Kissa Tanto

"Open for: Dinner Price range: $$$ Kissa Tanto scored a Michelin star in Vancouver’s inaugural awards. The pitch-perfect pairing of Japanese and Italian cuisines comes together in a funky, second-story space in Chinatown, a few steps away from the restaurant’s sibling crowd-pleaser, Bao Bei. The menu is small enough to make you want to order everything: the exquisite pasta made in-house; the show-stopping whole fish served fins and all, which arrives puffed, hot, and crisp from the fryer along with a daikon-soy dipping sauce; a deceptively simple salad seamlessly fusing kombu dashi and pecorino. Reservations are essential. Best for: Group meals; try everything." - Nikki Bayley

"A fusion restaurant combining Japanese and Italian cuisines, known for its smoked mashed potatoes with fly fish eggs and unique pasta dishes." - Michael He

"Set the scene for us: What's the story with this place? Japanese-Italian fusion is in full force at Kissa Tanto. Go past the nudge-and-wink ground-floor sign that admonishes you to “Please Fix Your Hair, and Remove the Mud From Your Boots,” climb the stairs to the second-floor reception, and enter an 80-seat room, which has striking salmon-colored banquettes and bar stools. The restaurant, which takes its name from kissas, '60s Tokyo jazz bars, is stylish and sophisticated, with just a touch of irony. And who's here? Much like the room itself, the patrons here are dressed for dinner—in a hip, never formal, way. What are they drinking? The drinks list features a large selection of Italian amaro and vermouth, along with Chu-hi highballs (made with shochu, a Japanese spirit) and a half-dozen Japanese whiskies. Italian wines are also well represented, as are quality sakes. On to the food—what sort of cuisine are we in for? In Japan, incorporating Italian flavors and ingredients has been a culinary tradition for decades. For chef Joël Watanabe, this approach is written into his DNA; his roots are half Japanese and half Corsican-Italian and Quebecois. Kissa Tanto makes this concept its own; for instance, pasta dishes like Tajarin (Piedmont-style egg noodles) are dressed with butter, roasted mushrooms, and miso-cured egg yolk. It's simple, surprising, and utterly perfect. And how do the front-of-house folks treat you? Servers are smart, savvy 20-somethings who know the menu inside and out. Wrap it up—what's the selling point for Kissa Tanto? This is a stylish restaurant with a highly creative kitchen. It's also a great addition to Chinatown , a neighborhood that's still in the process of rebounding." - Guy Saddy

"Japanese-Italian fusion is in full force at Kissa Tanto. Go past the nudge-and-wink ground-floor sign that admonishes you to “Please Fix Your Hair, and Remove the Mud From Your Boots,” climb the stairs to the second-floor reception. The restaurant, which takes its name from kissas, '60s Tokyo jazz bars, is stylish and sophisticated, with just a touch of irony. For chef Joël Watanabe, this approach is written into his DNA; his roots are half Japanese and half Corsican-Italian and Quebecois. The restaurant makes this concept its own; for instance, pasta dishes like Tajarin (Piedmont-style egg noodles) are dressed with butter, roasted mushrooms, and miso-cured egg yolk. It's simple, surprising, and utterly perfect. This is a stylish restaurant with a highly creative kitchen. It's also a great addition to Chinatown, a neighborhood that's still in the process of rebounding." - Guy Saddy, Nicole Schnitzler

"Joël Watanabe of One MICHELIN Star Kissa Tanto pairs a luxury vehicle with the restaurant's experience." - MICHELIN Guide