I tried this restaurant at the recommendation of a friend, without knowing exactly what to expect ("It's like a sushi place, but better, just get one of everything..."). I'm pretty sick of Seattle's many mediocre sushi places, so I will admit I was somewhat hesitant. Turns out that all I ever want to eat for the rest of my life are the small plates they serve at Vi Bacchus.
Maybe you didn't know that the Japanese have their own version of insanely delicious fried chicken tenders called "Karaage;" or that calamari in the japanese style is not breaded but is in fact the tastiest thing you've ever eaten. Maybe you also didn't know that all of the Japanese style tapas at this place (actually the whole menu except the booze) is 50% off on Sundays. Regular prices are totally reasonable, and the quality of food is outstanding for the money.
And then there's the Shochu... again, I was skeptical, because I primarily drink alcohol in some sort of tasty cocktail preparation, never just straight up or on the rocks. Shochu is stronger than Sake, and has an incredibly clean, crisp finish. The kind distilled from barley has an earthy taste to it, and the one with coffee was surprisingly good.
Being a former Italian restaurant, remnants of the interior design just add some quirk to the place. The owner/chef and his wife are extremely warm and friendly and definitely make a really comfortable atmosphere of the place. Finally some amazing Seattle tapas without all the pretentious attitude!
Pros: Dishes you won't find at other local Japanese restaurants, great value
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