The absolutely amazing Omakase dinner I had tonight reflects a huge mistake on my part...….but in a positive, good way! The mistake?.....My not paying this iconic culinary temple a much earlier revisit to savour its superb cuisine!
For me, tonight’s feast must rank as one...of the top three most memorable and enjoyable meals I have had in the GTA…..in recent memory, if not all time! Yes! It was indeed THAT GOOD!! Food quality and quantity, deliciousness, service, ambience and price point! Every one of these elements was near flawless!
Beginning with the three, beautifully presented and plated Otsumami. Their heavenly taste, featuring perfectly cooked and precisely dressed and seasoned major ingredients, all coalesced to form some balanced and amazingly delectable flavour profile and wonderful texture delicacies.
The umami rich Wanmono of Cold Soba with Sakura shrimp was refreshing and delightfully different as a mid-course dish. The tasty broth! Wow!!
Sashimi platter of Scottish Wild Ocean Trout, Chu-toro Bluefin Tuna and Madai from Japanese water were all pristine and fresh.
Neta ingredients used for the whopping 15 pieces of Edomae nigiri sushi were surprisingly varied, wonderfully exotic and gorgeously dressed with delicious house-made glaze and sauces. In most cases, no soya-sauce was required……though Kaji’s dashi infused home brewed soy-sauce was top-notched and rare by GTA standard!
The Neta and the 15 Nigiri pieces featured the following:
Hokkaido Uni ( Sea-Urchin ), Baby Sakura-ebi with Caviar ), Anago ( Sea-Eel ), Akami ( lean Bluefin Tuna ), Chu-Toro ( Medium fatty Tuna ), O-Toro ( Fatty tuna belly ), Shin-Ika ( Juvenile Cuttlefish ), Scottish Wild Ocean Trout, Hirame ( Flounder ), Madai ( Japanese Sea bream ), Yellow-eyed Snapper, Chopped tuna roll with spicy mayo, Aburi Hotate ( Flame torched Hokkaido Scallops ), Awabi ( Abalone ), Botan-Ebi, Tako ( Octopus ).
Every one of the above was a star in its own right! The brightest being the stellar Hokkaido Uni ( creamy and sweet ), the Awabi ( so tender, rich and flavorful, the liver sauce! Wow! ), the Aburi Scallops ( multiple layers of complexed profiles, from smokey aroma to caramelized sweetness. Soooo good! )......and of course, ALL the fishes, mostly from Japanese water!!
BTW, even the once sub-pared Shari has improved and is now more than passable!
Dessert of fresh fruits and ice-cream, though simple, was interesting and enjoyable, the ultra-chewy mochi pieces a delight to eat.
All-in-all, a superlative meal that was mindbogglingly filling and great in terms of both quality and value-for-money!
I cannot stop but think and wonder why someone would actually pay over double the price for Omakase to eat at certain places midtown or even four times the price for Omakase, downtown…….unless they would like to pay for gimmicks and/or subsidise the decor and rent of those establishments!
Trust me!......listen to Yu-San and go to Sushi kaji and trust Kaji-San for his Omakase!More