Imadake

Ste Catherine's trendy izakaya

Photo Braised and Confused

Just as we walked into Imadake, a large group was leaving. Sent off with surprisingly loud yells of “arigotou gozaimashita” – thank you in Japanese – we were immediately made aware that this was a real, as authentic as it gets kind of Japanese pub. All around us, groups of laughing, tipsy diners were egged on to do shots and chug their drinks by waitresses dressed in school-girl type kilts and thigh highs. The atmosphere is loud and convivial, definitely a good spot to check out if you’re in the mood to be around a lot of people, drink some good Japanese beer and eat tapas style typical to the izakaya* way.

Because this was more of a late night snack, we weren’t in for a full blown meal, rather just a few dishes to sate our lingering hunger. We ordered the ebi mayo – one of Imadake’s more popular dishes. The fried tempura topped with crushed almonds and spiced mayo was crispy, hot and tasty, especially with the more unconventional toppings provided. Craving something closer to traditional Japanese fare, we got an order of the agedashi tofu which came ever so lightly dusted with potato/cornstarch and deep fried to a golden crisp.

Read the rest of this restaurant review on Braised and Confused

* a Japanese drinking establishment which also serves food to accompany the drinks.Izakaya originated from sake shops that allowed customers to sit at the premises to drink.

About the author - Braised & Confused is a Montreal based food blog written and managed by Jen Ho and Alex Chinien that covers restaurants, street food and events. Endeavoring to leave no culinary stone unturned, the blog has featured over 160 posts from eight international cities in less than a year. Additionally, B&C publishes video interviews with chefs and restauranteurs.