Miku proceeded cautiously, quietly opening in early October
and without much press until later in the month. It’s a smart move, allowing
them to work out the kinks before the onslaught of diners arrive. With the size
of their dining area, this will be important as the sheer capacity could easily
overwhelm the kitchen.
By our visit during the third week of October, I was
impressed by the precision of their service: my reservation was in the system;
the table ready and waiting; upon being seated immediately greeted and offered
water; and drinks, food & fresh cutlery brought out in succession.
The smoked soy grilled octopus ($19) offered a heavenly aroma from
tender meaty tendril of octopus glazed in the slightly sweet sauce. In the
middle, a piece of togarashi-dusted
chicken skin, which worked with the seafood (perhaps similar to the bacon and
scallop combination). Despite the plain looking dish, on the bottom was a delicious
wasabi chimichurri that provided enough heat without being overpowering and went
well with the octopus and tasty sides (wonderful roasted baby potatoes with a
creamy centre and tiny roasted cauliflower florets).
I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Kaisen soba pepperoncino ($28)
but it was fantastic. Laced with a chili-garlic soy, the buckwheat noodles were
tossed in the flavourful sauce adding a stir fried quality to the dish. A selection
of Oceanwise seafood accompanied the noodles: a single prawn and scallop
(despite the plural form used on the menu) were a fair size and cooked
wonderfully; the calamari rings meaty and delicate; but the clams and mussels a
bit overcooked.
Bell peppers, crunchy bok choy, prince mushrooms were also
included to add contrast and colour. However, I could have done without the
make shift salad on top – the arugula was bearable, adding a peppery freshness
to the noodles, but the diced tomatoes rather strange.
Of course, we couldn’t visit without trying the aburi prime ($55 for 10 pieces), a chef’s
choice nigiri selection. Aburi is
essentially lightly blowtorching the ingredient to help warm and release an
extra boost of aroma and flavour. Each piece was then carefully paired with
sauces and garnishes to best showcase the ingredient. Understandably, there was
no chance in me remembering all the combinations as they were listed out, but
since it’s supposed to change depending on ingredient availability, you’ll
likely have something different anyways.
It was beautifully presented, thanks to head sushi chef Kazuiki
Uchgoshi and his team, with each piece an art form of its own. At first, we had
intentions of cutting the sushi to try them all. However, after seeing the
intricate placement and knowing all garnishes are required to get the intended
taste of the sushi, my husband and I each chose five.
- The lobster tail was substantial and its sweetness apparent (especially on the thicker end) and well matched with a tangy sun-dried tomato. Since it was cooked rare, it did have a gummy texture I’m not particularly fond of but wasn’t off putting either.
- Reminding me of an upscale Big Mac, the wagyu was delicious with the well-marbled beef melting on the tongue and topped with a pickled tartar sauce.
- I also consumed two pieces of rather neutral fish, which were both good. Admittedly, one wasn’t overly memorable, but the other that was paired with prosciutto was yummy, the meat adding a strong saltiness against the delicate fish.
- The most disappointing piece was the squid, which was somewhat hard and had an awful fishy aftertaste that had me reaching for my shiso mojito ($15).
Personally, I found the salmon oshi
sushi ($17 for 6 pieces) did a better job at highlighting the aburi method, helping to release the
fish’s oils and melting the Miku sauce. Our waiter advised that only seven
people at the restaurant are told the ingredients for their namesake sauce,
even then each only knowing certain ones so it becomes a team effort to make it.
To me, it tastes like a kewpie mayonnaise with butter.
Slices of BC wild sockeye salmon is sandwiched in the pressed
sushi and on top, which was an ingenious idea to add a richer flavour as the two
layers of salmon permeated throughout. The layer of cracked black pepper
between the salmon and sauce also helped add an interesting heat that’s
different from the jalapeno.
The Miku roll ($22 for 8 pieces) incorporated tons of tobiko (fish roe) giving it a beautiful
vibrant hue. We should have read the menu carefully as this also had the Miku
sauce, which after the salmon was too heavy and similar. In this case, the
crab, uni and salmon within the maki
became lost amongst the smoky torched sauce and flavourful tobiko.
Miku’s green tea opera cake ($13.50) has a bit of
everything in it, with the matcha flavour found in the sponge cake, butter
cream and ice cream. The cake also included layers of silky dark chocolate
ganache, a thick adzuki bean paste and crunchy hazelnut wafers. It was rich and
delicious, having an almost Kit Kat essence within the dessert.
Walking into
the cavernous white dining room, you wouldn’t think you’re at a Japanese
restaurant. That is, until the hostess gets everyone’s attention and the
kitchen greets you in unison. It’s a stunning space that marries simplistic
Japanese décor with modern European elements, much like some of the items on
Miku’s menu. Moreover, it’s great for large groups and a good choice for those
who want upscale Japanese without the traditional elements (everyone speaks
English and you don’t have to use chopsticks). Another Vancouver exports joins
the Toronto scene, welcome to town!
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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
- 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
- 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
- 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
- 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
- 10 - absolute perfection!
Is That It? I Want More!
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