The Tamaru Shoten Group (Kingyo, Suika, Raijo) opened the doors to its newest Vancouver restaurant, Toyokan Bowl, last October.
The popular family of Japanese restaurants is continuing its streak of converting existing but vacated spaces into outposts for each new concept. In this case, Toyokan Bowl occupies 1896 W 1st Ave, which was previously a location of Robba da Matti, complete with its upstairs "burrata bar."
Robba da Matti closed in early 2024, and by the spring, Tamaru Shoten had the space and got to work transforming it into Toyokan Bowl.
Specifically, Toyokan Bowl is the former upstairs burrata bar space, with the exterior address of 1896 W 1st (the downstairs is 1898). They have added bold splashes of bright colour and all sorts of kitschy Japanese accents along with a bowling motif, but some vestiges of the prior tenant remain, like the Mediterranean-style tiles on the floor.
This is kind of the Tamaru Shoten blueprint; moving quickly into spaces and not tearing things down to the studs. It's a similar feel over at Raisu, which opened at the end of 2016 in what used to Chivana and Takenaka in Gastown which quickly turned over the ex-Rodney's Oyster Bar at the start of last year.
Toyokan Bowl also happens to be right across the street from one of its siblings, New Fuji.
What is on the menu at Toyokan Bowl
There is still no website for Toyokan Bowl, however on its Instagram, the new restaurant shares that they offer "authentic sushi bowl style Japanese food," and dishes that feature some seafood imported from Japan.
"We offer freshly sourced sea urchin directly from Tsukiji (Japan’s top seafood market)," describe operators on social media.
The sea urchin (uni) is available in a series of special bowls; the Turkey ($150), the Double ($100), and the Strike ($60).
The menu at Toyokan is a bit smaller than the other Tamaru Shoten restaurants. Besides the special uni bowls, they serve primarily box and bowl creations, designed for one person (though you can opt to share). They have a Bluefin Feast bowl ($65), wagyu beef boxes (including one with uni), and several other seafood sets, often focusing on multiple preparations of the same fish, like salmon or sea bream.
Particularly noteworthy is Toyokan's coveted Land & Ocean Treasure Box ($58). The restaurant only has 10 available for each lunch and dinner service, respectively.
There are also a couple of udon dishes as well as some plant-based options on the Toyokan menu. A separate sheet details current restaurant specials.
Small but lively space with gracious staff
The service is gracious and hospitable, with staff offering quick explanations of the menu to anyone who is new to trying Toyokan. The space is small but lively, with greetings and orders called out in Japanese ringing across the narrow and eclectic upstairs space.
At peak times, there is a bit of a wait for food to come, but staff do seem to stagger seating guests in order to keep the demand on the team working in the tiny, open kitchen steady but not overwhelming.
The bowls themselves are visually stunning, and, in classic Tamaru Shoten style, are artfully arranged. The Bluefin Feast features a "deck" of chopped tuna perched on a rice bowl with a skirt of velvet pink Bluefin sashimi slices, a snowy peak of thinly-cut nori, and a glistening cascade of ikura pearls. Guests can deconstruct the dish to enjoy in small side bowls with wasabi and soy sauce.
Toyokan Bowl soft opened on October 2, 2024, and now operates daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant does not accept reservations; guests should request a table from the host and may have to wait in the outdoor, covered stairway until seating is available.
Follow @toyokan_bowl on Instagram.
This article was originally published on October 7, 2024, and has been updated.
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