Sushi Kaji: Tokyo, Etobicoke?

21 07 2007

(Here’s the first of many entries to come from contributor Sunny Fong. Please visit our Flickr account to view larger versions of the photos he shot.)

Coming down on the Islington 110 to the Queensway (who even goes west of Keele for food anymore much less Etobicoke?), one would never suspect that a culinary delight would be hiding amongst the horribly drab housing developments and wholesale knick knack shops. But lo and behold, directly across from a Baskin Robbins sat a tiny place known as Sushi Kaji.

Named after the chef, Sushi Kaji is a fixed menu – the poncier call it: omakase (“chef’s choice”) – dining experience. All the fish used is flown in from Tokyo Bay the day of consumption, often caught straight from the ocean while we are still getting into our pajamas. Even all his vegetables, garnishes and ingredients are purchased directly from Japan.

Being my first omakase experience, I didn’t know what to expect. Recent romps at mediocre, pancreas-inflaming places such as Sushi on Bloor and Katsu had put me off anything that wasn’t flame-broiled. Even a positive experience at a small Nolita haunt in May didn’t change my attitude toward sushi when I returned to Toronto. But because such a buzz has been created about Kaji, particularly between the gaggle of foodie friends in my network, I went with an open mind and a growling stomach.

I entered the doors of Kaji expecting 20 or so yuppies rubbernecking my way but my cynicism was immediately diverted when I was greeted by a lovely Japanese woman in an orange kimono. At Sushi Kaji, the service began as soon as I walked in the door. Not only did she already know who I was meeting but she took my raincoat carefully and seated me directly in front of the chef. Flanked by good friends Robin and Henry (happy birthday!), I sat nervously watching the gruff Chef Kaji prepare our sashimi course.

Henry and Robin went with the Ozu ($100) but as soon as I saw “Appetizer Plate,” I enthusiastically pointed to the Takumi option ($120). After a few sips of Asahi, the first course made its entrance: a square bowl of steamed chicken breast on a bed of shredded daikon, pickled cucumber and a light plum sauce. The chicken was organic and worked extremely well with the light tartness of the sauce. For such a simple dish, it was a surprisingly exciting combination. Chef Kaji saw the look on my face and halted his chopping. He exclaimed “Steamed chicken breast! Steamed in sake! You like?” I nodded and gulped the rest of it down.

The second course was the anticipated appetizer plate. Resembling a sophisticated bowl of liquorice all-sorts, Chef Kaji arranged the items in an installation that was so beautiful, I actually felt guilty for destroying it with my chopsticks. As I uncoiled the stem used to wrap the nigiri in the banana leaf, I realized that the process was as important as the presentation. With every prod and poke, I undressed each piece to reveal an array of foreign tastes:

1. Japanese omelette – cold and dry, this was a small morsel of richly flavoured egg.

2. Fish loaf – brown and savoury, this was a cold treat that tasted of liver, soy and possibly fig. It was by far, my favourite on the plate.

3. Pickled lotus root – my nightmares of this stringy root as a kid returned but this version was fresh and crisp.

4. Shrimp nigiri – wrapped in a banana leaf, it was nothing to rave about in terms of taste but it was more of a presentation item to give the dish height.

5. Stuffed pepper – again, mediocre, reminiscent of a cold crab claw on its third dim sum cart trip.

6. Seared cod –a clean tasting fish with a slightly bitter after taste.

7. Fish cake with caviar – very rubbery tasteless fish solid mixed with a very tangy pink egg mixture.

8. Eggplant nigiri in gelatin – a slightly sour lump of Japanese eggplant that was in a bowl of salty gelatin. Pretty much speaks for itself.

All in all, the appetizer platter was definitely a favourite of mine in terms of variety and flavour.

Third course was the sashimi plate.

1. Salmon – rich, less fishy than the salmon we eat here and had a milky aftertaste. Definitely salmon I have never eaten before.
2. Otoro – the fattiest, lightest, and most expensive part of a tuna’s belly, this was a very buttery fish that had a slight bounce. Succulent. Filling.
3. Sea Bream – a very dense and meatier fish with a high note that went right up my nose.
4. Octopus – thick and meaty like pork, this was Henry’s favourite. The apprentice noted that it was caught that day and shipped over from Greece. This was definitely a treat but it left a bitter aftertaste.

This sashimi plate was such a great experience that I ignored the sight of the apprentice using wasabi (albeit a well-known Japanese brand) directly from a giant tube.

Fact: Chef Kaji also makes all his own soy sauce from scratch.

After noticing that I was scribbling away on a notepad, the apprentice inquired and I told him I was doing a review for an online food magazine. He nodded and moments later, a small dish arrived compliments of the chef. Salmon skin wrapped grilled leeks. A fantastic snack!

Fourth course was a horribly crumbly shrimp ball topped with French mini-asparagus that I did not enjoy. The reduction it sat in tasted like delicious shark fin but the asparagus alone tasted like old grass. The dish was redeemed as it tasted much better when all three elements were placed together on the extra large wooden spoon. But despite its hurricane-esque presentation, this was a disappointing course. This was quickly washed down to clear my palette for the next course.

The presentation of the fifth course, a steamed daikon disc and foie gras was interesting enough but not appetizing. I wasn’t sure about the other patrons but the sight of a slice of dried liver in a plastic wrap did not make me salivate. The daikon was slightly bitter – a sign that it wasn’t as fresh as it could’ve been – and the sauce was a sweet mixture reminiscent of Diana’s BBQ sauce. The foie gras was good but not incredible. Not to be a total critic but an edible paper would’ve been a much better choice. The couple next to us at the bar ate this course up like reject extras from Oliver Twist. I was surprised they didn’t lick the plastic wrap to get all the soy bits out.

The next course was a small fried pregnant fish arranged in such a beautiful way, I didn’t want to eat it. But the second reason why I didn’t want to eat it was because I have hated fried or steamed fish ever since I was a toddler. I hesitated and dug in with an open mind. This was a very bitter fish with a long trail of guts and caviar that tasted like oil paint and raw fish skin. Chef Kaji noticed I was pushing it around and exclaimed “this fish is available only for 3 weeks in the summer!” He gestured for me to finish it and smiled proudly. I could only oblige so I tried a few more pieces of fish with the skin attached. Not a fan of it at all but objectively, this would’ve be a piece of heaven for a hardcore fish lover.

A bowl of pickled white ginger arrived for us to cleanse out palettes. Unlike the usual pink stuff one gets, this was light, sweeter and less harsh on the tongue.

The seventh course was a series of nigiri pieces on three separate plates: seared toro topped with a sweet mayo, a raw scallop topped with lemon and a succulent lobster nigiri. It’s interesting to note that when one of the nigiri pieces fell over on its side as the server placed the dish down, she immediately did a 180 and replaced the entire dish before we could even utter a word. She left us with three perplexed (and impressed) faces and a somewhat frantic server behind the bar. Now that is service!

The eighth course was a bowl of cold soba noodles in a soy sauce broth (made from scratch) which was slightly salty and quite refreshing.

The ninth course was seared freshwater eel on a clump of sticky rice. The eel was somewhat bland but worked well with the cold shredded egg.

The tenth course was a plate of 3 sushi pieces, each topped on loose rice. The first piece featured salmon eggs that I thought were borderline disgusting. Though they were less fishy than the typical eggs stuffed in a Japanese handroll, the eggs gooed like strings of mozzarella from a slice of fresh pizza. The second piece was a tuna tartare but otoru was a little too rich for such a late course. Robin agreed. The third was a perfectly seared piece of plain eel with a sweet sauce. A perfect ending to an otherwise rich course.

Robin summed up the impending dessert course pretty well: “It’s not that I don’t want it, I just can’t have it.” He and Henry both chose a pomello cream topped with a sweet gelatin. I enjoyed a grape mousse paired with fresh fruits on a custard sauce. It wasn’t overly sweet and very well presented.

After we finished our roasted teas, we thanked the chef and his team. I was absolutely stuffed and probably could not have withstood another bite of food. A bevy of “domo’s” and head nods followed as I put on my coat. Leaving Sushi Kaji, I felt a little sad that the night was over. As cliché as it sounds, Sushi Kaji was like poetry in a meal form. All in all, a simplistic yet stimulating culinary experience. Maybe that’s just the Japanese way?

Though it’s the perfect place to impress a major business client or to woo a romantic prospect (don’t forget your gold card), Sushi Kaji is like a high quality sake, best enjoyed with good friends who love food as much as you do.

Despite the $430 bill, a return visit is already in the works. But no research on Expedia is necessary because for this special journey to the other side of the world, one only has to go to the other side of the city.

- Sunny, Vanity Fare contributor