Bite into a katsu sando and sip an iced matcha latte at the Powell Street Festival, August 5 and 6
Delicious Japanese cuisine is at the forefront of annual weekend event at and around Oppenheimer Park
Tokyo Katsu-sand.
Aiyaohno Café. Photo by Novia Chan
The Powell Street Festival takes place on August 5 and 6 at Oppenheimer Park and the surrounding neighbourhood
SET IN THE HEART of Vancouver’s historic Japanese Canadian neighbourhood, Paueru Gai, this year’s Powell Street Festival is serving up a delectable menu of Japanese eats, from modern comfort food to traditional staples.
New to the lineup this time around is Tokyo Katsu-sand, located on Alexander Avenue, a food truck serving up authentic Japanese-style katsu sandwiches. Try the classic chicken-katsu sandwich, piled high with a deep-fried chicken cutlet, shredded cabbage, homemade chicken katsu sauce, and mustard-mixed mayonnaise; or venture into new territory with an enticing gyu-katsu sandwich, with a deep-fried Canadian strip-loin beef cutlet slathered in gyu-katsu sauce and wasabi mayo.
The summer heat warrants a refreshing beverage, and Aiyaohno Café comes in clutch on Jackson Street (just north of Powell Street) with cold drinks and mochi. The husband-and-wife team prepares food and beverages inspired by the many countryside cafés they stumbled upon during their travels throughout Japan. From iced sakura matcha lattes and sparkling yuzu ginger drinks to grilled kinako and brown sugar mochi, they have the perfect snacks for the occasion.
For those with a sweet tooth, there’s a variety of desserts and treats up for grabs. Coconama Chocolate on Jackson Street produces local handmade chicokare truffle, a Japanese ganache-type chocolate available in flavours among the likes of matcha, yuzu, mango, and coffee. Elsewhere, Japanese Crepe Sasuke delivers a delicious, widely popular crepe dough filled with toppings such as strawberries, Nutella, and green tea ice cream.
It’s easy to fill up on the mouthwatering selection of food available at the fest, but not to worry—there are also vendors offering goods to go. Grab a jar of Japanese chili sauce for later from Ogojo Canada, select a handcrafted organic tea mix from Tea Lani, or pick up some traditional shiokoji umami seasoning at Van Koji Foods Ltd.
A full list of food vendors and their locations during the festival is available to browse here.
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