Toraya

We had one night in Sapporo and were very excited of eating a Kaiseki meal focused on vegetables, so Toraya was a logical choice. We made our reservation through JPNEAZY concierge service and were able to easily add the eel claypot rice (highly recommended) along with a 12-course Omakase. The restau...rant was shockingly affordible along with a beautifully curated beverage list. Due to my complete incompetence, I misread the reservation time and we showed up an hour late, but the staff was so warm and welcoming for our group. We were deeply embarrassed, but the service staff put us quickly at ease and we were met with the highest in hospitality. This feeling of welcomeness and warmth endured through out our time at Toraya. The meal at this beautiful, hole in the wall, "mom and pop" place was so gorgeous! I would like to add a disclaimer that for those looking for a meal that is hyper seasoned, this place may underwhelm as it prides itself in showcasing ingredients gently and simply, making room for balanced, nuanced dishes in a thoughtful sequence. Is the food seasoned - yes, is it like eating in Paris/ NYC seasoned - no. The meal's gentleness was profound and showcased a skilled hand though each course. That being said, the deliberate nature of the meal left our entire group beaming through the progression of each course. Long story short - eat as much spicy crab, grilled mutton, and miso ramen as you can in Sapporo, but DO NOT SLEEP on the peaceful beauty of the meal at Toraya. The beautiful Hokkaido produce will warm your body and spirit. The service, staff, and meal will entrance you.

Visited January 2024

This amazing dinner showed me, a big meat lover, the beauty and creativity of seafood and vegetables. The 15 types vegetable dish with broth is iconic and I love it so much. The SOI sashimi with vegetables is very interesting and memorable. Everything else are highly enjoyable as well! With food al...ready this good, somehow their service is even better! The staff humbly and patiently explained in English each dish, and even have a full English menu to explain ingredients and how-to-eat for each dish. I asked if they can add a candle to the dessert since it’s my mother’s birthday, and they can’t (candle won’t work on the dessert) and they gave us a cute small written card AND SAID HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN CANTONESE :’) It was so heartwarming and memorable! At the end of the meal, they also offered to help us order a taxi and said we can call if we run into any difficulty with the driver. The pricing is fair to the point of a good deal, and they don’t even take tips! All in all, a great Michelin star experience. Warm and happy vibes from staff and customers. Will recommend anyone visiting Sapporo to come!

Visited February 2023

We had a wonderful meal in the private room. Great kaiseki dishes, beautiful presentations (delicate yet not over the top), very fresh ingredients (must try their amazing signature 15-types of vegetable in dashi). I was also impressed with their salmon dish. Miso salmon is usually very boring but no...t theirs - which was perfectly grilled and so flavourful. Basically every dish was really good and thanks Reiko-san for her impeccable service to make us feel very welcomed! Toraya should receive a Michelin star soon.

Visited December 2019

TORAYA presented one of the most unforgettable dining experience for my spouse and I. We reserved a private Japanese style room, it was cozy, delicate and clean. ALL the staff were extremely nice and friendly, we felt so heartwarming to receive such service. They made an english menu explaining EVER...Y SINGLE elements in the meal (it was 2 whole page dude), they communicated with a sincere and humble way, surprisingly, in english! I never expected that to be honest. Ok, THE FOOD. Man, the damn food. I just cannot express anymore compliment for the food. We ordered the most affordable set, turned out I got a mixed feeling about it, but sorry it's actually a compliment again haha. We can barely finish it, every dish is tiny but it comes more and more and more...I think there were over around 15-20 tiny dishes in total. On the other hand I was kind of regretting about ordering the cheapest set, because the overall experience they presented is far exceeding the price, and they are NOT TAKING TIPS, I will definitely order the expensive one if I visit them again! As it was my spouse's birthday, they prepared a gift and hand written card for him, this is so sweet :)))) AND They even prepared a special surprise for foreigners! Seriously its just so cute please go and find out yourself!! TLDR, this is the guy review: "Good, everything is good. Happy."

Visited August 2019

A wonderful kaiseki lunch, but more wonderfully, a warm welcome from staff that make our faces glow with smiles and happiness. That the food was extraordinary, deftly prepared, beautifully presented, and elevated the natural taste of the produce is testament to the skill and creative genius of the c...hef. As guests to the country, we loved also the warmth of the service, a menu expressly customized for us in English so that we could fully understand what we were sampling. All in all a delightful way to experience kaiseki and it is an experience not to be missed. With thanks from michelle and Ng Eu khim

Visited June 2019