{"id":518257,"date":"2022-11-07T19:21:02","date_gmt":"2022-11-07T16:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/this-tofino-duo-turned-a-retro-bus-into-a-japanese-diner-on-wheels\/"},"modified":"2022-11-07T19:21:02","modified_gmt":"2022-11-07T16:21:02","slug":"this-tofino-duo-turned-a-retro-bus-into-a-japanese-diner-on-wheels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/this-tofino-duo-turned-a-retro-bus-into-a-japanese-diner-on-wheels\/","title":{"rendered":"#This Tofino duo turned a retro bus into a Japanese diner on wheels\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4e7e15ebbac\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4e7e15ebbac\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/this-tofino-duo-turned-a-retro-bus-into-a-japanese-diner-on-wheels\/#%E2%80%9CThis_Tofino_duo_turned_a_retro_bus_into_a_Japanese_diner_on_wheels_%E2%80%9C\" >&#8220;This Tofino duo turned a retro bus into a Japanese diner on wheels\u00a0&#8220;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CThis_Tofino_duo_turned_a_retro_bus_into_a_Japanese_diner_on_wheels_%E2%80%9C\"><\/span>&#8220;This Tofino duo turned a retro bus into a Japanese diner on wheels\u00a0&#8220;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n                            \u201cIt was a risk putting something that people may not recognize on the menu, but it was really important to us to bring something new to the area\u201d\n                        <\/div>\n<div>\n                                                                        <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Late last summer, Madi Greyson and her partner Kei Lowes found out that the ramen shop they were working at in Tofino, B.C., was closing. They im<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>tely recognized an opportunity to combine their skill-sets\u2014Greyson as a manager and Lowes as a chef\u2014to create something new: Toki Doki, a Japanese diner housed in an old Airstream trailer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The trailer belonged to the owners of Tofino Brewing Co., close friends of the pair who had been trying to figure out a way to use the retro vehicle for six years. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite its size, Tofino, a town of 2,500 on the west coast of Vancouver Island, is home to a rich food culture, attracting chefs from around the world inspired by local ingredients from the surrounding ocean and forests.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> But Tofino also has some difficult zoning bylaws\u2014the brewery had been hoping to open some sort of ancillary food establishment in the trailer, which sits on its property, but they couldn\u2019t get a permit. The brewery owners told Greyson and Lowes that if they could get one, they would rent the Airstream to them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Challenge accepted. Greyson and Lowes <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>lied for, and were granted, a temporary-use permit\u2014a licence no one previously had thought to apply for\u2014which allows them to operate a restaurant in the trailer for the next six years. In January, Toki Doki was officially born.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lowes, a trained chef who was born in Sapporo, Japan, and raised on Vancouver Island, developed Toki Doki\u2019s menu<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Greyson started off as a part-time hostess a decade ago and never expected to be in the restaurant industry long term.<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That changed as she worked her way up the ranks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to contributing to Tofino\u2019s foodie landscape, Toki Doki takes part in a number of initiatives to support the local community. \u201cThe biggest part of building Toki Doki was figuring out how we wanted to contribute to the community,\u201d Greyson says. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want to be just another business opening shop.\u201d The restaurant is a certified living wage employer, and includes a one per cent fee on all orders, which they donate to the Tribal Parks Guardians, a program that aids the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation in ecological upkeep and restoration.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s a closer look inside Toki Doki\u2019s operation:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1241552\" style=\"width: 1252px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-sizes=\"auto\" class=\"wp-image-1241552 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/3-e1667837531456.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1242\" height=\"1667\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Photo courtesy Greyson\/Lowe)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The trailer only needed<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">minimal work to become operational\u2014the brewery had outfitted it with a flat-top grill, an oven and a fridge. Mostly, it needed a good scrub. That suited Greyson and Lowe, who didn\u2019t have the capital to invest in major renovations. Before launching the restaurant, they added a dishwasher, another fridge and freezer, rice cookers, deep fryers and a storage shed behind the vehicle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1241553\" style=\"width: 1252px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-sizes=\"auto\" class=\"wp-image-1241553 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/4-e1667837571691.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1242\" height=\"1578\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Greyon\/Lowe)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"attachment_1241554\" style=\"width: 3008px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-sizes=\"auto\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1241554 lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/DSC08805.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2998\" height=\"2000\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">(Rogers)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Toki Doki\u2019s specialty is okonomiyaki, a savoury pancake made from shredded cabbage and carrot, with toppings like cheese, prawns and mayo.\u00a0<\/span><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-sizes=\"auto\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1241556 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/DSC04723-e1667837622817.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1993\" height=\"2278\"\/><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are also other Japanese snacks meant to be paired with beer, like fried chicken and rice bowls\u2014ideal given their proximity to the brewery. But, as it reads on one of the restaurant\u2019s staffers T-shirts: \u201cSorry, no sushi here.\u201d<\/span><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-sizes=\"auto\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1241557 lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1078\" height=\"719\"\/>\u00a0<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-sizes=\"auto\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1241558 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/DSC04696-e1667837669334.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2600\"\/><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt was a risk putting something that people may not recognize on the menu, but it was really important to us to bring something new to the area,\u201d Greyson says.<\/span><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-sizes=\"auto\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1241555 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/www.macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/DSC02110-e1667837709702.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1993\" height=\"2255\"\/>\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async defer crossorigin=\"anonymous\" src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">News<\/a> articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/general\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">General category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.macleans.ca\/culture\/this-tofino-duo-turned-a-retro-bus-into-a-japanese-diner-on-wheels\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;This Tofino duo turned a retro bus into a Japanese diner on wheels\u00a0&#8220; \u201cIt was a risk putting something that people may not recognize on the menu, but it was really important to us to bring something new to the area\u201d Late last summer, Madi Greyson and her partner Kei Lowes found out that the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":518258,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.macleans.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/DSC02280-1-766x431.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[70509,136416,22512,115980],"class_list":["post-518257","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","tag-food","tag-japanese-diner","tag-restaurants","tag-tofino"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/518257","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=518257"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/518257\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/518258"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=518257"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=518257"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=518257"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}