he newly opened Barefoot Kitchen falls into a burgeoning trend that has taken over Vancouver dining circles for the past few months. It's called Yoshoku and it may seem a little bit topsy-turvy to the uninitiated. See, Yoshoku, as you might have guessed, is Japanese food. But it's not the Japanese Food that you may be familiar with. You won't find sushi at here; nor will you find udon. Rather than traditional authentic Japanese cuisine, Yoshoku is Japanese interpretations of Western food.

It seems a bit strange at first. Wouldn't it just be easier to go to a regular Western restaurant? That's a bit simplistic. There's a certain charm that comes with defamiliarizing the familiar. Rather than Pork Chops, you can try Tonkatsu Breaded Pork Cutlet. Instead of a hamburger, you can get Teriyaki Hamburg Steak. Or, if you're really feeling nostalgic, spaghetti with tarako fish roe. It's all the comfort food you know and love, but with a unique Japanese twist.

Despite the interesting cuisine, this is not fancy dining. Like I said, it's comfort food, which means that you'll also be comfortable with the prices. Barefoot Kitchen is essentially a beefed-up version of fast food. While it's certainly classier than McDonald's, it's definitely not Lumière either. This is just a nice place to grab a bite to eat with your friends.

The décor is bright and cheery with colourful fake footprints all over the wall. The restaurant is located in a basement, but the cheery cleanness will make you forget that you're not above ground. It's definitely a nice backdrop for a feast. Just how much you want to eat is up to you, but the portions are big enough to sufficiently quench your hunger.

Each dish comes with many flourishes. You're never just ordering one thing; you're ordering a whole plate full of stuff. The Chicken Nanban Plate, for instance, comes with a deep-fried chicken cutlet, potato salad, and Japanese spaghetti with ham. The Beef Yakiniku, similarly, is stir-fried beef with onions, but comes with potato salad, pasta, and Wakame Soup. There are also a number of curry rice dishes. It's not exactly healthy eating, but you can forget your diet for one meal, can't you?