By Sherman Chan,
Special to The Post

The Caprese Salad was successful with impactful flavors that were a good mix of acidity, bright herbs, and sweetness. The ample garlic and onions along with the requisite basil created an aromatic hit that complemented the fresh tomatoes and mozzarella. The dish ate very differently than a traditional Caprese. The Toro Sashimi had fresh fish and was on point. Buttery soft while retaining a meatiness, the fish was naturally sweet.

In the centre of the Spicy Chicken Galbi were tender nuggets of chicken mixed with onions, cabbage and sweet potato-starch noodles bathed in a spicy sauce. On the side were melted mozzarella cheese and a yam puree with corn. The Spicy Popeye Gyoza was filled with prawn, spinach, and cream cheese, which amped it up.

The Unagi Roll had a generous amount of unagi. The spicy tuna had a similar base roll, topped with seared tuna, jalapenos, spicy mayo and special sauce.

The Tomato Mussel Stew exhibited Korean spices, which added a unique zestiness that was more spicy than normal. But the mussels were extremely briny and helped balance the strong seafoody flavours. The mussels were buttery and on point.

Gomae came in a geometric shape. The Korean sesame sauce had nice aromatics. The Tartare Sampler was tasty. The sesame mustard dressing for the tuna had an umami quality. I thought the sweet soy, tako, wasabi and Korean pear was a flavourful compliment to the buttery beef. The form of fusion was restrained where flavours were complementary rather than reinventing the wheel. It reminded me of Indian-Chinese food, where the dishes looked familiar, but the flavours were uniquely different.

Kosoo Restaurant

832 Cardero Street, Vancouver, BC

The Good:

• They didn't go overboard with the fusion

• Varied menu

• Some might want more daring fusion

The Bad:

• Some might want more daring fusion

Sherman Chan is the #1 ranked food blogger on the Vancouver portal of Urbanspoon.com. Read more of his reviews at www.shermansfoodadventures.com.