Restaurant Porn: YASU in Toronto

Foodies,

I hate sushi. Period.
It is by far the least interesting, least complex and least filling restaurant meal of all time, completely bland and almost tasteless and requiring very little skill from what I can see. It just bores the crap out of my palate. I will eat anywhere else other than a sushi place if given the choice.

Until now.

Board member Jay Shampur and I dined at YASU in Toronto. This dinner only sushi restaurant serves 18 courses as every single piece of sushi is handmade in front of you to order and every one a work of art that uses only the finest ingredients. They proudly list all the fish that they use and what country it is imported from on the wall for everyone to see. They seat 10 at the bar and 2 at a table and that’s it. THere are two seatings at 6 and at 8:30 and they are always sold out because the moment somebody cancels somebody else immediately steps in to take their place.

Hard to remember all 18 courses but there was definitely:

• Scallop
• Eel
• Flounder
• Portugese sardine (my favorite of the night)
• Grouper
• Mackerel
• Monkfish foie gras
• Salmon Roe
• Monkfish
• Bluefin Toro
• Otaro
• Red snapper

And the final touch was a delicious matcha green tea panna cotta. Accompanying drinks were an off-dry clear sake ordered by Jay and a sweet unfiltered sake by myself, of course. The intimate setting allowed me to share my sake with all the other customers.

YASU was the single greatest sushi experience of my entire life. It is impossible to go back to any common pedestrian or high-end sushi after this. True sushi nirvana. I will be back. But don’t take my word for it – feast your eyes on the amazing sushi porn below:

My absolute favorite was the sardine from Portugal:

Still more:

YASU is the hot spot right now after it was written up in the Globe. It’s supposed to be outstanding, as you’ve noted. I’ll wait a few months until the hype dies down and it’s easier to get a reservation (i.e. January).

Do they have a wine list, or only sake? I’m not a big fan of the latter.

TIA.

That Akami zuke looks great, along with the rest. I always say there is sushi and then there is sushi.

Ok either you don’t eat much sushi around the world, or you haven’t found ‘it’ until now.

Congrats… now go try some in LA, Vancouver, Tokyo… etc.

I was in Vancouver for a year and was not impressed with the sushi or seafood in restaurants in general which was really odd given that it’s located right on the coast. I would love to gets some sushi in LA or Tokyo someday.

@Jay: I seem to recall seeing only Sake and beer on the drink list and certainly not a soul was drinking wine given the food and atmosphere so I’d say it is not available. While not a fan of Sake either, I do agree it was very appropriate for the food though I would never drink the stuff on a regular basis. I’ll post notes on both of them.

Tran, have you been to Tojo’s in Vancouver, sat at the bar, and have Tojo-san cook for you?

If not, try that… it’ll change your mind about Sushi in vancouver… if you have and you didn’t like it… bummer. bad experience i guess… but each time i’ve done that i’ve loved it as much as any top sushi joints in Tokyo.

@tran - their wine list - such as it is - is minimal. I think they have 8 selections.

…Jay

I love akami zuke (you have it labeled as soy marinated tuna). many places don’t do it…although it’s essentially a way of using older fish smartly.

Hmmm. I think Champagne would be fantastic with all the food you posted. Perhaps I’ll discuss that with them directly when I’m looking for a reservation.

Never did try that one out. I will have to whenever I visit my older brother out in Kitsilano.

Tran.
Sounds like you and Jay had a wonderful time.
The food looks absolutely stunning!