Shojin Japanese Prix-Fixe Dinner

Mæst Food special popup event - 5 elements Shojin Teishoku plant based dinner club - Harken kitchen re-united with Raphael Pirenne(O5 tea)

November 26th

At Saan Saan cafe 227 Main street

Multiple seatings but 5:30 pm is already sold out, highly recommend to save your spot earlier.

The ticket is including all in one! : 5 elements plant-based Shojin Teishoku dinner, a dessert, welcome drink (Raph’s special, sake based tea cocktail or mocktail) and tax (1.5 hours experience)

*Ticket holder only event

A small return, four years later.

Some of you will remember Harken Coffee, and if you spent time there, you might remember the kitchen we ran behind the scenes.

I was head chef, and Raph was my sous. The café closed in 2021, but the rhythm, experimentation, and intensity of that kitchen have stayed with us.

So we’re bringing it back the vibes just one day.

Raph is now part of the O5 Tea team, managing the space and bringing his sense of flavour and service to tea culture. For this pop-up, he’ll curate welcome drink, andnon-alcoholic drink menu, also create the dessert.Bonus: Stacey(an award winning ex roaster of Harken, now Swiss water)is roasting coffee beans only for this event, Raph will utilize them, create special mocktail.

I (Tomoko Tahara)’ll be cooking a five-dish shojin teishoku-style set — The menu is sort of upgraded version of Harken breakfast, a structured set menu featuring seasonal ingredients and shojin ryori techniques, fermentation, blended into the dishes such as local blacken chestnut rice, seasonal tempura, soba-sashimi and more.

This isn’t a recreation. It’s a reunion. The same team, new context.
As a bonus, Mark, who many of you might remember as one of Harken’s baristas will join helping us for the service.
Unfortunately, no coffee this time.

Menu( a set menu)

Shojin Teishoku Menu

Delicata Squash & Persimmon

Slow-roasted delicata squash and local persimmons with bean soboro crumble

(Mild heat, layered sweetness, winter aromatics)

Soba Sashimi

Cold buckwheat in sashimi-style

Special tare and house-made XO

Braised Daikon

Purple daikon braised in fermented tea from o5 tea( awa bancha) and matsutake dashi

Finished with quince miso sauce

Black Chestnut Rice

Local chestnuts has been blackened for a month, cooked into rice for an earthy rich finish. Chestnuts rice is one of an iconic autumn menu item in Japan.

Maitake & Seasonal Vegetable Tempura

Maitake tempura is very flavorful, but it’s tricky to cook for tempura, we did special

Egoma shiso leaf tempura, seasonal vegetables, rhubarb Kosho

Served with warm dashi broth

Dessert will be created by Raph and revealed closer to the event.Expecting an An-Mitsu parfait.

⸻

Drinks created by Raph

One welcome drink is included with each ticket:

“Japanese delight”

A sake-based cocktail with spiced yuzu, sencha, and a touch of amazake.

A sober version is available.

“Harken Reunited Special Mocktail.”

Raph is also developing another non-alcoholic drink, including a special mocktail made with coffee beans from Stacey (formerly Harken’s roaster, now with Swiss Water)

We have biodynamic wine for extra alcohol.

Important note:

The ticket price is including the 5 elements dinner, dessert and welcome drink. Gratuity is not including the ticket price.

Extra drinks (Wine, mocktails) are available to purchase at the table.

We are unable to accommodate severe food allergies, last-minute dietary changes, or menu modifications for this event.

Please share any dietary information when booking — we cannot adjust the menu on the day of service.
Outside beverages are not permitted.

The menu is FULLY Gluten free

Raphael Pirenne

Born in Belgium and raised in Germany and Canada, Raphaël was exposed to Japanese culture from a young age through his first friendship in kindergarten, an interest that has inspired much of his approach to food and hospitality.

He began his culinary path when he started his first kitchen job at Pizzeria Prima Strada in Victoria. He later worked as a dinner cook at Nourish Kitchen & Café. In 2017, he moved to Vancouver and worked at Prado Café, eventually moving on to become part of the opening team at Harken Coffee, where he worked as a sous chef alongside chef Tomoko in the kitchen. After Harken’s closure in 2021, Raphaël continued to explore cafe-style cooking as a chef at Modus Coffee. He now brings his passion and hospitality to O5 Tea, guiding guests through tea tasting experiences and curating events that bridge tea, food, and culture.

Tomoko Tahara ! Chef | Food culture Researcher | creative director of Mæst Food

Tomoko Tahara is a Vancouver-based chef with over a decade of experience in ethical, plant-based cooking.

Her culinary work focus 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.

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