Savour sakura-inspired treats
Vancouver’s winter may have dragged on a little longer than usual this year, but we’re finally seeing a bit of those captivating pink petals peeking out of bare branches. In light of the cherry-blossom season, several eateries around the city will be offering sakura-inspired menus and treats—delicious and photogenic creations that will likely prompt you to take a photo or two.
Here are five places to find cherryblossom foods around town.
BUTTER • MERE PATISSERIE (958 Main Street) The young pastry chefs behind the butter • mere pâtisserie combine French-pastry techniques and Asian flavours for a unique take on desserts. Its latest seasonal offerings (through April) feature cherry blossoms as an ingredient. Its menu includes everything from a sakura roll ($35, sakura paste and cured sakura) to sakura macarons ($3.30 each) to a cherry-blossom cake ($65, milktea-cherry light cream, matcha-andblack-sesame sponge, cured sakura). This relatively new dessert business creates its eye-catching treats out of Torafuku’s kitchen, so its products must be ordered and are pickup-only.
MASAYOSHI (4376 Fraser Street) Paying homage to the city’s blossoming buds, Masayoshi will be serving its specially crafted sakura omakase ($120 per person) through April 30. The 10-course omakase (dishes selected by the chef) features intricate creations such as canola flower (edible flower imported from Japan) with spicy cod caviar, sakura mushi (steamed tofu and chopped scallop wrapped in a cherry leaf), golden-eye snapper with yuzu soy sauce, and a sakura-mochi crepe for dessert. Guests can expect a tasty meal created using traditional cooking techniques and locally sourced ingredients. Limited quantities are available each night, and reservations must be made at least three days in advance.
LUCKY’S DOUGHNUTS (2902 Main Street and 2198 West 4th Avenue) If you’re able to get your hands on one of Lucky’s Doughnuts’ sakura-cherry doughnuts this year, then props to you. Each location makes only 12 of these cherry-blossom-themed treats ($5) daily, and they begin selling at 9 a.m. What makes them so special? The Bismarcks are filled with whitechocolate-and-matcha pastry cream, covered with a strawberry and sakura glaze, and topped with edible flowers made from fondant and dehydrated salt-packed sakura. Each doughnut comes in a custom-made pink box, which is almost as highly sought after as the goods inside it.
MIKU (70–200 Granville Street) To celebrate the city’s cherry-blossom season, this upscale waterfront dining establishment will be offering a sakura feature menu until April 14. Its highlighted dishes include the family-style sakura joshu wagyu (highly prized beef raised in Japan’s Gunma prefecture) steak ($280) served with grilled market veggies, rose flakes, and edible flowers; sakura roll ($19) with scallop, pickled wasabi, and salted sakura flower; and sour-cherry clafoutis ($14) with Guanaja darkchocolate ganache and amaretto ice cream. Pair it with something from Miku’s selection of sake or a special sakura-season cocktail, the Persephone ($13)—made with Nakano Sakagura Nigori Umeshu sake, Odd Society bittersweet vermouth, Absolut Vanilla, sparkling wine, amaretto rinse, and edible flowers.
TWG TEA SALON & BOUTIQUE
(1070 West Georgia Street) This Singapore-based tea salon officially opened its first North American location in Vancouver at the end of last year. It is offering a sakura set menu ($65) in light of cherry blossoms around town. The three-course meal starts off with a soup (Japanese sweet-potato curry with lobster and white asparagus) before the main course (duck breast with sour-cherry jus, brandade, Sakura! Sakura! tea– infused butter-poached kanpachi) and, finally, dessert (chocolate-cherry mousse cake, scoop of Sakura! Sakura! tea sorbet). This special menu is offered throughout April.