16 WEST: Meet the People Behind the North Vancouver Restaurant

16 WEST Patio

The first time I was a guest North Vancouver’s 16 WEST Restaurant was in August 2022, two months after they opened and I loved it! I had a four course meal with wonderful wine pairings.

I recently had the opportunity to interview 16 WEST’s owner and gracious host, Brooke Naito-Campbell.

M: You opened the doors to 16 WEST in the summer of 2022.  What has the first year been like (almost the first year)?

B: 16 WEST opened on June 24, 2022 and the first year has been great.  A gradual organic growth through word of mouth.  Not as busy as we had hoped, but guests from Hachiro would come in so happy and excited saying, “I’m so glad you’re still here!” They weren’t sure what happened to us and they were worried we were gone.

Hachiro Ramen Transformed into 16 WEST

M: I did not get a chance to visit your previous restaurant, Hachiro Ramen.  Besides the cuisine, what has been the main difference in running the two different restaurants?

B: Definitely more experienced servers with wine knowledge.  We have a wine director and sommelier, Brendan Jones on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays who has curated a wine list for us, mainly local BC wines, but we are looking into curating international wines because our guests have been asking.

16 WEST Restaurant Wines
16 WEST Restaurant Wines

M: Was Hachiro the first North Vancouver restaurant you and your brother, Stephen opened? 

B: Yes, Stephen went to Japan and studied how to make ramen before opening Hachiro.  We opened 6 months before COVID hit.  It was really hard.  But I wanted to fight for our restaurant!

Hachiro had become a take-out restaurant.  I wanted to change the menu into more of an izakaya and serve appies and cocktails, but a lot of the guests that came in just wanted a bowl of ramen.

“I am passionate about 16 WEST!”

M: How did 16 WEST come to be?  Was it your idea or was it someone else’s?

B: I had a beautiful restaurant and it made me sad to leave it. So my friends, some employees that were there and I thought, what do we need in North Vancouver? What are we passionate about? What would feed the community?

We first thought of a Spanish tapas but then we thought a menu that’s not tied to one kind of food.  We could serve French, Italian and Spanish.  I love a wine bar and I am passionate about 16 WEST and so is my team.

M: What was your inspiration for the menu?  Did you work together with your head chef or did you leave it to them?

B: Our menu is a collaboration between me and Jorge Camacho.  He is from Dublin’s La Maison. French Bistro.  We work really well together.  Our coffee cake, biscuits and all our desserts are made by his best friend, Andrea Lopez.

16 WEST Head Chef Jorge Camacho and Owner Brooke Naito-Campbell
16 WEST Head Chef Jorge Camacho and Owner Brooke Naito-Campbell

M: What is your favourite dish? (lunch, brunch, dinner)?

B: My favourite for lunch is the meatball sub. It is really good. One of my favourites for brunch is the steak hash, and for dinner the mushroom risotto with seared Hokkaido scallops (they will be on the menu shortly) and the mussels.

M: 16 WEST is now open for brunch on the weekends and lunch on weekdays.  What is the busiest time?  Are there certain times/days we should make a reservation?

B: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday nights and brunch on the weekends are the busiest times.  We always have the bar open for walk-ins and we will be opening the patio soon for the warmer weather and walk-ins. Our patio is also dog-friendly.

Central Lonsdale Community

M: What is the best part of being located in Central Lonsdale?

B: Central Lonsdale needed a cool, hip restaurant.  A hidden gem.  It needed love.  Lower Lonsdale has all the restaurants.  Central Lonsdale is getting developed.  16 WEST is one of the few restaurants with a watering hole.

16 WEST FEATURE WINES
16 WEST FEATURE WINES

M: Being located in the heart of North Vancouver, in Central Lonsdale, do you feel a sense of community?

B: Yes, I feel the sense of community with our guests. We have some who have stayed with us since Hachiro and have become friends. One such guest, Susan brought a friend who asked me if I have ever thought of hosting a drag show. And I had! Thus our drag show brunches was born!

North Vancouver Roots

M: I read that you grew up in North Vancouver.  What area? Where did you go to school?

B: I grew up in Pemberton Heights.  I went to Capilano Elementary from Kindergarten to grade 7 and then high school in Arizona where my mom is from.

M: Did you always know that you would own a business? What did you want to be when you grew up?

B: No, I had no idea. Hahaha…what did I want to be when I grew up? As a kid I wanted to do the usual singing, dancing and as a teen I wanted to be a cosmetologist. I was a hair stylist for a long time before opening the restaurants.

After my daughter was born, I turned to food and hospitality because it was something I was around all my life and am passionate about. My dad was the Executive VP of Okabe Company that used to own Coast Hotels.

And now, my daughter, Mika loves to help me set up on the weekends: lighting candles, setting the tables and even expediting the food orders. She loves it!

16 WEST Gnocchi
16 WEST Gnocchi

M: What would your advice to future entrepreneurs  with dreams of owning their own business be?

B: Owning a restaurant is tough.  Surround yourself with great people.  People that you trust and more experienced than you.  I have learned so much and I am so grateful that we got through COVID.

M: Do you have a philosophy in life or a famous quote you would like to share?

B: This too shall pass.  It’s something I always tell myself and it is true.

16 WEST Hosts Events

M: Is there anything else you would like to share?

B: Right now we are focusing on meaningful events.  We host a realtors luncheon and we have an upcoming women’s networking lunch.

In August we will have a PRIDE event with my husband coming out of retirement to be our DJ and drag queens.  I am also in the beginning stages of organizing a fundraiser for ALS because my dad passed away from the disease.

If you have an idea for an event, please contact Brooke at kitchen@naitohospitality.com. To book a reservation call: 604.988.7561 or book online. If you would like to learn more about Central Lonsdale’s one of a kind wine restaurant and bar, please visit their website and follow them on Instagram.

Local Restaurant Feature — Raisu Authentic Japanese Cuisine

Raisu Restaurant Interior

Mama Izumi and I went on a Foodie Adventure recently and had the pleasure of dining at Raisu Restaurant in the heart of Kitsilano, where all of our foodie desires were satiated with their authentic Japanese cuisine.

I have been eating sushi since I was I was a little girl and they have the freshest, most delicious sashimi I’ve ever had. We shared the Raisu Lunch Meal Special.

You can choose 2 out of these 4 items:

Chef’s choice of sashimi (3 kinds), deep fried dishes (2 kinds), today’s meat dish, and today’s grilled fish.

Their lunch special also includes rice, miso soup, small dish, homemade pickles and salad.

We also feasted on their Bluefin Tuna Deluxe Seafood Bowl. And although we were stuffed full of yuminess we ordered their Yuzu Parfiat and Souffle Cheesecake for dessert.

Mama and I highly recommend Raisu to fans of sushi, sashimi, and Japanese food!

Raisu Restaurant BLUEFIN TUNA DELUXE SEAFOOD BOWL
The Bluefin Tuna Deluxe Seafood Bowl is just as yummy as it looks!
Raisu's Desserts
Yuzu Parfait & Souffle Cheesecake

I was intrigued and wanted to learn more about the people behind Raisu. I had the opportunity to interview their Assistant Manager, Yumi Takeshita.

Exclusive Interview with Raisu’s Assistant Manager

M: When did Raisu first open for business? Who is the founder?

Y: Raisu opened on July 2, 2016 as a sister restaurant to Kingyo Izukaya, Suika Snackbar, and Rajio Public House. All 4 restaurants are under the Tamaru Shoten Marketing Corp umbrella.

Minoru Tamaru began Kingyo about 10 years ago because he wanted to introduce people in Vancouver to Izakaya culture and provide authentic Japanese meals.

Raisu Restaurant Japanese Cuisine
Raisu is located at 2340 W 4th in Kitsilano

Inspiration for Opening Raisu and Providing Authentic Japanese Cuisine

M: What was Minoru’s inspiration for Raisu?  Is he the sole owner or does he have business partners?

Y: Yes, he is doing this business by himself. Raisu’s concept is 80’s Japanese culture and Teishoku (balanced meal set).

Raisu Lunch Meal Special
Raisu Lunch Meal Special

M: Yumi, where are you originally from? If you moved to Vancouver, why did you move here?

Y: I am from Japan and I hoped to live abroad when I there. I had heard Vancouver is the best city to live and I was interested what the Japanese culture was like here too.

M: What did you do prior to working at Raisu?

Y: I worked for 8 years at Coca-Cola bottlers in Fukuoka prefecture, in Japan. I was sales person, sales office administrator and HR. When I came here in Vancouver, I worked at JAPADOG as a manager, and went to college, worked as an accountant at an agency for Japanese students who want to study in Canada.

Then now I am working at Raisu. I have been working here 3 years and I am assistant manager fortunately since April. All my job experiences are now with food.

M: If you were in a different industry, did you enjoy your former career?

Y: Yes, absolutely. I enjoyed working every occasion. There are a lot of good things to know and learn. If it does not relate between each industry, I can find relations and there is no waste time that I have experienced.

Is University Important for Future Business Owners?

M: Did you go to university?  If so, what did you study?  Which university did you attend?  Would you advise others to pursue a degree before opening their own business?

Y: Yes, I graduated Seinan Gakuin University in Fukuoka, Japan, and I earned a Bachelor of Law Degree.

I might recommend to pursue, but if they have clear future vision, that is no need to. However it is very worth time to pursue something and make friends before doing business. I think it is very important at that term.

M: Do you have any interest to own your own business?

Y: Yes I do, but I need to learn about business more, so I start working at Raisu.

Yumi’s Philosophy

M: Do you have a philosophy in life or famous quote you would like to share with everyone?

Y: Live everyday happily, that makes your future happy!

This is my philosophy to live but I am not sure there is similar quote in English.

MILESTONES

Raisu just celebrated it’s 5 Year Anniversary July 2nd 2021.

Go in to congratulate them in person at 2340 West 4th Street or learn more about Raisu visit their website. You also have the option to order online and follow them on Instagram.

Mayumi & Mama Izumi’s Foodie Adventures — Sula Indian Restaurant Commercial Dr

Painting of Buddha

Mama and I decided to go to Sula Indian Restaurant on Commercial Drive for the fourth installment of Mayumi & Mama Izumi’s Foodie Adventures. “The Drive” as it’s affectionately called by many locals, is in Vancouver’s iconic Little Italy and is chalked full of restaurants of all ethnicities, grocery stores, clothing shops and boutiques.

It was my first time but Mama had been before with one of her foodie friends. As soon as we stepped inside the dark, exotic entrance, we were greeted warmly by Sujata. She was also our server and after a few minutes of seating us with our menus, she asked us if we had any questions. No, we were ready to order. Mama Izumi usually leaves it up to me to choose our entrees.

Mayumi and Mama Izumis Foodie Adventures Sula Indian Restaurant
Koi fish inside Sula Indian Restaurant on Commercial Dr

I chose their Butter Chicken and Fish Malabari which is a traditional yellow curry with roasted coconut, black mustard & tamarind that is dairy and gluten free, and ordered Basmati rice and Naan bread to accompany the curries in medium spiciness.

The curries were piping hot and stayed so because they were served in stainless steel bowls that had tea light candles under them. Both dishes were delicious loaded with umami and we, foodies were in bliss. And to top it off, the generous portions allowed us to bring leftovers home.

Mayumi and Mama Izumis Foodie Adventures Sula Indian Restaurant
Fish Malaburi and Butter Chicken at Sula Indian Restaurant on Commercial Dr

We will definitely be back and recommend this restaurant to fans of Indian cuisine. The intriguing ambiance, delectable curries, and great customer service, Sula has it all!

To have a look at Sula’s other yummy noms on their menu, visit their website and follow them on their Instagram.