Hashimoto ****
6435 Dixie Rd. (at Courtneypark Dr.), Unit 10, Mississauga, 905-670-5559.
With its fanatical commitment to sourcing, elaborate presentation and seasonal cuisine, this eight-seat family-run room is easily one of the province’s rarest culinary treasures. Chef Masaki Hashimoto serves intricate kaiseki meals (six-course tasting menu $100, eight courses $150; full lunches $25 to $100) rooted in 500 years of Japanese tradition. An early spring menu begins with a transparent agar half-dome about the size of a plum, suspending Japanese porgy roe, rare herbs, refreshing ginger and kombu seaweed like exotic characters inside the world’s tastiest snow globe; a lilac stem, just about to bloom, lays astride the orb just so, and the entire construction sits atop a black lacquer charger that’s been carefully raked with coarse salt. Sashimi of wild Japanese porgy comes next, accompanied by fresh wasabi leaves, a wasabi flower (it looks a lot like rapini) and a perfect double helix of daikon and red radish. Next, a parcel of the same porgy, wrapped this time in carrot (specially imported from Kyoto) and a ribbon of green uguisuna, and topped with a mukimono cherry blossom leaf moulded from nama-fu, a rice and gluten paste; the roll-up floats in sublime turnip consommé. Six-course meal $100, eight courses $150.

Sushi Kaji ***½
860 The Queensway (at Islington), 416-252-2166.
Seven years on, Mitsuhiro Kaji continues to set the city’s sushi standard with unmatched creativity and a fanaticism for freshness and authenticity. The bar is the place to dine as Kaji and his team of masters-in-training send forth wave after wave of omakase creations. A winter menu ($80, $100 and $120) opens with a dainty package of poached fluke set under a thin round of lotus root and enlivened with tiny shoots, allumettes of radish and a citrusy sudachi jelly. Sea bream might follow, gently steamed and stacked with uni and abalone tempura in a bowl of broth that floats yellow chrysanthemum petals. The fish, however, is the main event: deep ruby New Zealand ocean trout; gentle octopus; amberjack sliced atop a shiso leaf; sweet-fleshed snow crab that just seconds ago was alive and kicking up on the bar. Spectacularly fatty tuna might be topped with jijenjo (mountain potato) shredded to the texture of coconut flakes; a sweet slice of scallop arrives kissed by a blowtorch.

Solo Sushi-ya ***
291 Davis Dr. (at Yonge), Newmarket, 905-898-6868.
Journey to this small boîte in a Newmarket strip mall to sample sushi master Jyo Gao’s impeccable fare. Though noodle soups and deep-fried pork cutlets are available, the cognoscenti opt for the omakase tasting menu ($50) founded on classic Japanese principles. Dinner might begin with cubes of ruby tuna tartare mixed with avocado and crowned with sweet flying-fish roe and raw quail egg; or a troika of broiled beef wrapped around honey root, house-smoked Norwegian mackerel, and moist broiled salmon topped with spicy mayo. Gao entrances with pâté of monkfish liver—Japanese foie gras. House-brewed soy anoints mild raw East Coast oysters and expertly cut melt-in-the mouth sashimi and sushi. Unctuous and sweet, broiled white Nova Scotian sea bass stands out, while flavour-packed dashi broth floats bay scallops, bluefin tuna and tofu. Superb maki: shrimp and avocado topped with raw salmon, and spicy tuna with avocado. In contrast, the ice cream–only dessert carte is disappointingly pedestrian. Gracious, if somewhat inattentive servers. Mains $20–$28.

Treadwell Farm to Table Cuisine ***
61 Lakeport Rd., St. Catha­rines, 905-934-9797.
Place means everything here—as in the modern, unpretentious room overlooking the Welland Canal, and the provenance of the impeccable produce, meat and fish Stephen Treadwell features on his seasonal and mostly local menus. He treats it well. One evening’s dinner opens with a sip of sweet pea foam topped with a single crisp shoot for snap; a dash of togarashi (the Japanese chili, orange, seaweed and ginger spice) adds interesting depth. Tempura Georgian Bay smelts arrive properly crisp and fresh tasting, though accompanying celeriac slaw could stand a little more texture, a touch less sauce. Treadwell sears Lake Huron trout to exactly medium rare, siding it with eggy wild leek raviolo that’s topped with smoked cheddar foam—smart and satisfying, though not all the flavours show through. Mains bring two superb meats: 45-day dry-aged beef strip loin under red wine jus and a touch of grainy mustard, and simple braised short rib glazed with hoisin, served with delectable cauliflower purée and morels sautéed in butter. Smart desserts and cheese presentation. The wine list is a treasure map of Ontario; lead sommelier James Treadwell (chef’s son) is an able guide. Prix fixe $48 for three courses, $56 for four, $75 for six.

Via Allegro ***
1750 The Queensway (at Hwy. 427), 416-622-6677.
A stone’s throw from Highway 427, Via Allegro rivals Sherway Gardens as the neighbourhood’s biggest draw. The world-class sel­ection of scotch and grappa (900 and 250 respectively) is proudly displayed in trophy cases, and the Wine Spectator grand award–winning wine list is bigger than a phone book. Chef Lino Collevecchio’s carnivorous menu is ambitiously large, appeasing regulars with favourites, while offering such innovations as lamb’s brain ravioli. Mushroom soup is poured tableside into a bowl laid out with buttery clamshell mushrooms and a flaky vol-au-vent pastry shell stuffed with slivers of serrano ham; the gorgeous purée is deeply flavoured and has the luxurious texture of partially whipped cream. Drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil, the oozing cheese is paired with crisp oven-dried tomato pizzette, but an over-salted salad of frisée and mizuna distracts. Huge entrée portions would best Falstaff himself; a perfectly cooked lobster half—with the claw mercifully removed from the shell—is perched on a mountain of al dente egg tagliarini. In the Lamb Trinity, three cuts share one plate: a roasted double rib chop is crusted with hazelnuts and horseradish; pulled shank meat and braised cabbage fill a savoury phyllo tartlet; and succulent ribs are glazed with a lamb jus. The decadent theme continues with elaborate takes on classic sweets; the chocolate bacio has a delicate crust, but the chocolate-hazelnut ganache filling is not fork-friendly. Mains $16–$50.

Dun Huang **½
550 Hwy. 7 E. (at Leslie), Times Square, Richmond Hill, 905-707-8338.
Named for the Silk Road city, this 650-plus-seat two-room extravaganza is sumptuously decorated. Private rooms accommodate parties or business meetings, and chef Ken Ho can adapt to any preference, offering traditional Cantonese dishes or his own sleek contemporary fusion. The former might star expensive conpoy scallops nestled in soft black algae, or crabmeat and king mushroom stirred with supreme sauce. Soups are gracefully executed—maybe a clear, lightweight consommé of chicken and Chinese ham with snap peas, prawn and crunchy-soft bamboo fungus. More modern dishes include seafood and chopped vegetables in a creamy curry sauce, gratinéed in a giant sea whelk shell. Springy shrimp mousseline and scallops are dressed with a delicate, unsweetened peach purée. Red bean or lotus paste lies at the heart of dessert pastries and tapioca wraps. A variety of teas are more interesting than the wines available. Mains $12–$22.

Zen **½
2803 Eglinton Ave. E. (at Danforth Rd.), 416-265-7111.
Tucked into one of Scarborough’s grittier strip malls and populated largely by faithful regulars, Seiichi Kashiwabara’s excellent little sushi place doesn’t get half the attention it deserves. Kashiwabara’s fish sel­ection is one of Toronto’s best, and he and sous-chef Hiroshi Takeuchi treat it with artistry and care. Creamy-textured Portuguese squid is scored with precise tiny squares so that it falls apart at the bite; sashimi of salty, crunchy giant clam plays beautifully off fine-marbled fresh Canadian bluefin. Fine sushi of fluke is touched with yuzu zest and a bead of wasabi; Spanish mackerel is served with ground ginger and green onion. Kashiwabara’s tempura sea eel, plated with a lemon wedge and a tiny bowl of Okinawa snow salt, is crisp, buttery and beautifully flavoured—city fish and chips shops take note. Sushi lovers should gun for seats at the bar. Desserts, rarely a high point in Japanese restaurants, are excellent: retro cream pie made with tinned mandarin wedges, or deep-fried green tea ice cream, laden with fresh fruit. Mains $12–$45.

Chiu Chow Boy **
3261 Kennedy Rd. (at Steeles Ave. E.), 416-335-0336.
Though plaza windows steam up on a cold night, all is cheerful, warm and brightly lit inside—and crowded, this being the city’s foremost Chiu Chow restaurant. A look around shows the popularity of juicy barbecued squab or steamed duck marinated in herb soy with garlic-pepper vinegar for dipping. Hot and sour soup is made from scratch to order, so textures are crunchy and fresh. Traditional oyster omelettes are irresistible, the marine flavour amplified by a thin and intensely salty dipping sauce of fermented fish. Heartier appetites may prefer rib-sticking pig tripe soup. Mains $7–$21.

Dragon Dynasty **
2301 Brimley Rd. (at Sheppard Ave. E.), 416-321-9000.
Standard-issue decor (drab broadloom, family-style round tables, faux-wood wainscotting) forms the setting for a commendably varied Chinese carte, rendered with skill. Burnished a deep mahogany, exemplary Peking duck wears parchment-crisp skin and juicy meat; rolled up in a pancake with hoisin and scallions, it’s sublime. A second course sees duck meat stir-fried with diced veg and served with lettuce leaves and a hoisin-like sauce—another superb roll-up. Elsewhere, crab claw bearing a ball of deep-fried crab-and-shrimp mousse is greaseless and juicy. Attentive, amiable servers. Mains $12–$35.

Golden Court Abalone Restaurant **
270 West Beaver Creek Rd. (at Hwy. 7), Richmond Hill, 905-707-6628.
Elaborate silkscreened lanterns, ornate wood-trimmed pillars and lightning-fast servers in ruby silk jackets—it’s almost as if the Last Emperor could drop by at any moment. Presented with great formality, amber strands of shark’s fin are first tossed like salad, then floated in a syrupy soup that tastes of beef gravy and provides a suitably mild backdrop to the subtle pop of delicate, barely salted cartilage. Braised tableside in a rich fish and chicken stock, a solitary morsel of Japanese abalone unleashes buttery notes of Pacific seaweed. Whole lobster baked in garlic sauce is flawless. Chicken soup provides a nice finish, each tender chunk of white meat infused with the tingling snap of sliced green onions. Mains $10–$50.

Legend Chinese Restaurant **
7289 Yonge St. (at Glen Cameron Rd.), 905-882-6272.
Excellent Cantonese cooking entices regulars to this little-known favourite (which is not part of the Asian Legend chain). Egg drop seafood soup transforms shredded crab, shrimp and baby tofu cubes into a heavenly warmer. Prawns, dotted with garlic and stir-fried in soy sauce, smell so tantalizing they’re devoured shell on, head included. Juicy chunks of black bean–flecked grouper sizzle on a hot plate with diced onion and green pepper. Tender strips of beef filet sautéed with julienne scallions and red peppers rest in a basket of fried taro strips. Service is attentive, though short on English. Mains $10–$30.

Merlot **
2994 Bloor St. W. (at Royal York), 416-236-0081.
Etobicoke is lucky to have this room, and the neighbourhood diners who pack in every day of the week know it. Classic bistro is the goal. A thick slab of chunky country pâté of pork, veal and chicken livers brings a crock of tarragon-spiked house-pickled cornichons, onions, carrots and peppers. Wonderfully dark and intense fish and shellfish soup (contents vary) is infused with the flavour of roasted shells, a dish of creamy garlic rouille on the side. A merlot deglaze, with thyme, shallots and herbes de Provence, sauces eight perfectly pink lamb ribs seared on the grill and then roasted. The confit-cured leg of a well-fed duck gets oven-warmed till its flesh almost turns to butter, its skin to crunch, served with garlicky sautéed potatoes. A generous glug of Cointreau ennobles a rich but routine chocolate mousse. Service is knowing and brisk. Mains $13.50–$19.50.

Mye **
143 Church St., Oakville, 905-849-8989.
Le tout Oakville jams this minimalist space—a stalwart for 20 years—decked out in bare, pale green walls and soothing light woods. Completing the scene are a private tatami room, bustling sushi bar and cozy front space with a glowing fireplace. There are plenty of options beyond the traditional Japanese carte, including the chef’s omakase ($65) and the seven-course set dinner for two ($45 each), which offers terrific value. Leading off are cold, crisp bean sprouts and chicken tinged with miso, paper-thin tuna carpaccio, and chilled cucumber salad with a tiny crab claw and seaweed in soy vinaigrette. Next, teriyaki-glazed salmon, crisp-battered tempura of lotus root, zucchini, red pepper and shrimp, and cubes of fork-tender grilled steak paired with sautéed mushrooms, cauliflower and broccoli. Dessert brings sliced oranges, grapefruit and grapes with not-too-sweet homemade green tea ice cream. Service is sweetly deferential but a little slow in the early going. Mains $17.50– $31.