I’ll admit that after our last two Michelin Star dining experiences we were a bit underwhelmed and thought this journey was coming to an end. I’m happy to report that the conclusion was premature. Last night, we had a delectable, almost flawless dinner at Kissa Tanto Vancouver.
This 80-seat, 8-year-old eatery is located in Chinatown. In fact, that might be the biggest drawback as the location is in one of the least salubrious areas of Vancouver. No matter, Kissa (Japanese for “cafe”) and Tanto (Italian for “a lot”) means “House of Plenty” and chef Joel Watanabe strives to marry the best of Japanese and Italian cuisines and the wonderful fare at Kissa Tanto definitely achieves the goal of melding these two delicious cultures together.
We opted for the “Quintessential Omakase” (chef’s choice) experience of 6 delectable courses. We started with an amuse-bouche consisting of fried stuffed olives, (yuzu and smoked chili sausage), and some pickled vegetables. After our octopus salad which was light, sweet and savoury all at the same time, we were treated to the bluefin tuna which was nothing short of divine!
The focus in on the freshest ingredients combined in unusual ways. I was thinking perhaps a dish that melds the umami-rich depth of miso with the creamy decadence of risotto, or a sushi roll filled with fresh basil, mozzarella, and ripe tomatoes, capturing the essence of both culinary traditions. What we got, was even more original.
We savored a rich wagyu beef lasagne layered with pickled apple leaves, a fluffy crab “omelette” with an exquisite bechamel sauce and a crispy smoked octopus salad with both fresh and pickled radishes, daikon, parsley and chili purée.
Service was “uber-attentive”. Water glasses were never less than half full and we had several different servers tending to our every need. Our main server was a very friendly lady who was well-familiar with all the ingredients in each dish.
Kissa Tanto is also known for its delightful and imaginative cocktails. I had a tall gin and tonic which was made sexier with the addition of yuzu honey and Fever Tree tonic. So refreshing! The wine list has some excellent vintages and the sommelier selected the perfect bottle of cold sake to accompany our mains.
Our main was a surprise – medium rare ribeye with Parmigiano Reggiano and a rich burgundy jus. The flavours were both earthy and slightly sweet.
The dessert course alone was worth the price of admission! This was a strawberry rhubarb concoction with Mascarpone and white chocolate mousse,Tahitian vanilla, fresh strawberries marinated in aged balsamic with an exquisite bergamot honey gelato. So tasty!
Reservations are open a month in advance. Your credit card number will guarantee your spot but won´t be charged. I liked that there was no upsell at Kissa Tanto – unlike several other Michelin Star restaurants in Vancouver where you are offered extra things like upgrading to wagyu beef or special caviar for an additional $45 per person. Very cheeky in my opinion.
The omakase experience will set you back $155 per person. Any drinks and tip is on top of that. Wine flights start at $95 pp.
We rate Kissa Tanto as a solid 9/10!
Kissa Tanto is open 5 nights a week (Wednesday thru Sunday) and is located at:
263 EAST PENDER STREET
VANCOUVER, B.C. V6A 1T8
778 379 8078
HELLO@KISSATANTO.COM
Read about other restaurants in our Michelin Star Journey:
Levadura de Olla (Oaxaca, Mexico)
Okeya Kyujiro (Vancouver, BC)
Wild Honey (London, England)
St Lawrence (Vancouver, BC)
Cranes (Washington, DC)
AnnaLena (Vancouver, BC)
Masayoshi (Vancouver, BC)
Published on Main (Vancouver, BC)
And THESE restaurants don’t have a Michelin Star – but definitely should! (In our opinion.)
Pluvio (Ucluelet, BC)
The Palm Court (London, England)
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