The season is changing and with it Torafuku has a brand new Omakase menu to celebrate. Torafuku has just launched their Fall and Winter Omakase menu and I had a chance to try it on launch day. Their Chef’s Omakase Tasting menu is the best way to enjoy all the creative dishes at a great price point. For $65 per person (minimum 2 guests) you will get a 7 course omakase tasting menu. Check out my full review of Torafuku’s Fall and Winter Chef’s Omakase Tasting menu below!
Torafuku Fall and Winter Omakase Menu – Four Chef Selected Appetizers
To start are four appetite whetting appetizers:
- Kanpachi Crudo
- Burrata
- Bison Tartare
- Roasted Beets
The Kanpachi Crudo features Hawaiian kanpachi, ginger white soy dressing and radish. These beautiful morsels are so flavourful and remind me of Hainanese chicken! A lovely refreshing start to the meal. Next we have the Burrata which features roasted maitake mushroom and bitter greens. The earthiness and meatiness of the mushrooms goes so well with the smooth and creamy burrata. This was a must try dish for me.
The Bison Tartare features salted duck egg, iceberg lettuce, Thai basil and lime. I’ve never had tartare with lettuce before so it was a very unique combination. However, I personally would prefer the tartare with a crusty bread or a crostini. The Roasted Beets feature cantaloupe, pear, peach vinegar, crispy lap Chong, candied walnut and shiso. The crispy lap chong (Chinese sausage) was something that I’ve never tried before and I like the saltiness and crispiness of the dish in contrast to the softness of the beets. This was a very unique dish, and all the components work really well together.
Torafuku Fall and Winter Omakase Menu – Entrees
For your entrée you will get to choose one of the follow combinations:
- Black Cod with Pain Au Lait
- Chuck Steak with Roasted Sweet Potato
- Three Cup Chicken with Chicken Fat Rice
The Black Cod with Pain Au Lait features smoked BC sablefish, dashi beurre monte and horseradish. It pairs so well with Torafuku’s famous Japanese style milk bread. The bread is so good for sopping up all the delicious dashi beurre monte goodness. The fish is tender and moist and so decadent. Although it’s hard to choose one of the three options (because they’re all so tasty) I would go for this one!
The Chuck Steak with Roasted Sweet Potato features AAA Canadian chuck tender, lemongrass marinade with a Vietnamese style coleslaw. The Roasted Sweet Potato comes with a maple glaze, candied almond and a house made ricotta. The Steak is tender and flavourful and the coleslaw adds a bright and refreshing punch to the dish. The sweet potato was flavourful from the maple and the candied almonds add a really nice crunch.
The Three Cup Chicken with Chicken Fat Rice features Half Long Kang specialty free-range chicken, cucumber salad and Thai basil. The Chicken Fat Rice is the most decadent bowl of rice with Shitake mushroom, crispy chicken skin and a fried egg. If you really want to up the decadence factor, you can add on a seared Brome Lake foie gras ($18.00) – which I highly recommend you do so. The chicken is moist and juicy and the cucumber salad provides a much needed refresher from all the heavy (but delicious) decadence of this dish.
Torafuku Fall and Winter Omakase Menu – Dessert
For dessert you’ll get to choose between:
- Basque Cheesecake with blueberry compote
- Steamed Kabocha Cake
I’m so torn because I adore Kabocha, and this cake comes with Chestnut ice cream. However, Torafuku makes a killer Basque Cheesecake, so if I had to pick I’d go with the cheesecake. It’s so creamy, rich and decadent. And you’ll definitely have leftovers. The Steamed Kabocha Cake is very light and delicate and reminds me of “Ma Lai Go”. It’s not too sweet and the chestnut ice cream has a lovely robust flavour that complements the cake very well.
Worth a Try?
As always – Yes! Torafuku’s Chef’s Omakase Tasting menu is always such a treat. The dishes are always so tasty, and it’s so much fun to see the unique twists on familiar dishes. For $65 per person it’s an absolute steal, considering if you order a la carte the dishes are between $20-30. It’s a great little spot for date night or just to catch up with friends.
Torafuku
Address: 958 Main Street, Vancouver B.C. V6A 2W1
Telephone: 778-903-2006
Website: https://www.torafuku.ca/
