Sushi Kaji

Sushi Kaji is listed as one of Toronto's top Asian restaurants, and probably one of the two best Japanese restaurants in the city (the other being the Kaiseki restaurant, Hashimoto %EXT%

I wrote about this in my February 2009 blog, but this page has more details and pictures.

The location is not what you'd expect, opposite a Baskin Robbins and a Tim Horton's (Canada's ubiquitous coffee house), and in the same block as a nail parlour.

Step inside, however, and you are transported back to Japan. The chef and staff are all Japanese, and the food and service are good and very authentic.

Sushi Kaji Chef

Sushi Kaji offers three fixed price menus, and no a-la carte, however they were happy to cater for my no-meat request, and remembered the other instructions I'd given when booking. Each menu includes Sushi and Sashimi, desert plus a couple of other dishes. I went for the mid-sized Waka menu with about 6 courses. Service started with hot towels, something which every decent food place should offer, but often don't.

Appetisers

Appetisers

Bamboo Shoots

Crab Appetiser (I think!)

Pretty Okra and Shrimp

Sashimi

Beautifully presented Sashimi - the Sea Bream sprinkled with Yuzu rind was heavenly. The Crab on a Potato Mountain was actually topped with gold! The presentation was superb.

Sashimi Course

Sashimi

Sashimi

Sashimi

Sashimi - Octopus and Sea Bream

Other Courses

Snow crab in Broth - this was memorable for my error. I'd previously read somewhere that the shell was balanced on a pile of salt, however this didn't prevent me from taking a spoonful to work out what it was!

Snow Crab and Taro Potato in Ginger Sauce

Bamboo Shoots in Three Colours of Miso

Butternut Squash Cake and Chicken

Fried Fish Pyramid

Lotus and Yuzo Jelly (with Shrimp Underneath?)

Pyramid with beef and other things...

Sauteed Daikon Radish and Sea Eel

Sushi (and Noodles)

Sushi with Sea-Urchin - never tried this before and it was lovely. I've heard of people eating them straight from rock-pools, with a little lemon, which is a bit too fresh for me! This was delicious, superbly tender.

Sea Urchin Sushi

Sushi with Sauce (Crab?)

Nigiri Sushi

Noodles

Desert

Finishing with a light version of the classic Green Tea Tiramisu, or a Cute Grape Mousse.

Green Tea Tiramisu

Grape Mouse

Throughout the meal, we drank very fine green tea, though this was the one point where the service could have been better, there were no automatic refills, we had to ask each time. (Though I'm not complaining - it's just that there weren't hovering, watching, waiters)

A great place to eat, and I'm already looking forward to my next visit.

One note, the table next to us had a woman who didn't eat raw fish or several other things on the menu, though her companions assured her that "Sushi is rice and vegetables", was slightly hysterical and rude to the staff - saying in front of one waitress "she doesn't speak English". I thought they dealt with it flawlessly, and managed to provide her with a personalized menu.

Links

• Sushi Kaji Website %EXT% - Last updated in 2006 but the contact details and prices were correct at Feb 2009
• Toronto Life Review of Sushi Kaji %EXT%