Masa’s a la Carte’s a neighbourhood favourite for an inexpensive meal — Japanese, or not
Mia Stainsby
Sun
A customer is served sushi at Masa’s a la Carte at 3689 West fourth in Vancouver – VANCOUVER SUN PHOTO
A mish-mash menu is usually not a good sign. But at Masa’s a la Carte, if you pilot your way through the menu, you can have a nice, homey breakfast or an inexpensive Japanese lunch or dinner.
Owner Masa Wake has been running this little neighbourhood spot for more than seven years, best known for breakfast and lunch. He’s thrilled, but can’t believe the number of locals who come in for takeout breakfasts of scrambled eggs or one of the 10 omelettes he has on the brekkie menu.
The Japanese side of lunch includes sushi rolls, meat or fish and vegetable stirfries with a choices of ginger garlic, teriyaki or miso gravy sauces. There are a couple of rice bowls (oyakodon, teriyaki chicken) as well as burgers with a Japanese tweak — katsu burger (with deep-fried breaded chicken) and a regular burger comes with “Japanese style healthy sauce.”
Some of the sushi have odd Japan-glish names, like Hot & Night and W Prawn (described as “prawn, prawn [sic], crab meat & masago with sweet sauce”).
If a lunch partner isn’t in a Japanese food mood, there are sandwiches, quesadillas, pizza or spaghetti. I only tried sushi and a rice bowl (oyakodon) so I cannot vouch for the rest but it’s a nice spot to stop for a casual meal. Nothing outstanding, but it’s small and cheerful with Wake in the kitchen and a single server out front who handles a lunch-time crowd with aplomb.
Wake is originally from Osaka, a food-loving city. It’s known for okonomoyaki, which Westerners like to refer to as “Japanese pancake” of veggies and a light dough, which when done well, is a great, hearty dish. Wake says he can’t offer it because it takes too long to make. It really does require standing over and forming and patting and flipping.
Meanwhile, there are lots of home-style dishes to fuel you for the day.
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MASA’S A LA CARTE
3689 West Fourth Ave., 604-732-3689
Open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday to Thursday; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday to Sunday. Closed Monday.
© The Vancouver Sun 2008