1133 W Broadway
Vancouver, BC
Phone: (604) 872-8050
Menu: tojos.com

Tojo’s Restaurant is world renowned for a simple reason. This is the place where its head chef (and owner) not only invented the California roll but also has a philosophy that anyone who sees the documentary, The Chef and the Daruma (movie review), might want to adapt. He’s a person I’ve always admired ever since I saw him on morning news television on Global Vancouver with Simi Sara showing how he crafts particular Japanese dishes. Back then, I didn’t know about the life behind the camera, but it intrigued me. After seeing the 2024 film, my appreciation has only grown.

Over time, this restaurant became world-renowned because of the amazing range of food he can prepare. He’s also a licensed fugu chef, so if there’s the means to import this blowfish in, I’m there! But with other dishes prepared by him or one of his chefs he’s trained, I probably couldn’t tell the difference. There’ll be a time when he’ll retire and the people he’s taught will take over.

He’s a gentle soul who is great to talk to. He’s like the Mr. Rogers of Vancouver! I was in town for Fan Expo and this time; I made the point of setting aside time to visit this restaurant! It’s honestly not that far from the downtown core, but to get there means either taking the taxi or public transit. The former can get you there, and the latter, is about eight blocks away from the major routes. I visited this operation twice because the experience was amazing! The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is perfect. And there’s a slight chance of seeing someone famous dining here. I should advise that you first check with management if it’s okay to approach their table.

There’s no music playing in the background and that helps make for a more laid back experience. Whether one is ordering from the menu or omakase (I did both), I found new taste sensations which got me excited to sample: The Golden Roll is the star, where Tojo-san has truly reinvented how to wrap a sushi roll. Instead of your standard sheet of roasted seaweed, an egg crêpe gets used! The flavour is like that of the Tamago, and to roll that around the other ingredients must be tough! This really helps bring out the sweetness of Dungeness crab and buttery scallop. The salmon is less pronounced, and the roe has a good crunch. I can easily have two orders’ worth and perhaps get filled.

Next, I may go for all the unique rolls offered at this establishment. I couldn’t resist and had to try the Magnum P.I. roll. As a fan of the classic television show, I had to investigate. Sadly, the geoduck meat was missing, and it’s considered not in season (I also wanted a side dish of it as sashimi). I will try again by planning a spring or summer visit, since that’s the best time to harvest this clam.

When I was choosing what to go for, I didn’t want to sample what I’ve eaten before. I was looking for something new, and this one truly is the King of the Hill. Other standouts include the Spider Roll (pictured right), which uses the standard recipe, but unless you eat it fresh after being made, the crispness of the soft shell crab won’t be as pronounced. 

Although I forgot to ask about tasting some freshly grated wasabi, I’m sure they were in the dishes I had. Usually, you want to leave that up to the chef to properly use than yourself. To have too much won’t allow the proper taste of the fish to tickle the taste buds.

I went for a non-alcoholic drink, the Yuzuyu (Seedlip Grove 42) instead of the Kitsune Gimlet, which has gin. Both use the juices of the Yuzu plant, so it was hard to decide! It’s a very sweet drink, and yes, I could have gone for more! Instead, I often keep to one drink at a time.

While that experience was for the dinner table, what people want to do is ask for omakase! This gives most first time diners the experience they came here for, to meet Tojo-san himself, get a photo and leave feeling very fulfilled. There’s three price range levels, ranging from Seasonal to Yokozuna, and for those willing to go all out, I’d say it’s worth doing at least once and dine normally in successive visits. I can see why some Hollywood A-listers love it here. And when the head chef has met many famous people from all woks of life. They include musicians like Ed Shereen too!

To begin, he asked me what particular foods and flavours I like and if I had any food allergies. I’m glad I don’t have any, and I said I love sea urchin, my steaks are near blue and prefer sweet to sour. The more exotic, the better. 

I began with a beautiful thinly sliced rarely served white fish meat (name escapes me at this moment). That was an appetizer before getting another cocktail to drink, another Yuzuyu, before the next dish–which is the best wagyu I had in my life! There was more of a wonderful smoky marbled flavour and suppleness when compared to what BEEST Ramen offered. I suspect the chef in the back gave me the best cuts and when paired with the marinade, oh my! 

By the time the main courses came in, I could’ve asked for more or been conservative. After the wagyu, I wanted those flavours to remain a lot more than the big slices of fish meat offered afterwards. Between the starter known as the Ocean’s Gold Trio (featuring albacore tuna, wild salmon tosses in a sauce and crowned with fresh uni), the flavours are oh so heavenly as the juices from the shell helped accent all the fish meat. The main dish included very generous big and thick slices. I’m also glad to report this offering is also featured on the regular menu!

Overall, the experience was outstanding, and the timing of when to visit is important! Certain species of fish were not available during the winter season, and I’m going to have to make a point of doing a late Spring/Summer overnight trip to enjoy what else is offered. Although I returned on another night because I was determined to meet the head chef, I found my experience more exquisite than the first. This made my trip more exciting than attending Fan Expo to meet Andy Serkis (Gollum)!

5 Blokes out of 5