Torafuku celebrates Anniversary
Located just a block away from Main Street/Science World Station, Torafuku is known for offering Pan Asian-inspired cuisine prepared quality local ingredients and international cooking techniques. Chef-owner Steve Kuan started his culinary glory at co-founding the super popular Le Tigre Food Truck. It’s been 5 years since chef Steve and the team turned the elevated East-Meets-West vision into Torafuku. Now the eatery is ready to proudly present a fabulous anniversary menu to celebrate the success. I was invited as Areta (@foodgressing)’s plus one to have a taste on this 7-course chef’s omakase menu, and I was impressed with the flavours and the value of the menu.
Anniversary Drinks
In addition to Torafuku’s cocktail menu, the eatery offers a few drink specials for the anniversary celebration period. The Spiced Watermelon Margarita ($9) is pink and pretty for the eyes, but bursting with flavours and a heck of a deal! There are also the lighter Sake Sangria ($9) and the alcohol-free Bali Sunset ($6) on the special menu. I also tried the Passion Libre ($16) from their regular menu, with exotic Latino flavours with some an Asian twist. However, I would love to return for the Japanese Whisky Flight ($25) & and the Premium Japanese Whisky Flight ($40).
7-Course Chef’s Omakase Menu
The 7-course anniversary omakase deal is simply amazing for only $50/person. But the dishes on the menu are available for a la carte as well. Most of the dishes are for sharing, so you need to have 2 people to enjoy the special menu.
Let’s find out what Chef Steve has picked for us tonight!
The first pair of dishes were light and refreshing – what a way to warm up the tastebuds. The Tomato & Cherries ($16) features the freshest local heirloom tomatoes & cherries, house-made ricotta, and shiso tomato water, bringing such vibrant colours to the eyes and sweet freshness to the palate. The Scallop Crudo ($17), prepared with Hokkaido scallop, buttermilk dashi, shio koji, topped with fennel, jalapeno, & horse radish, and complemented with fermented pineapple gel on the side, is delicate and elegant.
The Chawanmushi ($12) was the first highlight of the evening. The Japanese style steamed egg custard is smooth and luscious. The popping of Ikura (salmon roe) injects such little bursts of flavours, bringing out the maximum umami taste of the custard.
The next couple of dishes celebrate the beautiful local produce with such big flavours. The Brussels Sprout Salad ($14) goes full-on garden fest with Brussels sprout, cauliflower, broccoli, crispy chickpeas, and almonds, and is dressed with a robust black bean balsamic vinaigrette. However, the charred taste on the vegetables could tone down a tiny little bit. The Grilled Octopus ($18) was a bit on the chewy side, which I liked as I am a texture guy. The pickled watermelon rind s in the dish was quite sour and might need a bit sweetness or something to balance it out.
The main came and brought another climax to the eating adventure. The Roast Duck ($36) was presented with a perfectly cooked and sliced duck breast, glimmering and super inviting, and a duck leg, garnished with watercress, cilantro & caramelized peanuts. The duck skin was glimmering and super inviting. It also came with a foie gras parfait and house-made steamed buns for making your own bao sandwich, making it fun and incredibly tasty. I would suggest having a piece of duck breast on its own, just to see how crispy the skin is.
The alternative main dish might be the Fish Taco ($36), which comes with 2 sizable pieces of sea bream fillet, breaded and deep-fried to perfection. Maybe the dish should just be called the Sea Bream, as it makes the fish such a star in this dish.
For Dessert, we were served the Cornbread ($12), which was so much more than the American South staple as the name suggested. It was topped with caramelized white chocolate and came with a bowl of fresh strawberry compote and peach gelly. This marks such a wonderful sweet finish of a vibrant summer-themed dinner.
Final thought
The anniversary-celebrating menu at Torafuu is a terrific deal. For just $50, the 7-course chef’s omakase has showcased the best of the chef’s culinary inspirations and some beautiful, summer-fresh ingredients from local farmers. The menu will be available through the end of August.
$$
rating: 4/5
Torafuku
958 Main St, Vancouver, BC V6A 2W1
(778) 903-2006 or torafuku.ca
