Japanese egg sandwiches have been all the rage as of recently and it doesn’t seem like their popularity is going to die down any time soon. This is in part due to a new Japanese sandwich shop that’s slated to open a brick-and-mortar location in Scarborough at the beginning of May.
Katsupan which gets its name by combining the Japanese words 'katsu' (a fried meat or seafood cutlet) and the ending of 'shokupan' (a Japanese milk bread)—is operating as a local online bakery while their storefront is being complete.
This new fast-casual takeout concept came from the belief that the way people enjoy food is rapidly changing—even though this type of work environment is unlike anything Wilson, the bakery's founder, is used to.
Wilson had worked at a number of fine dining restaurants like George Restaurant in Toronto, Eleven Madison Park and The NoMad Restaurant in New York City and even Core by Clare Smyth and The Ritz in the United Kingdom before being laid off at the start of the pandemic.
His temporary suspension marked the first time in eight years where he and his family were at home at the same time. Together, they ordered takeout so often that Wilson felt like something was off.
Based on his own experiences, he found that many places were focusing primarily on nourishing their customers and that the component of a customer’s takeout dining experience was lacking. At that point, Wilson realized that takeout could be so much more than just food in a box, which led to the idea of launching Katsupan.
The brand’s overall focus is to create a better takeout experience by building relationships with customers and using techniques executed at high-end restaurants.
They’re currently offering three types of shokupan including original milk bread, sweet matcha and French cocoa, as well as a line of colourful homemade jams for delivery within the GTA. Orders can be placed online.
Although their storefront won’t be open to the public until early May, expect to find these items along with a delicious selection of Japanese sandwiches stuffed with chicken katsu and egg salad, drinks and French-Japanese desserts.
Katsupan will be opening at E111-3262 Midland Avenue in Scarborough.
