Restaurants › Japanese
Ematei
- 30 St. Patrick St. (at Queen St. W.) • View on map »
- 416-340-0472
Conjuring up an old-school restaurant in Tokyo, Ematei is no hipster magnet. That’s not to say the city’s most traditional izakaya isn’t cool: tightly packed tables of young Japanese expats and a few gaijin have the cozy space burbling with bilingualism. The diverse menu of small plates (and the Sapporo on draft) offers an excellent chance to sample Japan’s diverse pub food. Seafood predominates: wakasagi karaage brings almost a whole school of fried smelt—each fish offers two bites of crunchy deliciousness. Tender grilled miso black cod has a lightly caramelized crust, and a yakitori skewer of chicken hearts makes for an effective and tasty iron supplement. Hotpots are great for groups, and the seven-course omakase menu ($48) is a fantastic deal. Mains $9–$29.
30 St. Patrick St. (at Queen St. W.)
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