Inside the Mind of a Chocoholic: Restaurant Review: Yasu

Tuesday, 17 February 2015

Restaurant Review: Yasu

Like many of the restaurants that I write about, Yasu has been on my must try list for a while now. I found out about them last September but held off on making my reservation in lieu of a special occasion. I finally got my seat at the counter last December, making Yasu the last Toronto restaurant I visited in 2014. What a way to end the year.

Located indiscriminately on Harbord and Spadina one could easily walk past Yasu and not realize it (I almost did). The interior is simple, barring the beautifully decorated Christmas tree I’m sure won’t be around too much longer. A pearly white counter top separates the diners from the open kitchen. Clear ornate plates twinkle under direct light, waiting to hold the delectable gifts from the sea. Like many sushi restaurants, dinner guests are seated arm’s length away from the chefs. But you won’t find glass fridges filled with saran wrapped fish here. The night’s delicacies can be seen stacked in the center of the kitchen on glass ice box, waiting for their turn at the knife.

I have fond memories of Japan, having been lucky enough to visit the country a few times in the past. There is a reverence for food that permeates the country and that same respect can be seen at Yasu. Chef Ouchi and his staff exude an admirable care for their craft that starts even before service begins.

Yasu’s Omakase changes daily depending on what’s available. The 18 piece meal (plus dessert!) is priced at $80, a steal for the quality of food you receive. Yasu has two seatings on weekdays and three on weekends. Dinner begins once all diners are present, including other parties.

Stepping into Yasu was like leaving the cold streets of Toronto behind and ending up in a dream, if only for a few treasured hours. The atmosphere is surprisingly relaxed and you can see the blending of cultures in more ways than one. Although the fish is traditionally prepared, they are internationally sourced. Fish from Spain, Boston, Nova Scotia, Greece, Sri Lanka and Japan lined our bellies that night. The staff was also extremely friendly and fluent in English, answering any questions we had about the meal. You get all the great food you would normally find in a quality sushi place in Japan combined with an approachable and warm dining experience.

My favourites for the night were the Amberjack, Sea Bream, Bonito and the Yellowtail. Normally I enjoy the meatier red fish but the aforementioned pieces of sushi were refreshingly delicate yet had amazing flavour. The Otoro was a bit of a let down, not as buttery smooth as ones I've had in the past. I've also made it a point to start avoiding Blue Fin tuna as much as possible due to the species being forced close to extinction. As consumers and patrons we have a surprising amount of sway just purely with our choices. As more and more people stop choosing the eat Blue Fin demand will wane and the species might just be saved. The most memorable piece of the night was definitely the Shirako. I had my suspicions on the contents of this nori warship when the staff maneuvered around our inquiries of what type of fish this was (after answering all our questions previous). Instead they simply said that Shirako meant "White Children" in Japanese. That confirmed my doubts but it was still delicious. Similar in taste and texture to Uni crossed with raw oysters, Shirako is another word for cod milt or cod testicles. We all had a laugh about that one with the staff, but genuinely I would probably eat it again haha. The makeup of the nigiri itself was definitely on point, with all pieces holding together well through my clumsy chopstick skills but melting apart once consumed. Great sushi is an art often lost in the sea of AYCE that plagues Toronto so I always love it when I get to enjoy some done right.

Fish aside Yasu serves up some of the best sushi I've had anywhere. For the value, execution and just sheer convenience of having a place of this calibur just a stones throw away; Yasu is definitely a must try for sushi lovers in the GTA.

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