For the longest time, I have heard and read great reviews about JaBistro, and I knew I had to give it a try sometime. My boyfriend and I decided to dine at JaBistro last night seeing as a 5:30 reservation was still available. (You can make same-day reservations before 3:30 PM.)
The restaurant is easy to find as it is located right next to Yuk Yuk's. Street parking is available, and there are also a few parking lots in the area. The further west you go, the cheaper it is.
We were welcomed by many friendly faces, and were kindly given the choice to sit by the sushi bar or at a table. Like the restaurant itself, the menu is simple. They also have specials of the day. My boyfriend and I already knew we were interested in ordering the $100 sashimi platter, JaBistroll, and dessert(s). We asked our server what her suggestions were, and it was quite nice of her to mention that the sashimi platter plus the JaBistroll might be a little too much for the two of us. I really wanted to try the JaBistroll, but knowing that the $50 platter is different from the $100 sashimi platter in the quantity AND quality of the fish, we opted for the $100 platter and decided to save the JaBistroll for another day.
We started off with the featured sake, Izumi Shiboritate. Little did we know, Izumi is actually located in the Distillery District...so we gave it a try. It is considered an "easy drinking sake" so it was very light and I wouldn't even say it was sweet at all. It wasn't as flavourful as I had expected.
Our sashimi platter was truly a work of art! (We noticed every sashimi platter that came out of the sushi bar was a little different. Evidently, the chefs put in the time and effort to show some of their creativity in plating.) Our long sashimi platter was nicely decorated with the chef's selection of fresh sashimi, including tako, scallop, clam, and roe, wagyu beef skewers, deep fried fish bones and shrimp heads (all of which were edible). It was served with a premium soy sauce (more salty), a house-made soy sauce (more sweet -- our favourite!), and the wasabi was fresh (we could tell by its grittiness compared to the typical store-bought wasabi paste). Our favourite items were definitely the o-toro, and also, the tako, clam, and wagyu beef skewers. Mmm... It made us want to try the wagyu beef tartar next time!
As for dessert... Despite the big platter of sashimi, I gotta say...there's always room for dessert, especially matcha green tea desserts. The menu included Puchi Choux (green tea and chocolate profiteroles), Kuri Mont Blanc (sweet chestnut cream with pear and hazelnut), Hoji Brûlée (roasted green tea crème brûlée), and Matcha Tiramisu. My boyfriend and I ordered the Puchi Choux and Kuri Mont Blanc. Being the most expensive dessert on the menu, the profiteroles were unfortunately quite disappointing! However, the Kuri Mont Blanc made up for it. It was light and fluffy... The combination of chestnut with pear seems strange, but it was really good.
To summarize, the restaurant looks lovely, the service is excellent, and the food is great...for the most part. It is pricey, but you do get what you pay for when it comes to their sashimi. I am not sure I will order another sashimi platter, but I absolutely want to come back to try the wagyu beef tartar and their sushi, especially the Jabistroll!