Tatsuro’s is a cozy and casual Japanese-inspired eatery serving all-day breakfast, lunch, house-baked goods and specialty drinks in Toronto’s east end.
Between bites of pillowy milk bread dunked in silky soy broth eggs and spoonfuls of twirled pasta dressed in a ponzu carbonara, no dish is short on flavour or creativity.
From kitchen colleagues to close friends to co-owners, chefs Oscar Lau and Maggie Wong dreamed of creating a space of their own. Inspired by the minimalism of Japanese cuisine, Italian-style cooking and nostalgic-driven decor, the duo spent months crafting the concept and menu.
“We like to keep it simple,” Lau shared with blogTO. “I think that’s the philosophy with most Japanese food. You don’t need to put a lot of garnish on things. If you do everything right, then you don’t need any extra distraction — the food will speak for itself.”
Nahro Hakimi, Tatsuro’s head barista, is responsible for crafting all the signature and seasonal cold and hot drinks.
The Matcha Yuzunade ($7) is a spin on the classic Arnold Palmer, made with a yuzu juice concentrate and ceremonial grade matcha. The ultimate refreshing summer drink, it’s citrusy, sweet, and bitter.
The Espresso Soda ($6.75) combines Italian soda, Brio, with a shot of espresso for a foamy, fizzy, extra-caffeinated sip.
The food menu is split into classic breakfast staples, handhelds, shareables, pasta, sweets and toasts.
I was most excited to try the Wafu Carbonara ($23), a luscious, lighter take on the Roman classic.
“I didn’t like how heavy traditional carbonara is,” expressed Lau. “So we use a citrus soy sauce to lighten the dish and nori for salt and brininess.”
A bacon and egg pasta has got to be a brunch no-brainer, and this version, made with ponzu and showered with sesame seeds and freshly grated parm, packs umami in every bite.
Another standout in the Italian-Japanese fusion lineup is the Nori Pomodoro ($16). Extra-virgin olive oil and San Marzano tomatoes come together with nori in place of basil to create a sweet sauce with a salty finish.
For something sweet and savoury, the Karaage Moffle ($25) features crispy, golden Japanese fried chicken and miso syrup on a mochi waffle.
The ‘moffle’ went through multiple rounds of testing and tweaking to fuse the popular Japanese rice cake with the classic diner waffle. It’s tender, soft, and slightly chewy with crisp edges, and the whole thing is served with a side of house salad tossed in a soy-balsamic dressing.
The understated Breakfast Sandwich ($13) keeps it simple with just three elements: creamy nori-scrambled eggs, melty marbled cheddar, and soft shokupan. In a city full of over-the-top breakfast stacks, this no-frills version doesn’t feel like it’s missing a thing. Warm and comforting, it’s a great bite to start the day.
The Minimalist ($12) also features Lau’s coveted homemade shokupan.
“I’m really obsessed about the bread,” laughed Lau.
Not a baker by trade, Lau learned everything he knows at Crust Baking Company.
The shokupan is light, fluffy and airy, with a mild milky sweetness and fine crumb. It’s perfect on its own and heavenly when toasted with a bit of butter.
In the Minimalist, the shokupan is brushed with garlic butter and sprinkled with nori and salt. On the side are onsen eggs in a light soy and shichimi (seven spice) broth. A nostalgic play on dippy eggs and soldiers, the eggs are silky with custard-like yolks that pair well with the crunchy toast.
The Blueberry and Ricotta ($16) features house-made blueberry jam and ricotta. One of my favourite pairings, it’s rich, creamy, tangy and slightly sweet with a burst of fresh yuzu.
The name Tatsuro’s comes from Tatsuro Yamashita, a Japanese singer-songwriter and record producer who helped define city pop in the late 1970s and ’80s. Playing into that era, the restaurant was designed to evoke the warmth of the good old days with interiors reminiscent of mom-and-pop kissaten coffee shops and tea rooms.
Behind the coffee counter, a curated collection of trinkets lines the shelves, while nearly every table is filled with hungry diners or someone quietly working away. Pops of green bring the space to life, appearing on wooden wall panels, in leafy plants, across retro tableware and even in a glass of ice-cold matcha.
Tatsuro’s is located at 1378 Queen Street East.