Hapa! Fight!

I was in the neighbourhood on Wednesday to catch an early showing of "Ip Man: Final Fight" at The Royal. I took the opportunity to dine at Hapa Izakaya a few doors down. This Vancouver import came in with the wave of Japanese eateries that colonized Toronto a few years back. Though other outposts went with modern Japanese, Hapa fitted into the clubby Little Italy vibe with dark wood and loud music. Since I was there before 7, I was able to take advantage of "Hapa Hour" (5:30-7:00) and ordered from a list of 10+ izakaya dishes that were up to 50% off.

First up was the Tuna Avocado Dip ($4.24), which was mashed up at your table. It was a tasty mix of chopped ahi tuna, avocado, and tuna. With such a dense dip, it was challenging to scoop up with the crunchy plaintain chips. An OK start but oddly bland. Next up was the highlight of the night: a plate of Curry Mali ($3.49). Little squid tentacles, battered and fried, were crunchy with just a hint of spices. Very tempting to keep putting one after another in your mouth.

The 3rd dish was a heaping mound of Karaage ($4.49) or fried chicken. This was a good dish, but this item has been done much better elsewhere. It was also a bit too salty, especially the bed of noodles that had absorbed all the juices. Finally, I had some Spicy Baja roll ($4.99). This North American take on sushi came with cheddar cheese, jalapeno poppers, pork belly, and serrano chili sauce. The combination actually worked except that the pork was too dry and salty; I was expecting the really fatty cut of most pork belly dishes. It was a good meal that came under $20. I wouldn't be as sanguine if I paid full price though.