BLOOMING PINK New sakura-inspired dishes and cocktails at Aburi Restaurants’ Miku, Minami, and Gyoza Bar

 

 

Aburi Restaurants celebrates the arrival of cherry blossom season in Vancouver with several new sakura-themed dishes and beverages at its three local restaurants – Miku (70-200 Granville Street), Minami (1118 Mainland Street), and Gyoza Bar (622 West Pender).

From March 31 to April 14, diners at Miku can expect to enjoy hints of the spring bloom in waygu steak, sushi, dessert, as well as sake and cocktail features. Minami is also hosting a one-night only sakura set-menu dinner with sake pairings on April 7th.

“When I think of cherry blossoms, I think of family togetherness, warmer weather, and celebration,” says Aburi Restaurants Executive Sushi Chef Kazuhiro Hayashi, who tries to travel to Japan with his family every two years to witness and experience hanami – cherry blossom viewing. “This certainly also speaks to the values of Aburi Restaurants, which is why we love creating sakura dishes for our guests to enjoy. My family and I also love continuing the tradition of having a picnic under some of the Coal Harbour cherry blossoms near Miku.”

Hosted by Executive Chef Alan Ferrer and resident Sake Specialist Miki Ellis, Minami’s Sakura Sake Event on April 7th ($150++ per person) is an interactive coursed dinner featuring sakura-cured halibut crudo, cherry wood smoked Brome Lake duck breast, sakura-champagne granita, Aburi and sakura inspired sushi, as well as a strawberry sakekasu mousse.

Guests can feast on a limited Sakura Joshu Wagyu steak at Miku for $280 and/or try the signature Sakura Roll ($19), featuring scallop, sockeye salmon, asparagus, hamachi, shiso, pickled wasabi, golden tobiko, and salted cherry blossom flowers at both Miku and Minami.

Miku’s Executive Pastry Chef Chris Janik has created a beautiful sakura inspired spring dessert named the Sour Cherry Clafoutis Tart ($14) with guanaja dark chocolate ganache, and amaretto ice cream.

 

Drinks wise, prepare to toast to cherry blossom season with the Persephone ($13) cocktail at Miku and Minami. Created by beverage director Stephen Whiteside, it features Sakagura Nigori Umeshu, Absolut vanilla, sparkling wine, Odd Society Bittersweet Vermouth, and an amaretto rinse. A Junmai Daiginjo sake feature, Kozaemon Usurai is available for a limited time at both restaurants. And, the refreshing Gyoza Bar Sakura Soda ($6.50) also features the Sakagura Nigori Umeshu with soda, and fresh raspberry.

All items are available March 31 to April 14th, 2017.

For more information about Miku, please visit www.mikurestaurant.com.

For more information about Minami, please visit www.minamirestaurant.com.

For more information about Gyoza Bar, please visit www.gyozabar.ca.

 

About Aburi Restaurants Canada Ltd.

“I don’t just want a business, but want to create a culture and a community.” – Seigo Nakamura

Seigo Nakamura, owner of the Tora Corporation in Japan, is the visionary behind Aburi Restaurants’ Miku, Miku Toronto, Minami and Gyoza Bar. His unique concepts and business strategies have led to the creation of Aburi style cuisine and the Ningenmi philosophy. A trendsetter in all aspects, Seigo is never happy with settling for the norm. His unique twist on Aburi cuisine was created over a decade ago, by fusing the idea of traditional Japanese flame-searing with the decadent and creamy sauces of French cuisine. With a new cuisine in mind, he set out to introduce Ningenmi and the idea of Omotonashi service in the western world.

Literally translated ‘the human flavour,’ Ningenmi is a Japanese term used to refer a person with outstanding humanly qualities: sincere, thoughtful and passionate.