Shojin dinner club - vegan tasting menu with a guest bartender

Shojin Dinner Club

The previous edition revisited my time at Harken and it was at Saan Saan cafe. This one is drawing inspiration from my most recent travels in Japan, the venue is at Modus Coffee Broadway (112 Broadway)

The menu is a 4course tasting / 8 elements plus take out gift,

Early spring foraged sprouts together with preserves from the previous season, as well as ingredients that I found in Japan,  reflecting the transition point of late February: the cold still present, but winter beginning to loosen its grip.

Grounded in local ingredients and seasonality, interpreted through a Japanese Shojin–inspired techniques and ideas.

A guest bartender, Kaname (from June), will join us for the evening.

Cocktails and non-alcoholic pairings will be available to order at the table.

Cocktail menu is work in progress 

Details:

Modus Coffee Broadway : 112 Broadway

February 26

5:15 pm

7:45 pm

Shojin-inspired family style plant-based tasting menu Drinks & pairings available at the table.

Menu:(brief, we would change with seasonality : it’s Shojin inspired but we use alliums for some sauces, but it can be on side if you are following strict Shojin philosophy )

Photos are not actual menu items, just examples.

3 kinds snacks : mini braised daikon with medlar miso,

Sunchoke dumpling with zero-waste Tsukudani, Nettle with hazelnut sauce

Main :

Baked tofu and winter vegetable terrine with truffle sauce, fried kale & pickled beets on side, mini yaki-onigiri

Pre-dessert, closing meal:

Japanese ancient red-rice chazuke : Ancient red rice from Niigata blended with Koshihikari, toppings : Kyoto-fu(wheat gluten, we can sub for gluten free folks), pickled fiddle head and early spring vegetables if we could find

Dessert:

red bean paste and decaf coffee mousse, seasonal fruits, dorayaki

Omiyage (Take out gift): : You will see : )

Tax and Gratuity is including the ticket price.

Drinks are available to order at the table as a cash bar(we take credit card payments). *We require at least one drink per guests.

We kindly ask that you do not bring your own drinks.

Additionally, we regret that we cannot serve individuals with severe allergies and we request lettingus know if you have allergy when submit your order since we can’t control it on the day.

Chef | Food culture Researcher | Founder of Mæst Food

Tomoko Tahara is a Vancouver-based chef with over a decade of experience in ethical, plant-based cooking. Her culinary work centers on sustainable, seasonal ingredients—often foraged or sourced from local farms, using fermentation or other unique technique—and is guided by a deep respect for technique, culture, and nature.

Tomoko has honed her skills at some of Vancouver’s most respected restaurants, including AnnaLena, Published on main, and The Acorn. She also served as head chef at Harken Coffee, where her inventive, ingredient-focused approach brought a new perspective to plant-based cafe.

Her training includes an internship at Inua(closed by pandemic)—the Tokyo-based sister restaurant to Noma—and two terms at the MAD Academy in Copenhagen (2022 & 2024), where she further developed her focus on sustainability, fermentation, and leadership in the kitchen.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Tomoko Tahara