Kaiseki Yu-zen Hashimoto Restaurant — Restaurant in Toronto

The eight-course meal ($350 per person) began with an onjyaku-zen (amuse bouche) consisting of three hearty soups designed to warm-up the stomach. Hashimoto’s saikyo miso soup wasn’t overly salty but rather rich in umami made with white miso, topped with a braised carrot, and a pea-sized amount of mustard to add an expected spice against the broth. Meanwhile, the nutty flavour that burst through the cube of goma (sesame) tofu was incredible, almost bordering bitter if it weren’t balanced out by the thick savoury soup. If anything, I could have done without wasabi on the tofu as the sesame taste was already so pungent.

Of all three bowls, my favourite was also the simplest and what Hashimoto calls “seasoned rice”. It’s like a thick congee studded with cubes of sweet soft squash and topped with slivers of salty dried kelp (?). The bowl was lovely and comforting and had us wanting another taste of it to end the meal.

Paper thin slices of tennen madai (line caught sea bream) was featured in the sashimi course, so delicate that it’s like eating flower petals made of fish. Around the plate were three agar jellies flavoured with ginger, carrot, and seaweed, as well as a washer-sized daikon filled with thinly julienned pickled vegetables. It’s a much lighter dish following the onjyaku-zen and really showcases the knife skills of Chef Masaki Hashimoto.

Diners are asked to refrain from wearing strong scents to ensure they’re able to enjoy the sensory experience of the food. The yuzu aroma that escapes from the owan-mono was so refreshing, although at first whiff, it leaves me wondering if a citrusy soup is something I’d enjoy.

Hashimoto didn’t disappoint, balancing the yuzu in a savoury consommé and pairing it with a host of rich flavours: a silky chawanmushi (egg custard), a thick chewy rice cake, and a soft braised daikon. The slice of amadai (tile fish) was cooked perfectly and I loved that the fish’s scales were deep fried to form a crunchy garnish on top.

The yaki-mono (grilled course) featured a host of ingredients that were in-season during the autumn in Japan. Generally, I only have persimmons raw, yet somehow the fruit tastes so good baked, releasing more of its sweet flavours with chewy pieces of mochi included to soak up some of its juices. The fruit was so inventive that the grilled shima-aji (stripe jack) almost seemed secondary; I found the fish a tad overcooked and in need of a stronger glaze to make it stand out.

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Kaiseki Yu-zen Hashimoto is our best authentic Japanese kaiseki experience ever. Again, simply the best. As with anything "best", all the components and parts of our experience were top notch, from the cordial welcome, to the traditional Japanese unique architectural and interior features (such as Shoji, the sliding panel that is made of translucent paper in a wooden frame), to the private dining rooms, to the beautiful, elaborate, extremely light, delicate and highly delectable food featuring the best ingredients, rare and imported from Japan, everything merited highest praise. Even though Hashimoto is quite distant from the central Toronto (it is located in the Flemingdon Park, in the city's North York district), especially for tourists and visitors, the 20-plus minutes' drive from the Old Toronto (Uber is about 20 USD one-way) was more than worth it. No words can describe the pure deliciousness of the food. Some of the items, such as Tachiuo (silver belt fish) or Shizuoka musk melon are not widely served even in the best Japanese restaurants outside the country of the origin. Hashimoto has been promulgating the traditional Japanese cuisine (and not its all-you-can-eat-sushi American/international transformation of the former) for about 20 years now, long before kaiseki and omakase became next trend in the big cities all over the world. To be honest, the prices are kind of steep. Kaiseki lunch is priced at $200 per person (drinks, tax and gratuity not included), whereas kaiseki dinner sells for $300 per person (drinks, tax and gratuity not included). This is almost 40% more expensive than a high-class Michelin star Hirohisa in NYC, but on par with many other expensive Japanese restaurants. But, again, our 436 USD check for a party of 2, including tips but excluding alcohol was a right price tag for the unique experience, totally one of a kind. Reservations required, as well as a credit card for a deposit. Please allow 2 hours for your lunch experience. The restaurant's cancellation policy could be viewed on Hashimoto's website. 6...

Let me preface this by saying that I've dined at many restaurants across Japan and Canada, including Michelin starred ones and those considered the best by locals. Hashimoto is far and away one of the best dining experiences I've had - easily among my top 3.

The food served throughout the 8 courses transcended what I consider "good" into "out of this world". Everything from details in the presentation to the arrangement of the ingredients on a dish conveys the thoughtfulness of Chef Hashimoto. The flavours come together so beautifully and everything is so well-balanced, which is the hallmark of the best kaiseki experience.

Every dish was memorable and distinctive, but my personal favourite was the chef signature, the crane. The use of A5 Miyazaki wagyu and matcha salt was just chef's kiss. I was also not expecting to try Ayu sweetfish outside Japan (a summer local delicacy) and the freshness as well as crispiness sent me to another dimension of bliss. The final course with musk melon was out of this world - the sweetness and juiciness of the flesh was incredible!

Honestly all the dishes were hits and the only almost-miss on the menu was the fish dish with bones in it. While the flavours were impeccable and the soft bones were edible, the texture was weird and I wish they substituted it for a fish that was easier to eat.

It would also be remiss not to mention the service. Haruna was our server and huge compliments to her for making our night very enjoyable with her explanation and hospitality. She went above and beyond in making sure we were well-attended to.

We came here to celebrate my birthday and it is the birthday meal I will remember for life. I truly felt I was transported to Japan with the authenticity of the atmosphere, rarity of ingredients used, mastery of cooking techniques and just overall good food. It's pricey but well worth the money for a good...