By Sherman Chan,
Special to The Post

The Premium Oshi Trioconsisting of Hokkaido Hotate and Botan Ebi, Albacore Tuna and Otoro and Japanese Wagyu and Country Style Bacon came with green pea-shiso and red cabbage purees. My favourite was the tuna with tobiko oroshi ponzu and yuzu zest which were on point. The natural flavours were accented by the light tanginess of the ponzu and yuzu zest. The wagyu and bacon were tasty. The wasabi negi relish provided some tang and heat.

The Fraser Valley Pork and Bacon Wrapped Scallop had braised pork cheek which was super tender and moist. It was glazed with sweet shoyu which caramelized and complimented the natural meat flavour. The scallop was tender. Rounding out the plate were a creamy and sweet carrot puree, spicy togarashi chicharron, grilled baby zucchini and grilled pineapple salsa. The 10 oz. AAA Sterling Silver Aburi Ribeye Steak was prepared rare and served with baked Yukon potato puree, shallot crisps, peppercorn veal jus and spiced herb butter. The meaty steak was nicely charred and was flavourful from the peppery jus.

The desserts included Earl Grey Mousse and Mango Coconut Verrine. Hidden within the sticky meringue, we found a sweet orange coulis, which sat atop a firm and aromatic Earl Grey shortbread. The yuzu ice cream was more like a sorbet, being refreshing and citrusy. The dark chocolate espuma was fun where it was fluffy and light. The mango coconut verrine was our favourite, featuring a beautifully textured coconut pannacotta topped with a flavourful mango gelee. This was accented by a tropical compote, coconut crumble, creme fraiche, coconut tapioca and passionfruit macaron. It was refreshing and aromatic. This visit to Minami reinforced my love for the place where the food is well thought-out and delicious.

Minami

1118 Mainland Street, Vancouver, BC

The Good:

• Solid aburi as expected

• Food tasted good, but the plating was appealing

• Sat outside on the patio, great space

The Bad:

• Steak wasn't as tender as expected

Sherman Chan is the #1 ranked food blogger on the Vancouver portal of Urbanspoon.com. Read more of his reviews at www.shermansfoodadventures.com.