For several weeks now, the future Iru Izakaya has been preparing to open in the Place Ste-Foy shopping center. In Japanese, izakaya means tavern, bistro or brasserie. Iru means to be or to exist.
“In Japan, an izakaya is really a place where employees and workers who work like crazy come to relax after work,” explains Frédéric Dufort, chef of the Iru Izakaya restaurant.
“That’s what we want to do here: create a connecting place where everyone can eat well, drink well and celebrate,” he says.
Japanese dishes to share
On the menu we promise dishes for everyone, adults, children, business customers, “taking into account the classics of Japanese cuisine,” assures Mr. Dufort, who once worked in renowned restaurants in San Francisco and Brooklyn.
“There are lots of small dishes to share. I don’t really like using the term tapas, which just means “lid” in Spanish, but that’s something people can expect.”
– Frédéric Dufort, chef of the Iru Izakaya restaurants
For example, grilled black cod marinated in a sweet miso made from sake and mirin and then seared with a salamander until it reaches a golden color. Then, among other things, raw sashimi (salmon, bluefin tuna, etc.), fried foods, dumplings, crab or octopus fritters, oyster mushrooms gratinated with miso, homemade ramen noodles, pickles marinated with sake yeast.
“We really went for classic Japanese izakayas. “We work to be as authentic as possible,” says Mr. Dufort. We also have other more generous no-sharing dishes to accommodate all customers.”
Finally, for lunch we serve bentos – whole meals served in small wooden boxes – the contents and protein of which vary every two weeks.
Neon in the spotlight
In terms of furnishings, we aimed for a stylized and subdued atmosphere for this dining room with 150 seats (in addition to the 40 on the terrace in summer).
Judging by the photos of the location, the neon signs are likely to steal the show in this design, which we wanted to be “vibrant, electric and festive.” They represent Chinese characters and are reminiscent of the neon signs we see in the Asian neighborhoods of major cities around the world.
Wallpapers with old Japanese motifs adorn the walls. Rice paper lanterns fall from the ceiling, reminiscent of the originals. There are tables and benches in blue niches.
To drink: sake, wines and cocktails
“We love the Liquid card! We carry out private imports of wines and sake that we will not find in the SAQ,” specifies Mr. Dufort.
On the board: a collection of sakes at all price points (some of which are served hot), tasting boards, wines, cocktails (with homemade syrups), Japanese beers, ginger-infused green tea for alcoholic iced teas, and even a Japanese version of smoked Negroni in particular Gin, which are brought to the table under a lid.
To know
- Address: 2450, Boulevard Laurier, in Quebec (neighbor of Bâton Rouge, in the Place Ste-Foy shopping center)
- Info: iruizakaya.ca and @iruizakaya on Facebook
Are you starting a business, launching a product or organizing a new event? Do you have any ideas or suggestions for the “Living from the Sun” section? We want to know! Write to us now at [email protected].