Minami — Restaurant in Vancouver

Not Recommended to book private room:

I recently dined at Minami restaurant with a group of eight adults and three kids, opting for the $175 set menu with sake for dinner. Our total bill came to $2100. (Proof of purchase is attached) While there were some positive aspects to our experience, there were also a few notable drawbacks.

Let's start with the positives. The food at Minami was delicious, and the presentation was visually pleasing. Each dish was well-prepared and showcased the culinary expertise of the kitchen staff. Additionally, the restaurant had a team of friendly and accommodating staff members who provided excellent service throughout our meal. Their positive attitude and attentiveness added to the overall dining experience.

However, there were several areas where Minami fell short. Firstly, the booking system for the private room was not customer-friendly. Despite emailing the party coordinator, I received no response. When I called the restaurant directly, they claimed not to have the coordinator's phone number, leaving me with no choice but to wait for an email reply. This lack of communication and inconvenience tarnished the experience. Considering the minimum purchase requirement of $1000 for the private room, I expected a more efficient and convenient booking process.

Secondly, the portion sizes of the set menu were not as generous as anticipated. The menu seemed promising, indicating that we would be served ample food, especially since we were dining with guests and wanted to ensure everyone was satisfied. While I, as a small eater, felt adequately full, the same cannot be said for my husband and other male guests, who felt only 70-80% full. This discrepancy in portion sizes left us somewhat disappointed.

Furthermore, as a set menu, we expected the food to be served promptly after each course. However, the waiting time between dishes was longer than expected, causing some delays in the overall dining experience. Ideally, the next course should have been brought out promptly after the previous one was cleared.

Lastly, the private room itself was unremarkable and lacked any appealing features. Considering the minimum purchase requirement and the desire for a special dining experience, we expected the private room to have a more distinct ambiance or decor to enhance the overall atmosphere. Unfortunately, it fell short in this aspect.

In conclusion, I would recommend Minami restaurant for casual dining, taking into account the tasty food and pleasant staff. However, when it comes to more important or special occasions, I would hesitate to recommend it. The shortcomings in the booking system, portion sizes, timing between dishes, and the lackluster private room detracted from the overall experience. For a more memorable and impressive dining experience, it may be worthwhile to explore...

When Minami first opened in 2012, people were abuzz about this new “aburi sushi” being served at in a swanky Japanese bistro setting. At that time, pressed sushi wasn’t exactly a thing, let alone flame torched sushi.

Nearly 7 years later, Minami has not lost its nouveau Japanese charm and continues to serve the kind of fare that has made it and sister restaurant Miku mainstays with the city’s foodie-minded set. But the food feels firmly stuck in some neo-Japanese wormhole that feels incredibly dated.

Don’t get me wrong – the aburi sushi is still fantastic. Appetizers like calamari and tuna tartare never fail to delight. But the entrees decidedly occupy a middle ground which is surprising considering Minami’s maverick roots. The chicken ballotine was dry and uninspiring (it feels like the default roasted chicken option at any seafood house), the soba peperoncino underwhelming despite the abundance of seafood (and to be honest, not really fitting in with the rest of the menu).

I had the Miku’s Signature plate, which is billed as a chef’s selection of Miku’s finest rolls. But at $36 for 9-10 pieces of sushi (a mix of their signature rolls, pressed sushi, and several pieces of nigiri), I found myself already plotting to make a quick stopover at McD’s for fries after because of how meager the serving was. But perhaps this was a silver lining because of how little everything was, I forced myself to eat much slower than I normally would when it comes to sushi. Oddly enough, this mirrored my first experience at Minami many years ago when I came for Dine Out. I felt just barely satisfied. The initial wonder I experienced when I first popped a piece of Salmon Oshi Sushi was soon replaced with a gradual sense of discontent and even bewilderment. It was like...that’s it?

This is what I struggle with the most when it comes to this restaurant. The food has lost its soul, the portions are as small as I remember them...Minami’s evolved into some idealized tourist trap.

As for the service, it was pleasant and the servers were highly informative. But no amount of describing the food can make me interested enough to eat it, let alone alleviate the unease I felt when the round black slate of sushi arrived at our table. It was so sad. Thank god we ordered a few rolls and appetizers. For people who only come to eat the entrees, they will be sorely disappointed. At any rate, you’re probably better off making a meal out of Minami’s appetizers and sushi. Steer clear of the nigiri, which is no better than your neighbourhood sushi joint.

Locals would do well to avoid Minami like the plague. Visitors would be better served by other options if you ever find yourself in Yaletown. Despite its rather preppy reputation, there are better places to spend your...

We tried the Blue Ocean Shokai tasting menu. Initially we were going to order separate dishes off the menu because the tasting menu seemed like a lot of food and was a little out of budget for us, but the server surprised us by letting us know that sharing the set was an option so we went for that. We also sat out on the lovely garden patio and enjoyed the experience.

1. Sashimi (5/5) - the sashimi was very fresh and tasty. I was a bit wary of the spot prawn head but it actually was very tasty. This was definitely a solid start to the experience.
2. Beef Carpaccio (2/5) - this was actually my least favourite dish. The meat itself was good and tender, but there was way too much stuff on top that it was too much going on and took away from the meat itself. I usually like beef carpaccio but I wouldn’t recommend this one. The egg helped meld everything that was going on together but it was also really heavy. In fact, my stomach felt a little unsettled after eating this one.
3. Aburi and sushi (5/5)- we ordered an extra salmon oshi as this is our favourite thing on the menu. The aburi never disappoints.
4. Miso sablefish (5/5) - flavourful and melted in your mouth. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.
5. Tenderloin and foie gras (4/5) - the meat was indeed tender and very tasty. It looked a bit overcooked on the outside but we were pleased when it was moist and juicy on the inside. The foie gras definitely was very flavourful but I’ve never been a liver lover, so it wasn’t my favourite, even though it was definitely well done.
6. Green tea opera (5/5) - the ice cream and cake were delicious and definitely had a strong matcha flavour.

Overall the food quality was excellent, but it definitely was not a cheap meal. However, for the quality reflected I’d say it wasn’t unreasonable so I’d say it’s worth a shot for a special occasion or giving it a try once, it was definitely a lot of food for one person and I would’ve not ordered it if we had to order the set individually, however I’m super glad they let us share. We had a very pleasant...