For the first episode of the fourth season of his show No Reservations, acclaimed chef, writer, and TV host Anthony Bourdain came to Vancouver.
"It's a foodie town, a chef town, a multicultural city... a proverbial melting pot where the elements don't melt too much and lose distinct flavours," Bourdain said of Vancouver.
It was 2008, and Bourdain spent his time with a trio of Vancouver chefs considered godfathers in their respective cuisines: Pino Posteraro (Cioppino's), Hidekazu Tojo (Tojo's), and Vikram Vij (Vij's) in the episode, with stops to eat at Japadog, Tojo's famed sushi restaurant, and an intimate in-home dinner with his new Vancouverite friends.
Bourdain took his life on June 8, 2018, and while that date each ensuing year has been marked with fond remembrances and tributes, Vancouver's Tojo is focusing on June 25, Bourdain's birthday, to honour his friend and to support mental wellness in the city's hospitality scene.
Tojo will celebrate Bourdain by creating a commemorative omakase experience. The menu will feature items Bourdain tried during his visit to Tojo's along with seasonal specialties and what the restaurant calls "Anthony-approved plates."
Anthony Bourdain in a photo shared on his Facebook page in April 2014. Dining omakase-style at Tojo's is a special experience, as the sushi master is considered one of the modern pioneers of the cuisine in North America.
"During the episode, the disciplined motions of Tojo and his team pair to the joyous clatter from the sushi bar and busting dining room complete with a series of smiles, laughs and conversations, it's so apparent this is what they love doing," the restaurant reminisces, adding: "Some things at Tojo's don't change."
Available for one week only, beginning Thursday, June 25, the omakase menu is priced at $150, with a sake pairing option available to add-on for $38.
15% of proceeds from each dinner will be donated to Mind the Bar, a local initiated non-profit mental health resource and support system for hospitality workers.
Here is the menu:
Yakitori
Tsukune (Japanese Chicken Meatball),
Chicken Breast, Chicken Heart, Quail Egg
Dungeness Crab Salad
Apple, Cucumber, Rice Noodle, Miso-Mustard Sauce
Sashimi Salad
Salmon, Tuna, Mountain Potato, Avocado, Tojo's Special Sauce
Tempura
Zucchini Flower Stuffed with Fish Mousse, Sea Asparagus, Baby Carrots
Vancouver
Spot Prawn, Rice Cracker Coated Halibut Cheek, Morel Mushroom,
Golden Beet, Fiddle Head, Kale and Swiss Chard Salad
Nigiri
West Coast Tuna Toro, Smoked Sablefish, Spot Prawn,
Bluefin Toro, Anago (Salt-water Eel), Pacific Geoduck
Strawberry Mochi
Red Bean, Strawberry
Only a limited number of meals will be available each evening, and reservations are highly recommended. Reserve online here or by calling the restaurant at 604-872-8050.
Tojo's is located at 1133 West Broadway in Vancouver
