Eating Well For Less

SMALL RESTAURANTS, BIG FLAVOURS

Japanese, Korean, South Asian, and Mediterranean tastes elevate deceptively simple fare.

Words- Elizabeth Monk

Photography - Elizabeth Nyland

Yukatsu & Uburger

1008 BLANSHARD ST. BETWEEN FORT AND BROUGHTON, YUKATSUUBURGER.LOVE, 250-853-2100

OPEN ONLY SINCE NOVEMBER of 2022, Yukatsu & Uburger is a fun, playful space popping with Japanese cartoon characters and bubble-gum pink accents. The menu is simple and to the point: you can order a variety of katsus, which are breaded meat cutlets, or you can order a bulgogi beef burger or chicken burger.

The key word for the katsus is “crispy.” My pre-sliced large and tender pork cutlet was covered in panko bread crumbs and thoughtfully served on a small, shallow rack to maintain that crispiness all around. With it came a large mound of cabbage lightly dressed in mayonnaise and topped with a sesame dressing. For dipping, there were sides of pink salt, wasabi, and sweet-tart tonkatsu sauce, a mix of ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, and Japanese sweet wine. A mound of rice finished off the platter. I got the full meal deal for $19.90, which came with a soft drink and soup. This fish soup was powered up with fish sauce and soy sauce, and topped with cute little rice pearls.

The bulgogi burger is a fantastic deal for $11.50. Bulgogi is a Korean barbecue sauce made with soy sauce, Korean red pepper flakes, sesame oil, and lots of garlic. The moist, juicy burger is infused with these flavours and served on a crushable bun with cheese and the perfect smear of mayonnaise. This restaurant keeps things simple with joyous décor and a small menu of dishes executed well.

Pork Loin Katsus and Bulgogi Burger with fries

Maham & Pop’s Donair and Poutine

2639 QUADRA ST. NEAR HILLSIDE, MAHAMANDPOPS.COM, 778-265-6889

MAHAM & POP’S EPITOMIZES “cheap and cheerful.” It opened in June and strives to bring the popularity of donairs on the mainland to the island. Yet there’s more to this small restaurant than the modest exterior would indicate.

Simply put, a beef donair is sliced beef and vegetables served rolled up in a pita. And yet, it is so much more. This beef is slow-cooked on a vertical rotisserie and seasoned with paprika, oregano, garlic, onion powder, and cayenne and is super tender. You can choose the vegetables and sauces you put inside the pita. Of especial interest on the vegetable list is the Arabian pickle sourced from local Damascus Food Market. The sweet sauce is the classic accompaniment. It is made with garlic, vinegar, sugar, and condensed milk. A regular size donair is $12.95, and a large is $15.95.

I chose to try out the chicken shawarma by having it over poutine. The shawarma meat, which is also cooked on a slowly turning vertical rotisserie, bursts with flavour, having been marinated for 48 hours in a sauce of lemons, oranges, crushed tomatoes, garlic, and yogurt, and seasoned with cardamom, cayenne, paprika, nutmeg, and cumin. The fries for the poutine are made in-house from Kennebec potatoes. Chef Edwin Pillay worked at Pig and learned his potato craft there. The poutine comes with sweet spicy dill sauce, a dollop of garlic sauce, and garnished with green onions and diced, pickled red turnips. Somehow this mad medley of flavours blends well. A regular size is $13.95, a large is $18.95.

Vegan options include a falafel plate and a vegan shawarma, with a filling of fried portabella mushrooms, red peppers, and onions.

The cheerful atmosphere is enhanced sometimes by the presence of E.J., Edwin’s nine-year-old son, who delights in fetching napkins for visitors and informing them of his favourite menu items.

Chicken Shawarma Poutine