Torafuku Asian restaurant opens on Main Street in Vancouver

    1 of 6 2 of 6

      The owners of the popular Le Tigre food truck have opened their new restaurant, Torafuku, at 958 Main Street.

      This Friday (July 24) is the official grand opening of the 48-seat modern Asian restaurant.

      Torafuku means "lucky tiger" in Japanese, and the restaurant's dishes will play on flavours traditionally found in Japanese, Taiwanese, Korean, and Vietnamese cuisines.

      Chef Clement Chan and co-owner Steve Kuan are focusing on seasonal ingredients and aim to put local products on every plate.

      Chef Clement Chan's Kickass Rice 2.0 with torched pork belly.
      Fahim Kassam

      The menu is designed for sharing with dishes from $8 to $15 each. These include ramen with braised duck leg, bean sprouts, tonkotsu broth, and a fried egg; "dirty birdy" fried rice with chicken liver, prawns, tofu, chili, egg, and brown rice; chicken wings with a rye and gochujang marinade, and a veggie risotto with mushrooms and a 64.5-degree egg.

      ">
      "This is Not Tortellini" features pork, shiso, ginger, garlic, scallion, and angry tiger sauce.
      Fahim Kassam

      It also boasts calamari "done the right way" made with Humboldt squid, onion, tomato, lychee, arugula, and sweet chili dressing. (If that means fried to glorious perfection like Le Tigre's Fricken Chicken, this dish is a good bet.)

      Max Borrowman, formerly of Fairmont Pacific Rim, heads the bar. Drinks include the Spiced Watermelon Margarita, Gold Buttered Rum, and monsoon and typhoon-inspired A Storm is A’Brewing.

      Scott and Scott Architectss—who also designed Kin Kao on Commercial Drive—are behind the minamalist room.

      Scott and Scott Architects designed the minimalist room.
       

      The back of the restaurant houses a commissary and the Le Tigre food truck, along with other food vendors. Clement has said that he eventually plans to give customers the option of ordering items from the food truck in addition to Torafuku’s menu. Further down the line, he hopes the food carts will open at lunch.

      Torafuku is open from Tuesday to Sunday for dinner, starting at 5:30 p.m. The restaurant does not accept reservations.

      Comments

      5 Comments

      Xander Davis

      Jul 22, 2015 at 11:35am

      More in hipster heaven, nothing for the ordinary person or the poor.

      Old Timer

      Jul 22, 2015 at 11:40am

      No last rites for Pioneer Machinery which used to be there at 958?

      @Xander Davis

      Jul 22, 2015 at 2:03pm

      Yeah, it's one thing when the poor can't afford to eat at fancy hotels every day, but when pretty much every restaurant short of fast food is out of reach, something is wrong.

      On the other hand, if a poor person goes and eats, it is only a civil action to refuse to pay. Perhaps that is what they should do, start eating at the hotel Vancouver.

      RealityCheck

      Jul 22, 2015 at 3:25pm

      Another great business resurrecting a once dead and derelict building. Our part of town needs a hundred like them!

      Welcome new neighbor!

      foodpiglet

      Aug 12, 2015 at 8:23pm

      I’ve been waiting for this place to open and finally the grand opening was scheduled last Friday. We were the first to get in, woohoo. The experience was amazing in all ways but I highly suggest that you just go and see for yourself. Love the design and dishes. The chicken wings are crazy good, as are the mussels. The tuna vs octopus was very pretty but not my favorite dish. The papaya salad was the best I've ever had.