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| - In my opinion (of which I have many!!), Ematei is one of the best and authentic Japanese restaurants in the city. Tucked away underneath an office building and offset from the street, it is hidden away in an unlikely location on St. Patrick Street just steps away from Queen St.
I've been going to Ematei for years... probably from the time that it opened many, many moons ago. Kaji of Sushi Kaji fame, I believe, was the chef who got the place going at the beginning and the staff who are there now have been there since I was a wee young 'un.
It is super consistent and one of the first places in Toronto to offer omakase. Ematei's strength is that the dishes served up from the kitchen is on par, if not better, than the items from the sushi bar. But the sushi is nothing to sniff at either -- fresh and uncomplicated, which is exactly what sushi should be (don't get me started on those mayonnaise and spicy sauce laden rolls that pass for sushi in this town).
We generally start with a bunch of tapas-like small appetizers of fish (like black cod or salmon neck or belly), tofu (like agedashi or hiyayakko), chicken (yakitori or karaage), stewed veggies and the like which are all shared. And then finished off with a ramen, zarusoba, udon, or chazuke.
Ematei is like walking into a little slice of a Japanese izakaya. It's longevity is a testament to the quality and consistency of their offerings. Looking for one of the best and authentic in Toronto? Definitely try Ematei.
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