When the sakura cherry blossoms bloom in Japan, picnicking becomes a national sport. In Vancouver, the competition for picnic space isnt as fierce, but the food events do draw a crowd. From Sakura Westcoast Afternoon Tea Service to Cherry Jam bento boxes and enticing Japanese street eats, here are the top food events at Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival 2013.
Sakura Westcoast Afternoon Tea Service
The Urban Tea Merchant is offering Sakura Westcoast Afternoon Tea for $38 per person through April 30. Crook a pinkie as you sip TWGs Sakura! Sakura! green tea, enhanced with a scattering of cherry blossoms. The savories are also Japan inspired. The chef upgrades finger sandwiches to sophisticated bites such as miso-maple glazed sable fish in butter lettuce and wasabi and smoked salmon with ponzu jelly. Finish with tea-infused macarons and matcha madeleines as you watch the cherry blossoms drift down in the Alberni courtyard. (1070 West Georgia Street, Urbantea.com)
Cherry Jam SakuraB bento boxes
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival enlists the help of Vancouvers sushi celebs such as Hidekazu Tojo, the inventor of the California roll, for their SakuraB Bento box lunch, available for rush orders at Cherry Jam Downtown in the Burrard SkyTrain Station at 11am April 4. $20 gets you lunch items including chirashizushi Tojo style, nagori yuki (grilled halibut coated with rice cracker), and an Ocean Wise sakura roll with seasoned tuna and zucchini tempura in egg crêpe.
Sakura Days Japan Fair
Theres a funny proverb hana yori dango that translates as dumplings rather than flowers, meaning people are more interested in the food than blossoms during sakura festivals. Given the all-star line-up of food vendors at Sakura Days, taking place April 6 and 7 at VanDusen Botanical Garden, we predict this will come true. Its worth braving the line for takoyaki, addictive octopus pancake batter balls with green onions and tempura bits. Japadog will serve up their legendary terimayo dog. New food truck Mogu will be there with crispy karaage soy, garlic, and ginger marinated chicken deep fried until irresistible. Youll also find ramen, chirashi (sushi rice topped with sashimi) and sticky red bean paste sweets (5251 Oak Street, Japanfairvancouver.com).
Japanese restaurants sakura menus
Yes, you can eat cherry blossoms. Let an expert show you how to prepare them. A select group of Vancouver chefs has integrated cherry blossoms into menu items. Minami, an aburi (seared) sushi restaurant (1118 Mainland St., Minamirestaurant.com) has a pale pink Sakura Roll with pickled blossoms and Amberjack fish. Tojos is offering a seafood salad with a cherry mentaiko vinaigrette. The restaurant imported blossoms from Kyoto, paying 70 cents to $1 per blossom for their distinctive flavour (1133 W. Broadway, Tojos.com). Sakura-themed menu items are available through April 30. Visit JapanFairVancouver.com for more sakura menus.
