Welcome to Toratatsu Japanese Tapas Bistro™ - An incredible Japanese tapas experience, in the heart of Denman Street

At Toratatsu Japanese Tapas Bistro we've endeavored to create a different kind of Izakaya - skillfully matching painstakingly prepared contemporary Japanese tapas dishes with select wine, sake, and cocktails. The look of the interior is Western, yet the heart of Toratatsu is decidedly Japanese - a vibe and atmosphere that would fit downtown Tokyo perfectly.

The Uno family opened the first Shiru-Bay nearly thirty years ago in Kyodo in western Tokyo. The restaurant takes its name from the Japanese word "shiru", meaning soup, because the Unos served customers miso soup at the end of every meal. The concept of "shiru" also captures the feeling of warmth that the Uno family has always tried to convey to its guests. Although the first Shiru-Bay was just big enough for a dozen diners, it proved so successful that the Unos soon opened a second izakaya called Raku, which means "fun" or "to relax." Raku became an even bigger hit.

Three decades on, the Unos have over twenty Shiru-Bay and Raku izakaya restaurants located in various Tokyo neighborhoods. The family says the keys to success have always been the same: great food, friendly staff, a fun atmosphere, and reasonable prices.

Those things are just as true of Toratatsu Japanese Tapas Bistro, located on Vancouver's Denman Street. Kodai Uno and his family wanted to step up the concept here, however, envisioning a very stylish Western café and a menu infused with flavours from all over the world.

At 26, Kodai Uno already has nine years of solid experience as a working chef and a lifetime of seeing how it's done. He basically grew up in a restaurant, following his father and older brothers into the kitchens of Shiru-Bay and Raku. Being the youngest in a family of professional chefs was a challenge for Kodai; so was running a restaurant in a foreign country. He accepted both tests willingly. Before opening Shiru-Bay Chopstick Cafe, Kodai graduated with honours in 2003 from the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, ranking as one of the top in his class. Later, he trained at the French restaurant L'Emotion, which accounts for the strong French influence in his cooking today. Kodai's passion for cooking is a constant, he travels often to Japan and other places to absorb new ideas, and his creative skills are fully on display at Toratatsu. As Kodai pushes the culinary envelope the future promises even more delectable choices for Toratatsu diners. Cooking is, after all, in his blood.