bar is like “Cheers” (the TV show) filled with nightly Japanese regulars enjoying drinks, food and a good laugh with the staff.

The food is simply amazing and definitely tastes different compared to the non-Japanese run restaurants. This night we had a lot of the Robata (BBQ) dishes which I would all highly recommend. Make sure you try the Black Cod or if you’re looking for something a little more familiar, the Bacon Wrapped Scallops.

If you’re looking for a comparison definitely order the Wild Sockeye Salmon Sashimi. The difference between this salmon sashimi and ones normally had at other restaurants is night and day. Even in comparison to place like Tsunami Sushi just down the street on Robson.

The staff are all very friendly and it’s great seeing what the regulars order and trying new things. BBQ Chicken Skin anybody? Surprisingly delicious. They have everything from your assortment of sushi to various tapas and barbecued items.

Remember the Urban Peasant James Barber? Well he said this restaurant is about the closest you can get to the back streets of Tokyo in Vancouver. How did I not hear about this place earlier?

It’s located at 745 Thurlow Street. The staircase down to the restaurant is just tucked beside the Sport Mart.

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