Katsura

 

Toronto’s restaurant scene is dominated by stand-alone independents, and we’re often snobbish when it comes to hotel restaurants that seem like they are meant for tourists. But some of these happen to be very good, and this is one such place. For over 20 years, executive chef Noriyuki Tanahashi has been turning out stellar sushi, sashimi and teppanyaki. His omakase menus (cheekily labelled Trust Me on the carte) are wonderfully adventurous. A starter of egg custard studded with shiitake, shrimp, scallop and chicken is beyond silky. Crunchy panko-crusted crab cakes are greaseless and sweet. Tanahashi’s presentation is exquisite: impeccable nigiri and sashimi perch like flowers on decorated leaves, and buttery baked enoki and shiitake mushrooms arrive en papillote, tied up with a bow. Barbecued unagi dazzles: it’s torched tableside, then tossed with rice, crunchy rice cracker crumbs and tiny cubes of sweet fried omelette.