RockingRajio for @VANEATSca

Earlier last week, I was invited by the VANEATSca crew to give Rajio a try. When I agreed to, I had no idea that this restaurant was part of the group responsible for bringing Kingyo and Suika to us. What I noticed most about the decor were these fantastic lights! How many of these characters can you identify? I can only name four. Once we were seated, we were treated to a complimentary Cabbage Salad. This was lightly dressed with a Miso-Soy Dressing. It was refreshing and served to abate and ease our hunger as we perused the menu. First dish of our complimentary 4-course tasting was a Cold Tapas, and we picked the Mackerel Nang Bang Zuke. It's a few pieces of Marinated Deep-Fried Mackerel served with a broth made with soy and vinaigrette. There are sliced veggies on top for a refreshing crunch. This was really good and the batter mackerel had a good flavour. Another delicious that come with with VANEATSca package is the Carpaccio. I had thought this was going to be something reminiscent of Beef Tataki but I was wrong. It was an assortment of fish sashimi, a bit of salmon, tuna and some hamachi too! The portion was fairly large and each slice of fish was coated in a creamy soy dressing. The tobiko topping was very appreciated!  For a change of pace and something hot, we were served our 6-Pieces of Deep Fried Skewers. We had two skewers each of scallops, taro root and chicken. I found this to be a bit oily, and the batter could have been just a bit crispier. Our final course was the Dynamic Balsamic Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs. These were super tender, falling off the bone and had a really good tang. Thankfully, the sauce wasn't cloying and did add a gooey touch when you eat with your hands. Fingerlicking Good! So for $18, you can get everything we've eaten so far through VANEATSca.
If you want to see what else Rajio has to offer, read on!    And because that's what I do, we added a bunch of other items that weren't part of the VANEATSca package. First up? The Squid Tentacles, served as a Karaage. These deep-fried tentacles were tossed in some spicy spices, but I could have used more heat. My fault, since you're supposed to ask if you want it hot!   We wanted something fresh so we decided to get some Amaebi. Our waitress told us it was 5 pieces (for just $5!) and at first glance, it looked like we only got three, but once you see how they placed some of the heads, there really were five. The shrimp was small but were super sweet. And yes, they will deep fry the heads for you, just ask!   Have you had Oden before? Essentially, it's a bowlful of fish cakes, daikon and boiled eggs in a dashi broth. It is light and super comforting. You will appreciate it when winter comes!   There are a ton of Sauces you can use for dipping to add extra flavour to the mild tasting fish cakes. There is a traditional sauce Kushikatsu, essentially a blend of soy and worcestershire, then the teriyaki sauce as well as some onion and tartar based sauces. I really liked the lemon salt, it really brought out the fishy taste!   Our last dish was the Negitoro and Ikura Bowl. No explanation needed here really...it's a bowl of sushi rice with half a cup of negitoro, and a lot of ikura, with a sprinkling of tobiko. This was refreshing and I thought the presentation was really nice. We couldn't finish this but it was just as good the next day for lunch! 

Go and get your $18 VANEATSca package now! 

Take note:

• Large hot sake for just $8 and served in a teapot
• Daiki, the manager is super knowledgeable and friendly.
• The decor is eclectic and they have a tiny patio for al fresco dining!