Kozakura Brings Taste Of Traditional Japanese Cuisine To Gastown’s Carrall Street

The GOODS from Kozakura

Vancouver, BC | Kozakura at 280 Carrall Street is now open for business. Join us for Kappo-style Japanese food that blends traditional Japanese knowledge with modern techniques to create something truly new that embraces the spirit of the old.

Kozakura offers a seasonal menu featuring raw, steamed and seared dishes made with fresh, local food and occasional special imports, serving both à la carte and omakase (chef’s menu) ranging from small share plates to full meals. Reservations are recommended for the omakase menu.

To complement your meal, the bar is stocked with a selection of beer, wine, sake, sochu, Japanese whisky and American bourbon and rye.

Kozakura is open Monday to Saturday staring at 5pm. Lunch hours are on the way (follow on your social media tool of choice @kozakuragastown for details).

Chef/Owner William Robitaille and Chef de Cuisine Keith Allison, both well known in the Gastown food scene, have created a simple, elegant menu that draws inspiration from the local market and their travels together in Japan. Check out the menu at kozakuragastown.ca.

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The People

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Chef/Co-owner – William Robitaille
Chef de Cuisine – Keith Allison

About Kozakura

Kozakura is Kappo-style Japanese food. We blend traditional Japanese knowledge with modern techniques to create something truly new that embraces the spirit of the old.

Chef-owner William Robitaille is an Italian-French Canadian so lots of people ask him what he’s doing heading up a Japanese restaurant. For Bill, what really resonates is the culture and focus on mastering one thing, and the progression of the food in a traditional Japanese meal, using simple ingredients, and letting that shine. Industry trained, Bill is the former co-owner of Notturno where Kozakura is now located and also has worked in some of the finest restaurants in Vancouver and Whistler where he developed new and exciting menus.

Chef de Cuisine Keith Allison was born in Sapporo to a Japanese mother and Canadian father and raised in Vancouver, but still travels back to Japan every year or so and considers both places home. Bringing Japanese culture and food to Vancouver, and to make it comfortable for people who can’t go there is really important to Keith. Keith is stranger to Vancouver’s food scene, but his roots are all Japanese — the former chef of Gastown’s Sea Monster Sushi and sous chef at Dan, Keith worked front of the house at Guu for a time.

Andrea Rodman Interiors designed the space to combine the rustic look synonymous with the surrounding Gastown neighbourhood and modern detailing. Master woodworkers Josh Hooge and Steve McFarlane of J&S Reclaimed Wood Custom Furniture created the feature wall and bar counter, and handcrafted the wooden bar stools for the 6-top bar table.

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