Review by Mimi Straka
Last Saturday, August 12
Takumi dinner ($120)
Japanese omelette stuffed crab, stuffed w/ shiitake & crab; lemon dipping sauce, shredded ginger & shiso leaf
This dish was so beautifully presented we barely wanted to eat it. The deep fried carrot the crab shell nestled upon was a great way to finish off this tasty app.
Sesame tofu
This was my first experience of Sesame tofu. It was served cold, with asparagus and shrimp, while the "broth" was thickened. Altogether an intriguing appetizer and very suitable for a hot summer's night.
Trout & organic tomatoes, rendered herbaceous with shiso
This last app really showed off both the tomatoes and the trout. More shiso was a meaty addition to the dish.
Sashimi
The presentation in large shallow stoneware bowls was breathtaking. My favourite part was the sweet pink shrimp from Boston.
Braised pork belly with Japanese mustard sauce & greens
The pork was deliciously sweet, juicy and tender. The greens and shredded daikon were a welcome addition to a very protein-heavy meal thus far.
Steamed lobster with cold butter squash sauce, lotus root + okra
This dish was another summery teaser since all elements were served cold.
Sauteed Japanese eel stuffed with rosefish, served with BBQ miso sauce. Accompanied by BBQ eggplant, lotus root with pork stuffing + grilled baby peppers stuffed with fish farce. The sauce was a sparkling concoction of white peaches with bits of pickled asparagus, which offered a sweet and sour complement to the fish and seafood elements. The presentation was also a treat for the eye.
Soup was very good miso soup with cold Japanese fine noodles.
Sushi
King Crab (in wrapper) was steamed crab and rice. Our server graciously demonstrated how to unwrap the tender morsels, accompanied by house-made soya sauce, available for sale.
Also offered: lobster, calamari, scallop, tuna sushi - not pictured here, but all delicious. The lobster was cooked, the scallop seared & topped with Japanese papper, the Toro tuna also seared by the smiling assistant chef, then sauced.
Here you have the BBQ eel & abalone sushi.
Chefs, both very entertaining and with a flair for drama.
Dessert, a mango mousse and a creme caramel, both light and fruitily paired for the well-fortified diners.
We also sampled three of the sakes on the drinks menu. Very generous pourings ensured we were feeling no pain on our way home, three + hours later.
Sake notes (from Kaji menu):
Satonohomare (Junmai Ginjo) from Ibaragi $22/ 120 ml glass: Light and fruity nose, laced with violets, strawberries, pear and grape. A refined and clear flavour, yet settled and deep. Semi-dry with a superbly clean finish.
Wakatake Onikoroshi (Junmai ginjou) from Shiznoka $20/ 120 ml glass: Young and alluring, with the texture of raw silk. Well-balanced mild sake has a slight sweetness stemming from its elegant aroma and moderate dryness.
Otokaoyama (Junmai) from Hokkaido $22/ 120 ml glass: Fresh initial taste, moderate acidity and a dry aftertaste.
©copyright 2006 Christopher Klugman, All Rights Reserved
Hrayr taught at the largest and oldest post secondary restaurant and hotel management school in Canada for over a quarter of a century. During his tenure he researched, wrote, and published over 35 textbooks, many of which are used in schools across the continent and by thousands of professionals. 
