Over the weekend Joseph arranged for an unforgettable birthday dinner surprise for me at Sushi Kaji. Notoriously amazing and abundant with Joseph’s praises, Chef Kaji and his team prepared the “Shun” set course right before our eyes. This was my very first visit and certainly not my last! If you really want the best seat in the house then definitely sit at the sushi bar and prepare to be entertained! Chef Kaji has a wonderful sense of humor, and you get to see the master at work up close and personal.
Everything was delicious, so this post will definitely be picture heavy and dedicated to our sense of sight. You’ll just have to make the trip over there to satisfy your sense of taste 😉 Keep in mind that there is no a la carte menu, so you choose between two omakase menus that change per season.
Parking is a tad difficult beside the restaurant due to the limited number of spots (fits around 10 cars), so arrange to arrive early. Also be sure to make a reservation because they book up rather quickly.
Station in front of the bar
Keep in mind that everything you see here is multiplied by two, because it’s one identical dish per person (except dessert).
Left to right: simmered eggplant, persimmon salad with tofu sauce, boiled spinach dressed in a sesame sauce
Chawan-mushi: steamed egg custard (my fav of the night! Very hot steamed egg in a lightly salted broth).
Chef’s sashimi with very fresh fish
Housemade soy sauce and peanut sauce for the sashimi. Yum, I really enjoyed the pairing of fish and peanuts.
Sushi and warm sake, anyone?
Daikon radish cake and sauteed sea bream with asparagus sauce
Wagyu beef sukiyaki, so cool! Break the egg, cook the meat until 80% done, then dip the cooked beef into the egg and devour 😀 However, I’m sad to say that this menu with the Wagyu beef has ended on Sept 29th (the day we ate)!
Cold sake complimentary of Chef Kaji
Soba noodles
And now begins the chef’s choice of sushi 😀
The fatty tuna was absolutely melt-in-your-mouth
Sea urchin
Dessert! A different one for each of us: creme brulee, or red bean, jelly and fresh fruits
Throughout dinner I was wondering what dish this radish was to be used for, after seeing it transform into fine sheets of paper… when voila, a vegetable bouquet before my eyes! It was SO intricately detailed – an absolute treasure. They even wrapped it up in plastic wrap for us to take home. This chef pretty much spent all dinner making these delicate flowers for me, what a champ 😀
Happy birthday to me from the love of my life!
Sushi Kaji
860 The Queensway
Etobicoke, ON, M8Z 1N7
(416) 252-2166
