
Every night out in Toronto should be special, but “dinner and a movie” takes on new meaning during TIFF. The anticipation of attending a screening and catching a glimpse of the stars is bolstered by dining at a restaurant on par with this special evening. We want a restaurant in proximity to the theatre, one that is not going to cause us any parking-stress, and one that reflects the reflects the refined standard of Toronto’s dining scene with inimitability.
Over the course of the year, DINE has reviewed several extraordinary dining experiences that Toronto has to offer. One that stands out is Sushi Yūgen. Why? There are over four hundred Japanese restaurants in Toronto, and countless more that serve sushi. What makes this one of the top three ranked Japanese restaurants in Canada? Why do celebrities and high-end collaborations gravitate here from Ferrari, Canada Soccer Foundation and Moet & Chandon?
No other restaurant in Toronto embodies the refined essence and aesthetic of Japan more than Sushi Yūgen. Typically, a noren (cloth divider) separates a Japanese restaurant from the street, with the effect of creating mystique. Here, we pass through successive spheres to reach the inner sanctum. From the foyer of 150 York Street, we enter the outer seating area. Then, we step through a portal into the domain of seasoned sushi chefs serving a spacious twelve-seat sushi counter. Beyond, we’re guided to a sliding door that opens to the crown jewel, where eight patrons are seated around the culinary theatre of Executive Chef Kyohei Igarashi from Yamagata, Japan.
At the outer-sushi counter we indulge in fourteen courses of slender sushi that appear like a colourful display of jewellery. Each one, decorative, unctuous morsels of silk. In Chef Igarashi's domain we are immersed in a blend of Japanese culinary traditions from omakase–in which the customer leaves the decision-making up to the chef—to kaiseki, the chef's interpretation of nature, emphasizing seasonality and the chef's creative imagination in a unique balance of colour, texture and taste. Igarashi is a chef whose imagination exists outside the lines, enabling him to create culinary haiku, and landscapes within each dish at which we marvel with our eyes first.
Toronto is home to Michelin-starred Japanese restaurants and, no doubt, this nascent establishment will soon join the constellation, but what must be pointed-out is that the chefs here, helmed by Chef Igarashi, have torn down the invisible wall that separates them from their guests. It is too easy to recognize a haughty attitude that says, "Admire what I can create." On the contrary, Chef Igarishi has a different style. He immediately envelopes us in his process of sharing beautiful cuisine, exquisitely prepared by him for us—the guest. He is our host. I believe I caught the hint of a smile as he noticed our appreciation.
One can only guess at the origins of the chef's attitude. Can it be the charm and empathy of co-owner Kamen Sun, the only female sushi restaurant owner in Toronto? Sun’s appreciation for omakase is elevated by her application of omotenashi, that wonderful, quintessential Japanese concept of hospitality that involves selfless deference to the guest.
It’s this spirit of hospitality that sets Sushi Yūgen apart. It is manifested in the ambience of the room, the personality of the servers, and the impeccable quality and care in presenting the finest sake to pair with the most exquisite creations by the chef.
Yūgen is a concept originated in Chinese Buddhism, introduced into Japanese arts through poetry to become something uniquely Japanese. As in haiku, latent beauty is impressed upon our senses, but not revealed literally or superficially. It's the mystery that stimulates our imagination and appreciation.
The Hokkaido Uni Gohan is one ball of Niigata rice wearing a necklace of pop-in-your-mouth ikura salmon roe and a jaunty cap of chopped blue fin fatty tuna, premium grade Bafun sea urchin from Hokkaido, French caviar, and a fresh and mellow shaving of wasabi from Nagano, all blended together, is such a seductive mixture that reveals a masterful chef whose culinary palette extends far out-of-the-box to source the finest ingredients in the world—and then knows how to incorporate them to their optimal flavour profile. Simply divine.
The Shiromi Truffle is a delicate mélange of fluke lacquered in Chef Igarashi's signature soy sauce, black Périgord truffle, edible flowers, teensy purple murame sprouts, shizo and gold flecks presented in a glass bowl that sits on cedar within what looks like an edible diorama within a miniature igloo of ice.
The rice is from Niigata, which is renowned for its pristine waters in which this elegant rice is harvested, and the Chef blends three different red vinegars into the rice to elicit his preferred profile. "We want our guests coming in to have surprises," enthuses Sun, who imbues her elegance and fun in our dining experience, with the understanding that the this requires a chef who loves the art in himself, rather than himself in the art.
Not only does Chef Igarashi seamlessly slice fish like butter, he also scores them to elicit their natural oils and to enhance the mouthfeel. He does not use too much rice or too much wasabi—they're just there holding it in place–because he knows that we want to experience the superlative quality of the fish. No corners are cut.
To further heighten the dining experience, the selection of seasonal sake is selected and curated for their subtle floral and fruity nuances that add another wonderful dimension to the flavour profile of each dish. Each course of sake is presented in the most artfully coloured handmade ceramic and glass cups that bring another medium of art into the experience.
The combination of luxurious textures and rich flavours is sublime. Every accoutrement, from the washi lanterns to the origami tree, ikebana, Zen Garden and Japanese tea cups handmade from stone-like clay, breathe authenticity. All combined with sincere service, unmatched in Toronto, we leave our special night-out feeling very special indeed.
Sushi Yūgen - 150 York St - 416-363-1888