Ping’s Cafe – homestyle japanese on Main

Update: they are now closed (retired actually) – the new restaurant in this location is called Cafeteria – Italian tapas. I will blog about it soon!

If you didn’t know about Ping’s, you would probably walk right by, not thinking there was anything at this address. It’s right beside a laundromat on the corner of the 2700 block of Main street, just 1 block south of Cascade and Habit. It looks like an old business exterior, but once you are inside – its quaint, totally modern yet simple.

Basic wine list, a few good cocktails and some sake and beer to round out the beverage menu. Try the Sake tasting for $10 and you will enjoy two local Granville Island osake. The food is homestyle japanese or modernized japanese comfort food as they say. Dishes to share or have to yourself. All a great value and slightly different from the Japanese noodle shops and sushi restaurants in the city.

Try some of these delicious dishes: Mama’s potatoes salad - if you could get this to go in the summer – you would be a hit at any beach barbeque; Bang-bang chicken salad – scrumptious with the goma-miso dressing on top of shredded chicken, cabbage and veg; Ping poutine – although you may curl your nose thinking it sounds weird – it’s really good with the paneer and veg curry!

I spotted the Ping dog on another table – so it needed to be on my table! Simple but tasty bratwurst and sauerkraut with a ponzu touch and of course the pickled ginger and beet salad; Agedashi tofu – a typical presentation but different flavours with the shiitake and enoki mushrooms on top. Or have your own Ping Dinner – a hamburger with yoshoku sauce (it was juicy and really tasty), panko crusted pork cutlets and panko crusted deep-fried ebi. Served with the potato salad and a rice with a sweet salty flavour.

Great food sharing, decent prices, makes for a successful social evening out with friends.

Ping’s Cafe
www.pingscafe.ca