Burger & Cafe JOY is located in Kamloops' Sahali mall at 945 Columbia Street. I have yet to include a website link for any of the restaurants I've blogged about, though I'll be sure to include Joy's, as it is visual appealing. I wish that it had an "About Us" section however so that I could understand fully how this Teriyaki burger & green tea sweet cafe came to be in the small city of Kamloops.
I'm not a hipster, but I would like to start by stating that this very well could be one of the coolest "hipster" burger joints in Kamloops. Instagram would be filled with photos of Joy's decor and dishes: #zen #cool #foodporn. This small space sandwiched between what I believe was a hair salon and ink refill store, is a chill retreat from the cream colored mall walls and tile. Black streamlined sofas, wooden slatted tables with seating for groups of two or four and bar seating at the window. A LED screen displays their menu items, there is free Wifi, and just in case you were in the market for smart phone accesories, they've got some of those for sale too. I treated myself to lunch here and was one of three individuals dining alone. A precious rendition of "Is This Love?" by Bob Marley was playing, covered by a a soft-spoken female artist, and that, along side the smiling and charismatic Japanese hostess, made me feel like I could spend the afternoon there sipping on a green tea latte. It was ideal.
Joy is exactly what it claims to be, a teriyaki burger and green tea sweets cafe. The menu includes beef, chicken, pork, seafood and tofu burgers along side various options to accompany their deliciousness, such as edamame, miso soup, seaweed salad, and their new, squid salad. Traditional french fries are also an option. They have daily specials of more traditional Japanese dishes to boot. In terms of their green tea cafe items, let me tell you, I had to hold off on ordering one of everything, as they all looked luscious. Green tea roll cake, green tea pudding, green tea ice cream and both hot/cold green tea lattes, to name a few. I decided to go with a teriyaki tofu burger with a side of seaweed salad and a bottle of water. My bill came to $10.20 all in, it was fabulous.
Seaweed salad is something that I actually have cravings for, and when I see it on the menu, regardless of it's cost, I will order it. When one imagines a seaweed salad they made wonder what it's texture is like. It's most likely exactly like what you've imagined. It's cold, slightly slippery, though has a crunchy texture and amazing bright green color and tasty flavor. I have purchased seaweed salads comparable to this one in terms of it's portion size for almost $6 before - this side was $3.35. If you're bored by a tossed salad, opt for this one next time.
Next I sunk my teeth into a teriyaki tofu burger, I have yet to enjoy a veggie burger as much as I enjoyed this tofu option. To make a teriyaki dish an item is first broiled, grilled or baked after being marinated in a teriyaki sauce giving it it's sheen (teri). My lightly breaded gigantic serving of medium tofu was warm and perfectly glazed. Caught between a fresh hot white bun with a slice of fresh juicy tomato and lettuce for garnish. It was juicy, it was messy, it was mouthwatering and amazing. If Joy managed to grill my tofu to perfection, I wondered what they are able to do with a chicken breast or fish fillet. I will definitely be bringing a few protein-hungry male friends along with me next time to try those options out.
As my meal's finale, the lovely hostess/waitress timidly approached my table and placed down my "Thank-you". A petite crisp cookie with creamy smooth chocolate spread between it's layers and a thin single pretzel like cookie dipped in strawberry yogurt. It was a great finish, they were pretty, cute and very satisfying after a savory meal.
If you want to take yourself for lunch, please check out Joy. Relax at a table, take your time, sip some antioxidant rich green tea and get messy with a scrumptious, juicy, teriyaki delight, no one will judge you. The ingredients are fresh, their combination in the menu items is innovative and pleasing. Forget your previous favorite burger location and breathe in the calming relaxation inside the four walls at Joy. Tanoshimu = Enjoy.
Bon appetit.
www.burgercafejoy.com
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