5 places to find cherry-blossom foods in Vancouver

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      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 cherry-blossom foods around town.

       

      Butter • Mere Patisserie

      Butter • Mere Patisserie (958 Main Street) 

      The young pastry chefs behind Buttermere 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, milk-tea-cherry light cream, matcha-and-black-sesame sponge, cured sakura). This relatively new dessert business creates its eye-catching treats out of Torafuku’s kitchen, so its products must be pre-ordered and are pick-up only.

       

      Leila Kwok

      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-blossom leaf), golden-eye snapper with yuzu-soy sauce, and a sakura-mochi crepe for dessert. Guests can expect a tasty meal created by the chef’s use of 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

      Lucky’s Doughnuts (2902 Main Street and 2198 West 4th Avenue)

       If you’re able to get your hands on one of Lucky’s Doughnut’s sakura-cherry doughnuts this year, then props to you. Each location only makes 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 white-chocolate-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 isalmost as highly sought after as the goods inside of it.

       

      Miku/Instagram

      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. Some of its highlighted dishes include the family-style sakura joshu wagyu (highly revered 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 tart ($14) with Guanajadark chocolate ganache and amaretto ice cream. Pair it withsomething fromits selection of sake or aspecial sakura season cocktail, the Persephone ($13)—made with Nakano Sakagura Nigori Umeshu, Odd Society bittersweet vermouth, Absolut vanilla, sparkling wine, amaretto rinse, and edible flowers.

       

      Tammy Kwan

      TWG Tea Salon & Boutique (1080 West Georgia Street) 

      This Singapore-based tea salon officially opened its firstNorth American location in Vancouver at the end of last year. It is offering a sakura set menu ($65) in light of blooming cherry blossoms around town. The three-course meal starts off with a soup (lobster-and-white-asparagus-Japanese-sweet-potato curry), before serving the main course (duck breast with sour-cherry jus, cod 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. -

       

      Follow Tammy Kwan on Twitter @ch0c0tam and Instagram @ch0c0tam.

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