The story
Kissa Tanto is a little jewel tucked into the upper story of a faded building in Vancouver’s Chinatown. The restaurant calls itself the House of Plenty, and the name fits. Here, the delicate flavours of Japan meet the warmth of Italian cooking, and the two traditions do “a little dance” – as the menu describes it – with mutual love for noodles, rice, and pristine raw proteins. This is contemporary fusion at its most sincere, earning Kissa Tanto a Michelin star for its high-quality cooking.
The room is designed for small, intimate dining. There is just one large table, meant for no more than six guests. The atmosphere is relaxed and soulful: great music plays, laughter fills the air, and the bar pours Singapore Slings, Barolo, fine sake, and cold beer. The space invites you to fix your hair, wipe the mud from your boots, and settle in.
The menu reads like a love letter to both cuisines. Begin with a half-dozen oysters dressed in ume, yuzu, kimchi mignonette, and nori granita. The fish crudo brings shiso vinaigrette, radishes, and pickled almonds. For something heartier, the charcoal udon combines Dungeness crab, prawns, squid, and Calabrian chili butter. The yuzu tagliatelle features a ragù made with prosciutto, mortadella, guanciale, and hand-cut Australian Wagyu, finished with ginger shiso gremolata. Even the sides are playful: sweet potato agedashi with espelette chili cabbage kimchi, or Koshihikari al salto with yuzu saffron scapece of mussels.
For parties of five or six, Kissa Tanto offers a Quintessential Omakase. Guests leave themselves in the hands of Chef Watanabe, who guides them through beloved classics from the restaurant’s early days as well as new creations made especially for this tasting menu. It is a way to experience the full range of what this Michelin-starred kitchen can do, in a setting that feels like a secret.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
Location
Facebook
Instagram