Another outstanding meal at Toroli. I was the only person in the place 6pm on a Saturday and I can't believe there wasn't a line out the door.
Chef Sakurai plates consistently incredible food with uncomplicated respect for high quality ingredients. Every course in the chef's tasting was near perfect.
The salad is adorned with super fresh vegetables and a sesame dressing that captures the essence of sesame and soy without being overpowering. The soup was a simple broth with some loose Japanese aromatic vegetables and egg. Once again, the flavors were simple but perfectly balanced and elegant.
The black cod is incredible. The execution was perfect. The fish is perfectly tender, flaking apart and nearly tastes like the aquatic version of kerry-gold butter. Truly incredible.
The Foie Gras with duck is two large pieces of miso-marinated foie gras atop 10 ounces of duck breast. The foie gras is without a doubt so much better than other versions I've had. It's fatty, creamy, and lightly accented with the miso marinade. This perfectly balances the flavor profile of a fairly lean duck cut. The textures of the foie gras are elegant. The foie melts atop one's tongue, glistening the duck portions.
Chef finished off with a black sesame/tea ice cream. This is a pleasantly palette cleansing dessert. It's refreshing and the sesame is quite unique for a dessert item. but it works.
All around this was by far my favorite meal while in Montreal. The flavors are simple perfection. There isn't the complexity and layering of flavors prevalent at Boullon Bilk, nor is there the gut bomby-ness of APDC. This meal with leave you perfectly full and happy, having experience a culinary homage to Chef Sakurai's Japanese heritage and French culinary experience.