Kitano Shokudo is the kind of place chefs will send you about when asked where they eat on their nights off. Run by Hiroshi Kitano, a self-taught chef with a deep respect for balance and technique, this Plateau bistro is a love letter to Japanese cuisine—elevated, yet unfussy. Kitano, who cut his teeth with the Otto Group (hence the former name Otto Bistro) before setting out on his own, brings an obsessive attention to detail to every dish, whether it’s jewel-like chirashi, crispy karaage, or rich mazemen noodles topped with duck confit.

The menu leans into seasonality, with specials that veer into unexpected yet deeply comforting territory—think wild boar mapo tofu or a luscious uni carbonara. Fish is a constant star, often sourced straight from Japan, while housemade tsukemono and a sharp, compact sake list round out the experience. The goal here isn’t expansion—it’s intimacy. With fewer seats and a loyal clientele, Kitano Shokudo is about proximity: to the chef, to the craft, and to a kind of soulful cooking that keeps regulars coming back.

A progenitor in the Montreal scene for taking Japanese cooking and treating it to French techniques and presentations, Hiroshi Kitano’s bistro in the Plateau is a must—especially the omakase.