Since dining at Yasu in 2014, I knew the place was
special and would earn the distinction as one of my favourite Toronto
restaurants. Unfortunately, the $80 per person omakase meal doesn’t permit the
eatery to be a frequent haunt; yet compared to the US$300+ versions in Japan,
we can also periodically treat ourselves to the sushi bar.
After many months of reminiscing about the delicious
meal, my husband and I decided we waited enough and it was time to return.
Securing a spot wasn’t difficult – a simple process of using their online
reservation and booking a few weeks out. But, a reservation is key, as Yasu
only serves 24-28 diners per night (at 6pm and 8:30pm sittings) and during both
visits all spots were occupied.
Similar to the first, the meal consisted of 18-pieces
and a dessert. Since Yasu uses seasonal ingredients, about a third of the
offerings were new this time. Starting off with a lighter fish to warm-up the
palette, the striped jack (shima aji) had
a firm clean texture and was gently glazed with a sweet soy.
Next, a piece of seabass (suzuki) was elevated with a dollop of Hokkaido sea urchin (uni) on top. The uni’s creaminess covers the tongue before the meaty sea bass comes
through.
A sprinkling of salt is added to the Hokkaido scallop
(hotate) for crunch. It’s fleshy but
sweet and a splash of lemon wards off any fears of fishiness. That evening we
learnt Chef Yasuhisa Ouchi is from Osaka, which may explain his affinity with
using Hokkaido ingredients.
The fluke (hirame)
is so delicate that what shone through the most was the ponzu laced soy
sauce.
In contrast, the sardine (iwashi) was saltier and had a stronger flavour but still tasted
great, especially when combined with the green onion. Additionally, I could see
the improvement in knife skills – more accurately sliced with precision edges
compared to the first visit.
A shiso leaf
was sandwiched between a slice of red snapper (tai) and warm well-vinegared sticky Japanese rice. I preferred the
leaf under the fish, rather than placed on top, as the rice helped release the
citrus mint taste of the herb further.
Although the snow crab (zuwai gani) still wasn’t warm, it was better drained and not as
watery, yet still retained a wonderful oceanic saltiness.
The amberjack (kanpachi)
was another light fish and acted to cleanse the taste buds for the next piece -
marinated fish roe (ikura no shoyu zuke).
Served with a square of freshly toasted nori, I couldn’t inhale the salty
juicy roe fast enough after remembering how good they were.
It’s the piece that’s always the fishiest, but Yasu
does try to help cut the horse mackerel’s (aji)
gamiest with green onion. Slits are carved into the fish to help the thicker sweet
soy penetrate the sushi deeper.
The shrimp (ebi)
was grilled just before serving and the smell filling the dining room was
absolutely glorious. What hit my mouth next was just as heavenly as the smell –
a light smokiness that blends into the shrimp’s sweetness and ending with the
rice’s faint vinegar.
My excitement compounded when I realized Chef Ouchi
was going to serve three tunas together next. For a person who loves comparing
ingredients, it was a dish that allowed me to see and taste the tuna’s
differences.
First the leanest one, akami maguro, cut from the sides of the fish revealing a brilliant
red hue and a concentrated flavour. The centre chutoro maguro, is a medium fattiness derived from the sides of the
belly; it’s lighter with an alternating meat and fat pattern. Lastly, the
underside of the belly or the fattiest otoro
maguro, that instantly reacts like butter as it enters the mouth. When the otoro started melting, all I could do
was savour the essence – it was bittersweet when it finally dissipated.
A lighter mackerel (aji)
followed with green onions and a glossy slice of pickled daikon to add a
refreshing crispness to the soft fish.
The charred bonito (katsuo) is so picturesque: the dazzling red colour, thin evenly
seared ring, contrast of the dark rub and pop of green. Its taste is equally as
varied – flavourful fish, peppery taste and the wasabi’s zing.
Chef Ouchi, if you ever read this post – please make
sure the braised sea eel (anago) is
served every night! It’d be a shame if anyone didn’t have the opportunity to
taste this sushi. The eel is braised in a soy and sake stock giving it so much
flavour and rendering the eel to another level of softness. Once it entered my
mouth I didn’t want to swallow – my husband was asking me questions but I
couldn’t pay attention or answer – it was seriously a sad moment when the
experience was over.
When you see the egg omelette (tamago), it’s an indication that the meal is coming to the end. The
tamago was much better than the first
visit – fluffy, light and creamy with a consistency reminiscent of an Uncle
Tetsu cheesecake.
To end, a scoop of intensely flavoured ice cream. Rich
and creamy, whole black sesame is sprinkled on top for textural contrast and
further pop of flavour.
Yasu has improved since my last visit: the wine-by-the-glass
menu has expand beyond Chardonnay and incorporates Riesling (if they add a
Sauvignon Blanc I can finally order something); the beer glasses no longer have
a faint fish smell; and the quality of the presentation has increased. What an
amazing second experience … there were times I fell into to a food coma. Alas, now
I just have to wait another year, to enjoy the sushi bliss again.
