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| - My God, is this place ever amazing!
The Guu empire in Toronto grows; first with Guu Toronto on Church street 3 years ago, then Guu Sakabar, then Kinton Ramen - now JaBistro!
Currently in a 2 months soft opening, I first heard of this place from a friend who wrote and photographed it. Having met her while shooting a wedding in Jamaica, how I would immediately hang up my camera to do her job. She eats and reviews for a living, how great is that???
Anyway, being ecstatic that for once, a Guu owned restaurant actually takes reservations, I called it in 3 weeks in advance for 7pm. On the day of, I had to push it back an hour and JaBistro was more than able to for us. Awesome!
Situated next to Yuk Yuk's on Richmond street, on one light snowy night on a weekend, we party of 2 arrived promptly 5 minutes before our reservation. We were warmly greeted immediately when we entered behind the dark sealing door by our British accented hostess who is actually Asian. Oh how I do love the Brit accent.
We were seated near the back, allowing us an entire view of their brick accented walls lit up below by potted lights. From where we sat we could see the bartender in action, as well as the sushi chef hard at work with his blow torch delivering what I could see were authentic aburi sushi. My mouth begins to water.
Our Japanese waiter arrived shortly our coats were taken away by our gracious hostess (awesome of them to do this btw!) as we sat down to our seat. Mind you, there wasn't any much of back support if you sit on the outside vs. the cushion high seats when seated on the inside. Our waiter asked for our drink and we sent him packing to bring us back some water, we were parched!
Items ordered of the night were:
- snack bite - seared mackarel, deep fried ahi tuna bites drizzled with special mayo.
- deep fried calamari
- salmon pie (looked like a big hot pocket)
- sashimi platter 50 (add $25 for a 2 pounds lobster sashimi)
- railroad man cocktail
The highlight had to be abso-f**king-lutely the fresh out of water melt in your mouth sashimi! Next to it would be the salmon pie. My God, it was as if the ocean was in the kitchen and the sushi chef reached in and pulled out a still flipping around tuna and yellowtail and prepared it right there on the spot. I could taste and savour the sweet buttery toro sashimi as it melted in my mouth, its flavor tingling all my taste buds. I savored each and every bite of the entire sashimi plate that was $50, more than well worth its value. I wonder what other goodness the $100 platter would bring, next time, definitely next time I said to my gf. Each and every morsel of sashimi including yellowtail, sweet shrimp, sea urchin were to die for. Each and every piece oozing of freshness that you could otherwise never find in your atypical sushi restaurant. After this night I swore I would never ever subject my mouth to bland sushi that is available in your run of the mill Japanese restaurant! To top it all off, the wasabi was freshly grated directly from its root and not the out of the toothpaste tube dried wasabi that permeats every Japanese restaurant from here to Alburquerque.
Our waiter came to our table asking how everything was, I looked at him dead in the eye and said, "You must tell your kitchen that everything is marvelous, best sushi ever bar none. Never have we tasted sushi more fresh than this." He grinned and said thank you as he passed the message on.
Every thing we tried that evening was fantastic, the salmon pie was moist and tender to the taste, even the pastry that surrounded it was ever aromatic of a sweet scent that cultivates the senses. We enjoyed each and every bite to the last, including the calamari that was just as good as everything else. I typically hate calamari in your typical restaurant but this place has certainly reinvented it for me! I 'll never have calamari anywhere else ever again!
You owe it to yourself to come here and try this place out, maybe even make it your go to place for the best sashimi in town. Once soft opening is over (January 1st according to our waiter), people will be lining up around the block for it. Lunch will also be added.
Bring a clean taste bud, a heavy wallet and be prepared to be dazzled by one of the best if not THE best Japanese restaurant in town! You won't regret it!
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