Noah’s Cafe serves Japanese fusion small plates and cocktails on Denman Street in Vancouver’s West End. I recently visited to try their three-course menu for Dine on Denman, which runs until November 19. At $55 per person, the menu includes a four-item starter, a choice of main and a choice of dessert.
We started with the Mini Noah’s Ark, a sampler served on a wooden board.
The Hokkaido Scallop Motoyaki came in the shell with house motoyaki aioli. The bacon bits added a little saltiness to the sweet scallop.
The Asian Agedashi Tofu was soft inside and came with tender eggplant and a whole shishito pepper.
The Negitoro came with a wasabi nori sauce that gave the chopped tuna a little heat.
The Soy Smoked Quail Eggs had a mild smoky flavour, with saltiness from the dashi soy.
We tried all three mains. The Hayashi Omelette Rice came with Japanese beef around a soft omelette filled with sautéed mushroom rice. The mushroom rice soaked up the stew, and the onion chips added a little crunch. A bit of Parmigiano Reggiano and parsley finished the dish.
The Uni Creme Pasta came with fresh pasta and prawns in a dashi and sea urchin cream sauce. The uni gave the sauce a briny flavour, and the tobiko and ikura added little pops as we ate.
The Yuzu Gorgonzola Gnocchi had a citrus note from the yuzu alongside the tang of the blue cheese. The shiitake crisps added some crunch to the soft gnocchi.
For dessert, there was the Drunken Pumpkin Tiramisu which was soft enough to cut with a spoon, with a mild sweetness from the kabocha and a hint of rum.
The Cardamom Mochi Doughnuts were made with rice flour, which gave them a chewy centre. The cardamom sugar added a light crunch and a little spice.
I also enjoyoed the Zero-Proof Japanese Greyhound featuring grapefruit, yuzu, and an aromatic smoke bubble!
Walk-ins are welcome, and everyone at the table needs to order the set menu. You can also add dishes from the regular menu.
Noah’s Cafe
1096 Denman Street, Vancouver, BC
