Scarborough: Japanese-owned Japanese restaurants

[jenny_zhang]

Does anyone know of any Japanese-owned Japanese restaurants in or near Scarborough?

 

[tissot]

I went to a Japanese restaurant a few weeks ago at Sheppard and Pharmacy. I can't remember the name, but I remember it has the word cafe in it. It doesn't look like a prototypical Japanese restaurant you'll find in the suburbs and I thought it was quite charming. I ended up having the curry with a green tea cake.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...563,-79.318811&spn=0.001317,0.005472&t=h&z=18

I marked the plaza with an 'A' on Google maps. The restaurant is the second unit from the left.

edit: Just found the name. It's called Cafe Michi. http://ourfaves.com/place/751948/cafe-michi-scarborough

 

[Hipster Duck]

Ok, at the risk of starting an inflammatory argument, I just have to ask whether it REALLY matters if your sushi was prepared by a Japanese-born chef.

 

[rpgr]

I go to Cafe Michi too but the Sushi there is limited, what is there is good though.

It's reall a cafe rather than someplace you eat sushi in. Their cooked stuff is really good and the cheesecake or green tea cake is excellent (although their other cakes are not as good). When going for the 1st time, I recommend the bento box. My favorite is the unatama (cooked eel over shimmering egg + rice).

It was Roger Clemens' hang-out when he worked in Toronto

 

[T-Squared]

^ In a sense, no, it doesn't matter. Perhaps we can ask whether a sushi master is trained in Japan or not.

It is hard to find a japanese sushi restaurant / bar where the masters extoll the traditions of sushi making. I can relate in getting frustrated with the so called japanese restaurants where the sushi/sashimi are just manufactured by a supposed chef without much craftmanship and care for the product.

Along with Cafe Miche, which I highly recommend, you may also want try Zen, 2803 Eglinton Avenue East. I haven't been to this restaurant but I hear you have to sit at the sushi bar and talk to the sushi masters in order to really get the good stuff.

And tell us how the food was if you decide to go!

 

[rpgr]

^ In a sense, no, it doesn't matter. Perhaps we can ask whether a sushi master is trained in Japan or not.

It is hard to find a japanese sushi restaurant / bar where the masters extoll the traditions of sushi making. I can relate in getting frustrated with the so called japanese restaurants where the sushi/sashimi are just manufactured by a supposed chef without much craftmanship and care for the product.

Along with Cafe Miche, which I highly recommend, you may also want try Zen, 2803 Eglinton Avenue East. I haven't been to this restaurant but I hear you have to sit at the sushi bar and talk to the sushi masters in order to really get the good stuff.

And tell us how the food was if you decide to go!

Well @ Cafe Michi if you're asking if the guy buys the fish and slices/plucks the bones out himself then yes.

There used to be one @ market village (a real sushi expert) that i went to. He closed down awhile ago though due to lack of items (he had sushi and sashimi but nothing fancy, just the straight up variety, very old fashioned, think it was called Hama but now it's some Korean shin-dig).

 

[SunriseChampion]

Ok, at the risk of starting an inflammatory argument, I just have to ask whether it REALLY matters if your sushi was prepared by a Japanese-born chef.

Seeing as I'll eat it when me mum makes it....no. I'm Czech, by the by.


Maybe I'm missing something but Koreans eat sushi as well and since there are more Koreans in Toronto than Japanese, it's no surprise there are more Korean-run sushi joints in this ville.


Oh, to be on point as well: Ikki Sushi in Cliffside is Japanese-run

I don't know the exact address but it's on the north side of Kingston Road in Cliffside (between Birchmount and Midland)

 

[whatever]

you may also want try Zen, 2803 Eglinton Avenue East.

Seconded. We went there for dinner a couple weeks ago and quite enjoyed it. I'm not sure if it's Japanese owned but I also quite like King's Garden at 3103 Kingston Rd.

And Ikki is just... no. Don't.

 

[jenny_zhang]

but Koreans eat sushi as well

What? Anyone can eat sushi. That doesn't mean it's not a part of Japanese cuisine. The reason that I ask is:

I can relate in getting frustrated with the so called japanese restaurants where the sushi/sashimi are just manufactured by a supposed chef without much craftmanship and care for the product.

This is it exactly. I'm not trying to be inflammatory , but having lived in Japan before coming here I have certain attachments. I've tried many "Japanese" restaurants here and haven't liked a single one for the reason that the poster mentioned in this quote. I just wanted to know if there was something more "authentic" out there. (On a side note, I've generally found the service somewhat poor at these joints compared to the kind I get in Japan, or even compared to other restaurants in Toronto).

you have to sit at the sushi bar and talk to the sushi masters in order to really get the good stuff.

Sounds great. I'll try there next time.

 

[Brian69]

Although I can't speak for any Scarborough area finds I agree about the "sushi restaurants done by the Japanese" thing being something to look for. Now, having it done by a Japanese or Japanese-trained chef doesn't guarantee quality by any means, but there are so many mediocre fast-food level Korean/Chinese-owned sushi joints around that value quantity over quality (often in the all-you-can-eat sense) whereas I've had better luck with the few Japanese-run places I've visited. I also agree with Jenny regarding the generally poor service in the former places. Of course Toronto's inland location doesn't help either when searching for freshness but service, decor, preparation, overall quality and attention to detail are important too.

 

[SunriseChampion]

No kidding, that's not what I meant.

I knew I didn't want to be wading into the Japanese sushi talks. Always trouble.