Pre-order online until TUE Jun 8, 10pm
Pick up on WED Jun 9, 6-7:30pm

Kintsugi is a Japanese tradition of repairing broken pottery using lacquer mixed with powdered gold; as a philosophy, it treats damage and repair as part of the integral history of an object, its imperfections something to be celebrated rather than hidden. Creating familiar food in a foreign land can be similar, filling the gaps and memories with a mix of creativity and available ingredients, creating something new in the process. 

Stuart Sakai has a deep and abiding interest in traditional Japanese cuisine, from fermenting his own pickles to delving into the myriad forms of sake. Tonight’s menu is a mix of very traditional elements, some more modern interpretations, and an idiosyncratic dish that from Stuart’s dad who forged his own Japanese-inspired comfort food from ingredients that could be found here.
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Tsukemono
Literally “pickled things”, tsukemono are Japanese preserved vegetables served as a drinking snack, side dish, garnish, or even sometimes as a dedicated course as part of a Japanese tea ceremony. Stuart has long been fascinated by the astonishing range of Japanese pickles (in Japan there are entire stores dedicated to nothing but pickles), and makes these cucumber nukazuke pickles from scratch by quickly fermenting them in salted rice bran overnight.

Kinpira Gobo
A very traditional dish, kinpira (to sauté/simmer) gobo (burdock root) is made with a julienne of  of carrot and burdock root cooked with a lightly sweet blend of soy sauce, sake, and mirin, and sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. 

Tuna & Tofu
This family recipe is made from a mix of ingredients from different cultures, typical of  immigrant cuisines that have to be resourceful with what is at their disposal. This dish sits somewhere between Japanese nikudofu (braised tofu) and Chinese mapo tofu with maybe a touch of Canadian tuna casserole in the mix. It features tuna, silken tofu, funyu (Chinese fermented tofu), shoyu, ginger, and a generous topping of green onions; served with short grain white rice.
Also available #vegan: braised tofu with a mix of mushrooms and vegetables 

Amazake Rhubarb Parfait
A mix of local and exotic, modern and traditional, this light and creamy parfait is based on amazake, a sweet, low-alcohol Japanese drink made from rice fermented with koji, the same mold that produces miso, soy sauce, and sake. It is seasoned with lilac honey and strawberries macerated in a sake and ume (Japanese plum) syrup, with a dollop of rhubarb jam and a buckwheat crumble for crunch.
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Tuna, Vegetarian, or 1/2+1/2
Japanese Dinner — $48 for 2  •  $90 for 4

ORDERING FOR THIS EVENT IS NOW CLOSED. PICKUP IS WED 6-7:30PM

Stuart Sakai is the owner/operator of Sakai Bar – an intimate sake-focused restaurant with a focus on Japanese country cuisine through a contemporary lens.  He is a forth generation Japanese Canadian with 15 years of restaurant experience with a strong focus on Sake and many other interests that intersect with Japan crafts and country living. | @sakaibarto