Many of the restaurants we have been to were based on C picking them out or mutual interest. This time, I decided to surprise C with a restaurant hand-picked by myself. We both love Japanese cuisine - especially sushi. We have ventured to many All-You-Can-Eat (AYCE) sushi restaurants around GTA, but I thought it would be interesting if we focus more on the quality rather than quantity for a sushi restaurant. With promising reviews and ratings by other bloggers on Urbanspoon and Yelp, C and I ended up dining at Yuzu no hana; an upscale modern Japanese cuisine.
Yuzu No Hana
Where: 236 Adelaide St W,
Toronto, ON,
M5H 1W7
Price: $$$$ ($150 for 2 people, no wine, tip/tax included
The overall design of the restaurant was had a nice welcoming Japanese touch to it, nothing too special! WE first decided to sit at our own table but later moved to the bar in front of the chef to watch him torch some sushi!
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| Yuzu moni; sake with yuzu jam, grapefruit juice and tonic water ($9) |
The yuzu grapefruit drink was very appealing when it first arrived on our table. Not only was it pretty, but it delivered a slight tang from the yuzu and grapefruit which made the drink more enjoyable.
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| Like most Japanese meals, miso soup is included |
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| Oyster shooter; fresh oyster, quail egg, tobiko, yuzu ponzu, uni, green onion ($7 each) |
My favorite part of the entire meal.. the
oyster shooters! At first it looks like an overload of ingredients, but once you take the shot and fully enjoy the blend of ingredients you are likely to order another.
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| Hotate (Scallop) Sushi ($8/2 pieces) |
We both definitely agreed on the Hotate Sushi. Sadly, we were only able to appreciate one per person as it is on the higher end of the price scale. As you can see, the scallop pieces are humongous - you can barely see the rice underneath! That is a huge plus for us as I know C does not enjoy rice.
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| Yuzu Maki: shrimp tempura, spicy scallop, avocado, tobiko, seared at table ($18) |
The Yuzu Maki was in one word: mindblowing. It was creamy with the charred flavour. It was fresh, it was delicious and they sear it RIGHT at the table! Such a fun dish and honestly so, so delicious.
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| Sashimi Deluxe: chef's selection, 21 pieces of fresh sashimi ($35) |
We never really understood it when our friends mention the difference between all-you-can-eat sushi and "fresh" sushi. After experiencing fresh sushi at Yuzu, it is understandable how difficult it is to explain fresh sushi to someone until they have tried it. Simply put, each bite melts in your mouth and packs a ton of flavor. It makes you want to grab another piece and before you know it, it's all gone!
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| Sushi Regular: chef's selection, 8 pieces of nigiri, 6 pieces of maki ($21) |
We appreciate the attention to detail the chef have placed into making the dishes. Any sushi-lover would know that the california roll is the most typical sushi to be served. Simply slicing the cucumbers shows how something so little can have a big impact.
Note: Yuzu No Hana also has the option for Omakase - a meal selected by the chef including, but not limited to, raw fish grilled, simmered, torched, and other cooking techniques. The chef typically uses the highest-quality fish in stock. Omakase allows the chef to be innovative and surprise the customer with creativity.
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