dinner with a legend
tuna tataki
While it’s true that sushi joints are a dime a dozen in this town, finding a Japanese fine-dining experience may prove to be a bit more difficult. That is unless you find yourself at Tojo’s.
When Melanie and I were deciding on a restaurant to celebrate our first year of friendship (cheesy, but true), the list was stellar. They included up-and-coming spots, tried and true favourites, and Vancouver institutions. But the one that kept coming up again and again was Tojo’s.
Sure, we’ve both had some fabulous sushi and Japanese since moving to Vancouver (many of which I’ve already blogged about). But Tojo’s seemed like such a challenge. Could Japanese food really transcend sushi and izakaya?
Tojo’s is in an unlikely part of town for such an upscale restaurant. But there on West Broadway, sandwiched in between medical buildings and the occasional coffee shop, is Tojo’s unassuming front entrance.
The first thing I noticed was how the space was so bright and open. There’s a little lounge to the left and the open kitchen right in front as you walk in. There are several private booths around the periphery, and tables for two to 10 scattered throughout. I was a little disappointed we weren’t seated at the bar where we could watch the chefs prepare our meal, but still had a good view if I wanted it.
tojo's crab
Melanie and I decided that in order to have the true Tojo’s experience, we needed to try the omakase, which is basically a tasting menu. You choose the price: $60, $80, $110, or “and up.” Mel and I decided $80 would be just fine (and really, well beyond what I had ever paid for a meal already). Our server asked us if we had any allergies and suggested the Quail’s Gate chardonnay as a perfect match to our meal (and I have to say, the wine list was very reasonably priced, with a small, but nice selection).
The first course was tuna tataki, which is lightly seared marinated local wild albacore tuna with ponzu sauce. Heaps of fresh ginger and daikon topped the dish and gave it a nice bite. The tuna was soft and fresh – a great dish to open our palate and tease our senses. The ponzu sauce was slightly sour and was a great compliment to the spicy ginger and mild tuna.
Our next dish was not on the regular Tojo’s menu. Served in a crab shell, it was a light salad of fresh crab with seaweed, Japanese pickles and topped with a mayonnaise-like dressing.
Here’s the thing: I don’t really like crab. There. I said it. It’s not that I dislike it – it’s just that I would never choose to order it. Compared to scallops, prawns or lobster, I just don’t think it has any flavour. So maybe that was why I had a hard time liking this dish. Or maybe it was the pickles (which I normally love). Again, I didn’t hate it – I just didn’t love it.
halibut cheek
It was around this time that I noticed Hidekazu Tojo himself in the open kitchen. A small and unassuming man, Tojo worked like an artist – quietly moving across the line with knife in hand, carefully carving his dishes. It was pretty awe-inspiring.
The third dish was halibut cheek, which was sautéed with a creamy soy garlic sauce. Now this was a fish I could live off of. The fish was meaty, but still flaked easily. The sauce was almost curry-like in its consistency, but was buttery and rich with a definite kick. When we asked our server what the spice was, he wouldn’t tell us. “Tojo’s secret,” he said.
Our server, by the way, seemed to be preparing for Last Comic Standing. Only unfortunately, much of it was lost in translation. When he presented the halibut cheek, he said, “This is savoury sauce. Me: “Oh, a savoury sauce.” Him: “No, savoury sauce.” Mel: “Um, yeah. A savoury sauce?” Him: “Safeway sauce.” Me: “Oh, the sauce is from Safeway? Oh, okay.” (laughs uncomfortably).
Bad jokes aside, we learned that all the chefs take a turn one night a week serving. Which, speaking as someone who spent many years as a server, is a great idea. Not that I would have survived one minute on the line, but it sure would give you an appreciation of how the customer tastes the food.
suntan tuna
Next up on our culinary tour was the suntan tuna – red tuna wrapped in nori seaweed with a light tempura crust, served with sour plum sauce. I’m not a huge fan of tempura – I usually find it too greasy. So for me, this was just the right amount of crunch. The plum sauce had hits of smoky chipotle, while the red tuna was richer than the albacore tuna (which is the tuna most of us are used to eating raw).
And just when I wondered what they could possibly serve us next, the piece de resistance arrived – a selection of four rolls and two pieces of sashimi.
The red snapper sashimi was chewy and a little disappointing. Snapper is one of my favourite types of fish, but it was difficult to eat. I actually liked the sardine sashimi, but Mel couldn’t stomach it. It had a slightly oily and subtly smoky flavour and reminded me of the pickled mackerel our family has at Ukrainian Christmas dinner.
But it was the rolls that really blew us away – and made us question how we could ever go back to the humble California roll (which is claimed to have been invented by Tojo, but some reports state otherwise).
Nonetheless, we were presented with the Great Canadian Roll – Atlantic lobster with asparagus inside with smoked Pacific salmon on top. Unfortunately, I think the lobster was overpowered by the smoked salmon, but was still tasty all the same.
tojo's rolls
The Pacific Northwest Roll was West coast Dungeness crab and avocado inside-out with scallop and flying fish roe on top. The fish roe offered a nice crunch, while the scallop practically melted in my mouth.
The final two were my favourites. And believe it or not, one of them was the spicy tuna roll – something I eat on a nearly weekly basis. The spice was not too overpowering, while the finely-chopped tuna was juicy and packed full of flavour.
It was the Golden Roll, though, than I will go back and order a whole one to myself. Crab, scallop, salmon, and sweet shrimp are rolled in an egg crepe and topped with roe. It was rich, yet delicate and each bite offered a new taste experience.
And then, just as we were debating our favourite dish, our server slides a green tea crème brulee in front of us. Seriously? Crème brulee? My favourite desert of all time? You have got to be kidding me.
And it did not disappoint. Topped with melon (which I normally hate), this desert was a perfect ending to our epic meal. The crème brulee was just as it should be – a crispy crust that hid a delicate, creamy custard.
green tea creme brulee
When our bill came, we weren’t surprised, but it was still hard to swallow. But was it worth it? Absolutely.
According to Tojo’s menu, “In Japanese, omakase literally means ‘entrusting.’ Here it means that you are entrusting Tojo to arrange your meal.”
And I can’t think of a better person to trust to arrange my meal than Hidekazu Tojo.
Tojo’s Restaurant
1133 West Broadway
Vancouver | BC
604.872.8050
tojos.com
While it’s true that sushi joints are a dime a dozen in this town, finding a Japanese fine-dining experience may prove to be a bit more difficult. That is unless you find yourself at Tojo’s.
When Melanie and I were deciding on a restaurant to celebrate our first year of friendship (cheesy, but true), the list was stellar. They included up-and-coming spots, tried and true favourites, and Vancouver institutions. But the one that kept coming up again and again was Tojo’s.
Sure, we’ve both had some fabulous sushi and Japanese since moving to Vancouver (many of which I’ve already blogged about). But Tojo’s seemed like such a challenge. Could Japanese food really transcend sushi and izakaya?
Tojo’s is in an unlikely part of town for such an upscale restaurant. But there on West Broadway, sandwiched in between medical buildings and the occasional coffee shop, is Tojo’s unassuming front entrance.
The first thing I noticed was how the space was so bright and open. There’s a little lounge to the left and the open kitchen right in front as you walk in. There are several private booths around the periphery, and tables for two to 10 scattered throughout. I was a little disappointed we weren’t seated at the bar where we could watch the chefs prepare our meal, but still had a good view if I wanted it.
Melanie and I decided that in order to have the true Tojo’s experience, we needed to try the omakase, which is basically a tasting menu. You choose the price: $60, $80, $110, or “and up.” Mel and I decided $80 would be just fine (and really, well beyond what I had ever paid for a meal already). Our server asked us if we had any allergies and suggested the Quail’s Gate chardonnay as a perfect match to our meal (and I have to say, the wine list was very reasonably priced, with a small, but nice selection).
The first course was tuna tataki, which is lightly seared marinated local wild albacore tuna with ponzu sauce. Heaps of fresh ginger and daikon topped the dish and gave it a nice bite. The tuna was soft and fresh – a great dish to open our palate and tease our senses. The ponzu sauce was slightly sour and was a great compliment to the spicy ginger and mild tuna.
Our next dish was not on the regular Tojo’s menu. Served in a crab shell, it was a light salad of fresh crab with seaweed, Japanese pickles and topped with a mayonnaise-like dressing.
Here’s the thing: I don’t really like crab. There. I said it. It’s not that I dislike it – it’s just that I would never choose to order it. Compared to scallops, prawns or lobster, I just don’t think it has any flavour. So maybe that was why I had a hard time liking this dish. Or maybe it was the pickles (which I normally love). Again, I didn’t hate it – I just didn’t love it.
It was around this time that I noticed Hidekazu Tojo himself in the open kitchen. A small and unassuming man, Tojo worked like an artist – quietly moving across the line with knife in hand, carefully carving his dishes. It was pretty awe-inspiring.
The third dish was halibut cheek, which was sautéed with a creamy soy garlic sauce. Now this was a fish I could live off of. The fish was meaty, but still flaked easily. The sauce was almost curry-like in its consistency, but was buttery and rich with a definite kick. When we asked our server what the spice was, he wouldn’t tell us. “Tojo’s secret,” he said.
Our server, by the way, seemed to be preparing for Last Comic Standing. Only unfortunately, much of it was lost in translation. When he presented the halibut cheek, he said, “This is savoury sauce. Me: “Oh, a savoury sauce.” Him: “No, savoury sauce.” Mel: “Um, yeah. A savoury sauce?” Him: “Safeway sauce.” Me: “Oh, the sauce is from Safeway? Oh, okay.” (laughs uncomfortably).
Bad jokes aside, we learned that all the chefs take a turn one night a week serving. Which, speaking as someone who spent many years as a server, is a great idea. Not that I would have survived one minute on the line, but it sure would give you an appreciation of how the customer tastes the food.
Next up on our culinary tour was the suntan tuna – red tuna wrapped in nori seaweed with a light tempura crust, served with sour plum sauce. I’m not a huge fan of tempura – I usually find it too greasy. So for me, this was just the right amount of crunch. The plum sauce had hits of smoky chipotle, while the red tuna was richer than the albacore tuna (which is the tuna most of us are used to eating raw).
And just when I wondered what they could possibly serve us next, the piece de resistance arrived – a selection of four rolls and two pieces of sashimi.
The red snapper sashimi was chewy and a little disappointing. Snapper is one of my favourite types of fish, but it was difficult to eat. I actually liked the sardine sashimi, but Mel couldn’t stomach it. It had a slightly oily and subtly smoky flavour and reminded me of the pickled mackerel our family has at Ukrainian Christmas dinner.
But it was the rolls that really blew us away – and made us question how we could ever go back to the humble California roll (which is claimed to have been invented by Tojo, but some reports state otherwise).
Nonetheless, we were presented with the Great Canadian Roll – Atlantic lobster with asparagus inside with smoked Pacific salmon on top. Unfortunately, I think the lobster was overpowered by the smoked salmon, but was still tasty all the same.
The Pacific Northwest Roll was West coast Dungeness crab and avocado inside-out with scallop and flying fish roe on top. The fish roe offered a nice crunch, while the scallop practically melted in my mouth.
The final two were my favourites. And believe it or not, one of them was the spicy tuna roll – something I eat on a nearly weekly basis. The spice was not too overpowering, while the finely-chopped tuna was juicy and packed full of flavour.
It was the Golden Roll, though, than I will go back and order a whole one to myself. Crab, scallop, salmon, and sweet shrimp are rolled in an egg crepe and topped with roe. It was rich, yet delicate and each bite offered a new taste experience.
And then, just as we were debating our favourite dish, our server slides a green tea crème brulee in front of us. Seriously? Crème brulee? My favourite desert of all time? You have got to be kidding me.
And it did not disappoint. Topped with melon (which I normally hate), this desert was a perfect ending to our epic meal. The crème brulee was just as it should be – a crispy crust that hid a delicate, creamy custard.
When our bill came, we weren’t surprised, but it was still hard to swallow. But was it worth it? Absolutely.
According to Tojo’s menu, “In Japanese, omakase literally means ‘entrusting.’ Here it means that you are entrusting Tojo to arrange your meal.”
And I can’t think of a better person to trust to arrange my meal than Hidekazu Tojo.
Tojo’s Restaurant
1133 West Broadway
Vancouver | BC
604.872.8050
tojos.com
