Kaiseki Yu-zen Hashimoto
- Thread starter fuji
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Yes, I went recently. Bill for 2 is $600 + tax + tip.
It is a great experience. Food is presented beautifully, most knowledgeable waiter I've ever met, chef comes to greet you at the end. Very gourmet. If you like sampling Toronto's best restaurants and have the money, it is worth adding it to your TDL.
It is a great experience. Food is presented beautifully, most knowledgeable waiter I've ever met, chef comes to greet you at the end. Very gourmet. If you like sampling Toronto's best restaurants and have the money, it is worth adding it to your TDL.
Yes, reservations are required. 1 week in advance is the stated minimum, depends on how busy they are. They only have a few tables in the restaurant and it is an intimate almost private dining experience.
I've done my fair share of pricey restaurants...but this one is far too expensive for me...the most i've ever spent and will ever spend again for dinner for 2 is $500 INCLUDING tax and tip....never again...
i'm not cheap but food is not high on my things that i wanna spoil myself with...mainly becuz i'm a picky eater and its just a waste for me....
My mom eats there sometimes with her best clients...she said the atmosphere is the best...she said the food is good not the greatest but its really the experience (presentation/service/ambience/prestige/etc..) that u pay for....
i'm not cheap but food is not high on my things that i wanna spoil myself with...mainly becuz i'm a picky eater and its just a waste for me....
My mom eats there sometimes with her best clients...she said the atmosphere is the best...she said the food is good not the greatest but its really the experience (presentation/service/ambience/prestige/etc..) that u pay for....
Yes, they order from Japan based on how many people will be dining that day. I think they order the ingredients one week ahead, so if they have four guests booked in one week's time for dinner, they only order food for four; if they have 15 guests booked they order for fifteen. Once it gets under a week they can't easily modify how much food is coming in to supply that day as they get fresh food arriving every day by air from Japan based on the previous week's order for that day.
For quality of food my favourite restaurants in the GTA are:
Kaiseki Yu-zen Hashimoto (discussed in this thread)
Kaiseki-Sakura (Church St & Wellesley - worth the walk into Boytown lol)
Splendido (Harbord St)
Auberge du Pommier (Yonge & York Mills)
I used to like Truffles too, but it closed recently.
For atmosphere but not food quality, there are many nice places.
Kaiseki Yu-zen Hashimoto (discussed in this thread)
Kaiseki-Sakura (Church St & Wellesley - worth the walk into Boytown lol)
Splendido (Harbord St)
Auberge du Pommier (Yonge & York Mills)
I used to like Truffles too, but it closed recently.
For atmosphere but not food quality, there are many nice places.
Yes, it isn't for everybody. Some people are more into gourmet food, others not. There are many types of food I'm not fond of.
Here is the list of the nine course meal from the Star's review.
1st course
An amuse bouche (on jya kuzen in Japanese) meant to quell hunger pangs with simple foods, especially before drinking sake. Plain rice, egg-shaped tofu and a ground-sesame “tofu” ball plus sweet-and-gritty saikyo (white miso) soup do the trick.
2nd course
The formal appetizer: Tenderest white squid splashed with rhubarb juice, topped with a macerated cherry and paired winningly with Japanese fava beans. The red-and-white colours match the dish it’s served in.
3rd course
Sashimi of wild, line-caught madai (distant relative of snapper) is fanned out like blushing chrysanthemum petals. The leaves and stems of fresh wasabi are served along with the green ground paste; we’re encouraged to eat them and enjoy their distinct vegetal flavour.
4th course
A soup with ishidai (rock porgy) rolled around gobo (braised burdock root), garnished with naturally red Kyoto carrots, yuzu peel and salted cherry blossom. The clear stock is thick with kudzu starch and bright with colourful rice crackers.
5th course
A fish course of cooked ainame (grouper) dolloped with miso stained green by kinome (prickly ash leaves). Sweet yam is carved into a flower alongside, while dots of red sour plum puree gleam on lily bulb with the texture of cooked chestnut.
6th course
Stewed and steamed: Bamboo shoots, stewed for two hours, are crunchy and delicate. Soft grey madai roe represents the “steamed” element. Tiny, carved vegetables: a red carrot leaf, buttercup squash, chayote and a miniature turnip green.
7th course
Grilled and fried: Grilled cubes of highly marbled Wagyu strip loin are essentially fat. The A5 designation is considered the best in the world; a little goes a long way. The fried part is represented by a fan of somen noodles tipped with rice crackers. Carved daikon crane is Hashimoto’s signature.
8th course
The main: Unigohan, or sea urchin roe mixed into rice. On top are cooked eel and frizzled ginger. Exquisite daikon pickles stained with squid ink (from the second course) and rolled in sesame; crunchy fried eel spines are a nice treat. Second helpings of rice and pickles are encouraged, but asking for thirds is bad etiquette.
9th course
Mini scoops of strawberry and matcha ice creams are one-half of dessert. The other half is an agar-based jelly of macerated cherries with mashed red beans and gold shavings. A shot glass of icy, boozy, salty cherry soaking liquid is the first and only appearance of alcohol at the license-pending restaurant.
out of that entire menu i would enjoy course 7...thats it...
i really gotta expand my horizons...i know im missin out on some really good stuff
i really gotta expand my horizons...i know im missin out on some really good stuff
There is really nothing special or healthy about Japanese food it's all presentation and hype. If you want to eat healthy and well don't need to spend a lot of money. Too much sea food especially in raw form contains a lot of mercury is actually bad for pregnant women. Look up intuitive dieting. Just eat what your body wants whenever you want but don't go overboard, and try eat lots of vegi and fruits. organics are good too.
http://www.kaiseki.ca/
They mention a Mississauga location as well ($150 - 6 courses; $200 - 8 courses).
Another discussion on food pornography. 
Seriously, if I had to spend that kind of money per person, I would take advantage on strong loonie to go to the following Four Season Hotel,
http://www.fourseasons.com/newyorkfs/dining/l_atelier_de_joel_robuchon.html
Don't want to sound snooty but why would I spend that kind of money to non Michelin Star establishment?
Seriously, if I had to spend that kind of money per person, I would take advantage on strong loonie to go to the following Four Season Hotel,
http://www.fourseasons.com/newyorkfs/dining/l_atelier_de_joel_robuchon.html
Don't want to sound snooty but why would I spend that kind of money to non Michelin Star establishment?
Because it is a 15 minute drive from where one lives?Another discussion on food pornography.
Seriously, if I had to spend that kind of money per person, I would take advantage on strong loonie to go to the following Four Season Hotel,
http://www.fourseasons.com/newyorkfs/dining/l_atelier_de_joel_robuchon.html
Don't want to sound snooty but why would I spend that kind of money to non Michelin Star establishment?
Sure but I have seen enough local chef's indiscretion in the kitchens when preparing "signature dishes" that I would rather spending that amount of money to visiting favorite SPs/MPAs, or doing the cooking myself.
And MSG or excessive butter or salt to boot.
Plus, the following helps,
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/102713/10-Things-Your-Restaurant-Will-Not-Tell-You
BTW, I am not suggesting all the local chefs scratch their behinds when preparing food or spit on the dishes that very mean and demanding customers ordered at expensive fine dining place.
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