Have I mentioned how much I love Japan? Since I had the chance to set foot there in 2018, I’ve been taking every opportunity to immerse myself in this fascinating culture. However, it was by happy chance that I discovered the Iru Izakaya restaurant in Quebec City. Recently opened in the Place Sainte-Foy shopping centre, it wasn’t on my radar this Sunday evening when, without reservations, we headed to its neighbour, La Belle et La Bœuf.

Once in the parking lot, the red neon sign immediately caught my attention. One look exchanged with my lover was enough for us to change our plans without hesitation. Direction Iru Izakaya!

Decor worthy of Japanese taverns

Whether you enter from the outside or directly from the shopping center, the decor grabs you from the first steps. We are literally transported to a Japanese tavern, and I love this feeling of a change of scenery! From the wall decorations to the sake barrels, including the illuminated Japanese inscriptions, everything is designed to evoke the authenticity of the Land of the Rising Sun.

A hostess quickly greets us and informs us that there are only seats left at the bar. No problem, I love sitting there!

On the way to our seats, I can’t help but marvel at the small private alcoves. Capable of accommodating 5-6 guests, they create intimate spaces perfect for a gang dinner. It immediately makes you want to plan a next visit with friends!

Once seated at the bar, we enjoy the visual spectacle: the decor envelops us, and we have fun spotting familiar labels among the many bottles of alcohol and sake nicely displayed.

Shareable or à la carte dishes?

The menus arrive quickly, and our waitress takes the time to point out the dishes that are unavailable that evening. We both opt for an IRU beer, a light blonde. We are offered to add a shot of yuzu juice to transform our beer into a sour cocktail. Suggestion accepted!

Pouring the right dosage requires a little precision, and we must admit that the quantity of yuzu juice was a bit too generous, but the result is frankly pleasant, a great discovery for our taste buds!

For the serious stuff, we had two options: the sharing menu or the à la carte dishes. I always have a weakness for sharing menus, and here, it was suggested to choose three dishes per person to make a main meal. However, when analyzing the prices, we quickly realized that the bill was going to skyrocket. So we opted for the à la carte dishes.

Undecided, I finally settled on the Tantan mazemen: ramen noodles with spicy pork, garnished with sesame, mushrooms, green cabbage, green onions, sweet soy sauce and fried onions. After a long wait, my plate arrived… and disappointment too. While the first bites were pleasant, the “mushy” texture of the noodles spoiled the rest of the experience. To top it all off, the ground pork was seriously lacking in seasoning. I finished my dish with great difficulty.

My companion, for his part, had chosen the Ramen Iru. His bowl, nicely presented, contained chashu pork, tantan pork, a soft-boiled egg with soy, corn and green onions, all in a tori paitan broth. The whole thing was okay, but not brilliant. The soft-boiled egg with soy was not very tasty, and the quantity of broth was frankly insufficient.

To take our minds off things, we decided to share a dessert of the day: a sake crumble topped with berries. It was fresh, but without any real surprise.

Despite everything, we left happy with our evening. The new restaurant is definitely worth a visit for its unique atmosphere, but in terms of cuisine, it didn't really impress us. Maybe we would have had better luck with the dishes to share? To be continued on a future visit!

Rating:
6.5 /10

What struck me most about my visit:
The decor and intimate alcoves

The house specialty:
Sharing ramen and starters

The most expensive main meal on the menu:
$21, Ramen Iru

The least expensive main meal on the menu:
$28, Beef Ramen

Do I recommend this restaurant:
Yes

What time of day did I visit:
Dinner

The pros:
Japanese decor
Courteous service
Plenty of parking
Wide selection of sakes and wines

The cons:
Price
Slow service