Burnaby is getting an all-tempura restaurant very, very soon.
Tendon Kohaku, a Singapore-based chain focused on Japanese tempura dishes, is set to have what is called a soft opening on Monday, July 26, on Rosser Street, just north of Lougheed in the Brentwood neighbourhood.
The franchise venture recently moved into Vancouver and has been rumoured to also be looking at Station Square in Burnaby.
Tempura is one of the increasingly popular branches of Japanese fast-casual food. Earlier this year, the Japanese tempura franchise Hannosuke opened its first location in Vancouver.
In addition to their multiple locations in Singapore, Tendon Kohaku operates in Malaysia, the Philippines, and Taiwan. Their strategy is to begin by promoting Japanese-style tempura rice bowls, featuring Japanese rice, signature sauces, and freshly fried ingredients, and to elevate the popularity of the dish globally. The brand launched in 2016.
According to a global franchising portal site, the name “Kohaku” means “amber” and "like an amber gem shining mysterious with plant inclusions, fresh ingredients are dipped in the golden batter and fried to an amber perfection to satisfy their customer’s palates."
Tendon Kohaku's signature dish is tiger prawn, chicken breast, shiitake mushroom, crabstick, squid, baby corn, green beans and pumpkin, all tempura fried, and served on rice with your choice of regular or spicy house sauce.
The food scene is really heating up in Brentwood. The area’s mall, the Amazing Brentwood, has opened its Tables food court, which will have 19 restaurants when it’s done.
Cactus Club was going to move into a two-storey mega-restaurant, but has decided against it. The Amazing Brentwood is now looking for a new tenant.
The Haidilao hot pot company is also going to be moving into the mall, as well as a variety of other restaurants such as Gram pancakes. The mall also saw the recent opening of OEB, an all-day breakfast place, plus a Basil Box.
It’s safe to say that the Brentwood food wars are definitely heating up.
- With additional reporting by Lindsay William-Ross
