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](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/../BlogFebruary2009/chef_at_work.jpeg)
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](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/appetisers.jpeg)
Appetisers
![Bamboo Shoots](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/bamboo_shoots.jpeg)
Bamboo Shoots
![Crab Appetiser (I think!)](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/crab_qm.jpeg)
Crab Appetiser (I think!)
![Pretty Okra and Shrimp](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/okra_and_shrimp.jpeg)
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](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/sashimi_all.jpeg)
Sashimi Course
![Sashimi](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/../BlogFebruary2009/sashimi1.jpeg)
Sashimi
![Sashimi](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/../BlogFebruary2009/sashimi2.jpeg)
Sashimi
![Sashimi](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/../BlogFebruary2009/sashimi3.jpeg)
Sashimi
![Sashimi - Octopus and Sea Bream](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/../BlogFebruary2009/sashimi4.jpeg)
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](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/../BlogFebruary2009/snow_crab_and_taro_potato_in_ginger_sauce.jpeg)
Snow Crab and Taro Potato in Ginger Sauce
![Bamboo Shoots in Three Colours of Miso](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/bamboo_shoots_in_three_types_of_miso.jpeg)
Bamboo Shoots in Three Colours of Miso
![Butternut Squash Cake and Chicken](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/butternut_squash_cake_and_chicken_in_bonito_broth.jpeg)
Butternut Squash Cake and Chicken
![Fried Fish Pyramid](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/fried_fish_pyramid.jpeg)
Fried Fish Pyramid
![Lotus and Yuzo Jelly (with Shrimp Underneath?)](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/lotus_and_yuzu_jelly.jpeg)
Lotus and Yuzo Jelly (with Shrimp Underneath?)
![Pyramid with beef and other things...](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/pile_of_beef_and_something2.jpeg)
Pyramid with beef and other things...
![Sauteed Daikon Radish and Sea Eel](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/sauteed_daikon_radish_and_sea_eel.jpeg)
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](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/../BlogFebruary2009/sea_urchin_sushi.jpeg)
Sea Urchin Sushi
![Sushi with Sauce (Crab?)](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/sushi_with_sauce.jpeg)
Sushi with Sauce (Crab?)
![Nigiri Sushi](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/nigiri.jpeg)
Nigiri Sushi
![Noodles](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/noodles.jpeg)
Noodles
Desert
Finishing with a light version of the classic
Green Tea Tiramisu, or a
Cute Grape Mousse.
![Green Tea Tiramisu](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/../BlogFebruary2009/green_tea_tiramisu.jpeg)
Green Tea Tiramisu
![Grape Mouse](/pub/Andypublic/SushiKaji/../BlogFebruary2009/grape_mouse.jpeg)
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.
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