{"key":"6038ac6262","origin":"osm","osm_id":"n12764573459","category":"Food & Drink","subcategory":"Restaurant","community":"Nanaimo","lat":49.164981,"lon":-123.9414195,"verdict":"include","name":{"value":"Bistro Taiyo","source":"enrichment"},"description":{"value":"Bistro Taiyo is a 100% authentic Japanese-owned sushi bar and izakaya that has been operating in Nanaimo's historic Old City Quarter since 2001. The restaurant is celebrated for handcrafted specialty rolls, in-house ramen, fresh seafood, and traditional izakaya fare paired with an extensive sake and Japanese beer selection. The name 'Taiyo' means 'Sun' in Japanese, reflecting the founders' philosophy of being a welcoming presence for all who visit.","source":"sonnet_4.6"},"website":{"value":"https://bistrotaiyo.com/","source":"enrichment"},"address":{"value":"321 Wesley Street, Unit 2, Nanaimo, BC","source":"enrichment"},"phone":{"value":"+1 250 716-8861","source":"enrichment"},"email":{"value":null,"source":null},"route_slugs":[],"centrally_administered":false,"bike_parking_detail":"1 rack within 100m: ground_slots (4 spaces) at 77m. Total: 4 spaces.","raw_osm":{"addr:housenumber":"321","addr:street":"Wesley Street","addr:unit":"2","amenity":"restaurant","check_date":"2025-09-14","cuisine":"japanese","name":"Bistro Taiyo","opening_hours":"Mo-Fr 12:00-15:00,16:30-20:00; Sa 12:00-15:00; 17:00-20:00; PH off","phone":"+1 250 716-8861","website":"https://bistrotaiyo.com/"},"enrichment_extras":{"reasoning":"The website at bistrotaiyo.com was successfully fetched and is actively maintained (last updated November 25, 2025), confirming the business is open. The phone number 250-716-8861 on the website matches the OSM tag. Takeout is confirmed via a dedicated navigation section and menu; vegan options are explicitly advertised with multiple vegan ramen dishes listed. No bike parking, water refill, washroom, Wi-Fi, or other cyclist-specific amenities are mentioned anywhere on the site.","concerns":["Website footer shows '© Bistro Taiyo 2023' but the site was clearly updated in November 2025 — outdated copyright year only, not a closure signal.","Website includes legacy COVID-19 safety protocol language that has not been removed, suggesting some content sections are not regularly pruned.","Street address (321 Wesley Street, Unit 2) is not explicitly stated on the website; OSM address used by default and could not be confirmed from website content."],"recommended_status_reason":"A real, actively operating Japanese restaurant in downtown Nanaimo with a well-maintained website updated November 2025. A clear inclusion for the directory.","confirmed_open":true,"contact_confirmed":{"phone":true,"website":true,"address":null},"notes":"Delivery service is currently suspended due to staff shortages per the website. Private party hosting is available. Special order Japanese cakes and party trays are offered."},"provenance":{"enrichment_run":"density","enrichment_model":"sonnet_4.6","verdict_source":"enrichment","category_source":"osm","category_correction_reason":null,"review_priority":false,"sidecars_applied":["bike_parking","subcategory","wow","price_tier"],"subcategory_source":"osm_tag","subcategory_confidence":"high"},"required_criteria":{"Bike parking or bike visibility":{"value":true,"detail":null,"source":"osm","date":"2026-07-08"},"Washrooms":{"value":true,"source":"inferred:subcategory","date":"2026-07-18"},"Water bottle refill":{"value":true,"source":"inferred:subcategory","date":"2026-07-18"}},"optional_amenities":{"Takeout":{"value":true,"detail":null,"source":"sonnet_4.6","date":"2026-07-18"},"Vegetarian / vegan / GF":{"value":true,"detail":"Multiple vegan ramen options explicitly listed (Vegan Original, Vegan Black, Vegan Tantan) with vegan toppings section; website states 'We have VEGAN RAMEN on our menu now' and references being among the first to serve vegan options. Tofu-based dishes appear throughout the menu","source":"sonnet_4.6","date":"2026-07-18"},"Public rack nearby":{"value":true,"detail":null,"source":"osm","date":"2026-07-08"}},"unmapped_criteria":{},"region":"Vancouver Island","ownership":"Buy BC (independent)","indigenous_role":[],"notability":2,"wow_evidence":"100% authentic Japanese-owned sushi bar and izakaya... operating in Nanaimo's historic Old City Quarter since 2001","price":{"band":2,"band_key":"casual","label":"Casual","confidence":"high","source":"llm_html","signal":"Ramen mains $18–$25; casual sit-down Japanese restaurant"},"tier":"welcoming"}