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'It has been an amazing decade': Downtown Vancouver Japanese restaurant closing soon

They'll 'serve our last dish' in less than a month.
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Black Rice Izakaya is closing its doors in Hotel Blu in downtown Vancouver.

Another izakaya is closing in Vancouver.

Black Rice Izakaya has announced it will be permanently closing in less than a month.

"Black Rice Izakaya will serve our last dish on Sunday, April 7th," states the restaurant in a social media post.

The casual Japanese eatery with cocktails, aburi sushi, fusion dishes, fresh seafood and more has operated in Hotel Blu since 2015. The restaurant was the first in that location, after Hotel Blu was built 10 years ago at 782 Cambie St.

"We want to express our gratitude to all of our staff and patrons over the years," reads the post. "It has been an amazing decade with you, Vancouver!"

They go on to promise they'll be back soon with "exciting news."

While it's the end of Black Rice Izakaya, there is a sequel of sorts. Jinmi has opened in the West End; while it's now a restaurant, the Jinmi brand was started in 2020 in the Black Rice kitchen with a variety of marinated seafood products.

The new restaurant, located at 854 Denman St., specializes in soy sauce-marinated raw crab.

UPDATE JUNE 26: A venture called Ju Restaurant is set to replace Black Rize Izakaya. The concept is "contemporary Asian cuisine" and it looks like the new restaurant could be open this summer.


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