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| - My baseline for visiting a sushi restaurant is Japanese ownership and chef. Here two out of three owners are Japanese and there is another Japanese chef in the kitchen.
Why waste time with pretenders?
It does not guarantee quality sushi, but it is a foundation and one goes from there.
My review is based on sushi and rolls as I did not have any of the cooked items from the kitchen.
Food
The sushi is a 3.5/5. The chef is Japanese and offers good quality fish. The rice is nearly perfect as well. They are not serving typical downtown false so-called sushi, but taking their rice and fish seriously here.
The selection is above average, but does not offer any special or rare items. When asked if there are any special items available the answer was 'saba.' Well, nearly 100% of sushi restaurants have saba.
The size of the sushi nigiri is absolutely second to none. Each piece was large, perhaps some of the largest I have seen in Toronto. I was impressed by all aspects of the sushi, but had to deduct points for one big flaw and exception. The fish is clearly frozen and subsequently thawed. We were not expecting Yasu quality sushi here and at these prices, but one can taste the thawed pieces distinctly.
I had saba and aji and tai and hamachi and they were all good.
Yet, ever so typical, menu items were also unavailable. is there one sushi restaurant out there that stocks everything the menu claims or keeps its menu updated?
The salad and the spinach appetizer were very good and also came in stylish bowls.
Service was good. Walking in there and seeing 2 young girls I expected the worst. My prejudices aside the waitresses were nice and professional. Unexpectedly my waitress who was Asian-Canadian and not Japanese knew her sushi. Imagine that.
Her service, and what I received of her companion, was polite and caring. She also refilled the water, smiled, was friendly, accommodated and waved and said good-bye. No complaints about the waitresses at all, which explains the above average tip.
The chef made a mistake and sent over free sushi too, which was not expected. The generosity is appreciated.
The waitresses are dressed in Japanese hakame, the traditional formal wear of Japan. It is a nice touch that adds authenticity and shows that they may be in a high traffic area that is not known for its classy or high-end residents or clientele, but Yutaka ('good harvest') is actually trying.
Atmosphere
They have a modern design. The aisles are wide and straight. The restaurant is clean and there is a good combination of tables, booths and counter dining.
Japanese cleanliness aside, this place wins my approval for having lots of space, offering a gap between diners and offering customers choice.
The washroom was clean. Japanese pop music was playing on the speakers.
I like how this place looks, the setting and the breathability of it.
The price is a tad higher than the average Dundas West sushi joint, but we all know that those places are not serving real Japanese fare and this place is. Factor in the above average quality, the service and definitely the size of those sushis and Yutaka is actually a bargain and a better value than the dozen sushi cheats up and down the street.
Those $5 hokkigai sushis would have lower quality rice and half the clam anywhere else.
Funny anecdote: their dark windows are very reflective. I had no idea we ladies check our appearance so often and so consistently in shops' windows (yeah, I did lol). Everyone passing by checks herself in the windows next to you and it looks like they are looking at you.
I have little hesitation returning here when I want cheaper, but acceptable sushi that is not exactly Miku or Yasu quality.
They have a la carte sushi, lunch specials and combinations.
The chef is from Osaka, which means downtown Toronto now has actual Japanese sushi at Yutaka, Hiro and Ematei. There is also Ichiriki.
29.08 edit/update: I went back today based on my enjoyable experience of two weeks and the service.was.brutal. The waitress from two weeks ago was not there. A waitress who had come from BC was there. A second waitress with a dyed strand of hair who was there last time was there. And there was more petite waitress with a butterfly necklace and I got stuck with her. She was terrible and just did not want to be there. And I didn't want her to be there either. First, she left me sitting there for the longest time and wouldn't take my order. It took so long I really was about to leave or move myself to the counter so I can place the order directly with the chef or something. After finally after 15 minutes or so waving her down I placed my order. Then she brought the food in 5 minutes (because the chefs work well), dropped it off and left. Er, how about cutlery or a chopstick? Nope. I flagged the other waitress (with the cool hair) and she got me chopsticks. And finally I could not get the bill. Don't go Tuesdays you may be stuck with her.
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