Yujiro - Tasty High End Japanese

When anyone asks me for the best Japanese restaurant in Winnipeg, I quickly answer with Yujiro. When I last blogged about it, I was impressed by the freshness of the fish as well as the care and effort the chefs put into their dishes. Thus when a few fellow residents asked to do a monthly handover event at Yujiro, I could not help but well up with excitement.

On Grant Avenue just off of Kenaston Bouvelard, Yujiro has amassed a well known reputation as high quality Japanese. Indeed everything about the restaurant exudes modern elegance with the pleasant but simple exterior signage, the gorgeous wooden tables and and magnificent sushi bar that gives a window into the world of sushi making. Always busy, one must make sure to grab a reservation to ensure a table is available.

The menu is attractive and features a wide array of Japanese staples. Appetizers including the ever popular Goma Ae or lightly fried soft shell crab; the usual tempura, donburi suspects; an assortment of the usual salmon and tuna sashimi as well as the unusal hamachi or gin dara and a dizzying array of house rolls and makis to round out the affair. Bento boxes are also available for those unable to choose and wanting a variety. Where Yujiro strives above the competition is in a daily features menu which houses award winning chef Ed Lam's daily adventures and experiments. Here Mr. Lam pushes the boundary of traditional Japanese cuisine and strives to introduce customers to unusual ingredients and unique pairings. Exciting indeed!

And of course I had to order off the daily menu. The Omakase Tempura assembles an assortment of mushrooms (Wild Morel, Shiitake, Wild Woodear, Shimeji), lightly dusted in tempura batter and fried to perfection. The absolutely gorgeous dish was almost too pretty to eat; and the first bites were equally pleasing. Light and airy tempura batter coat the dense and rich mushroom all finished off with a hint of powdered salt. Each mushroom had a distinctive textural contrast: the beefiness of the shiitake, the earthiness of the wild morel, the delicateness of the woodear and the softness of the shimeji; all working invariably well with the tempura batter. Incredible.

Wanting to try a bit of everything again I went with the a bento box. With any bento ordered diners are treated with a Salad and Miso Soup. Nothing terribly impressive or unique; the freshness and crispness of the salad goes well with the light ginger dressing, meanwhile being contrasted by the earthiness and saltiness of the miso soup.

  The Deluxe Special Bento Box features (from top left) Assorted Sashimi, three pieces of Nigiri, light Tempura vegetables and two handrolls (California and B.C.). The large pieces of sashimi include two Tuna, Two Salmon, one Octopus and one Scallop. Incredibly fresh and springy and devoid of any fishy smell or aftertaste, each fat piece of sashimi literally dances in your mouth as you eat. The star here is truly the salmon with a wonderful mix of soft springy meat with belly fat all accentuated by a touch of soy.

Similarly, the Nigiri feature the same delicate and delicious fish but now on a bed of sushi rice. Here the sushi rice acts as a nice textural compliment to the fatty fish. Furthermore, because of the thinner cut of fish, there is more room for the sweetness of the light soy dipping sauce to come through and envelop each tasty morsel of sushi.

The two handrolls are of equally good quality. The California Roll features the usual suspects of real crab meat, cucumber and avocado while the B.C. roll slightly more exciting with BBQ salmon skin and cucumber. The star here is the rich but surprisingly delicate salmon skin; toasted to perfection and drizzled with a light BBQ sauce.

Each meal finishes with your choice of ice cream. The Green Tea version here is traditional and tasted as you would expect. An nice complimentary ending to a fantastic meal.

Yujiro safely remains for me as the best Japanese restaurant in Winnipeg. Featuring absurdly fresh fish and a consistent attention to detail and care for flavour, the chefs have created a world class Japanese dining experience. Well worth the visit.

Read about my previous experience at Yujiro here: http://korean2016.blogspot.com/2014/10/sushi-ramen-at-yujiro.html

Waki Temaki - Upscale Sushi Food Truck

Summer is one of my favourite times of the year. With the white snow behind us and the promise of heat and sun going forward, summer is often the time when I am often the most adventurous and willing to try new things. Capitalizing on the summer air are a litany of Food Trucks who have started to adorn the streets and alleyways of Winnipeg's busiest areas selling trinkets of delicious food for would-be adventurers. One of the newer trucks this year is the Waki Temaki Sushi Truck.

The whole premise of a food truck is that it is mobile and able to set up at any number of locations throughout the city. I caught up to these guys outside the Legislature on Broadway on this specific day. The brightly lit truck and whimsical signage are all key aspects to attracting diners and customers. Appealing and attractive it was no surprise to find a healthy line of diners when I arrived shortly after noon.

Waki Temaki is owned by the family behind one of my favourite restaurants in Winnipeg, Yujiro (Edward Lam). Using their home menu as a base and the concept of handrolls, Mr. Lam has crafted a menu combining popular ingredients to create unique handrolls. Shrimp Tempura, California, Spicy Salmon all adorn those wanting the usual, while a Tuna & Green Onion or Spicy Breaded Shrimp roll await those more adventurous. On the other hand the chefs also offer small appetizers like Yakitori or Tako Yoki, an octopus donus ball. And finally for those wanting a larger meal, one can always go with a rice box featuring a small handful of protein options. Definitely enough to keep anyone happy, indeed.

The delicious Yakitori features two marinated chicken skewers fried in Teriyaki Sauce and finished with sesame. The subtlety of flavours here show the true ability of the chefs with the tender chicken holding its own against the slight saltiness and sweetness of the teriyaki and contrasted well with the crunch of the sesame seeds; all working together to form a nuanced umami taste.

Wanting something more substantial I went with the Beef Rice Box. While initial impressions might resemble that of a fastfood takeout rice bowl, the contrast of the flavours here cries against it. In actuality, the exquisitely tender beef has just a mild hint of salt and sugar which works extremely well with the bed of perfectly cooked morsels of Japanese sushi rice. Colour and textural contrasts are found in the smattering of green onions on top. Delicious.

Waki Temaki Food Truck showcases excellent Japanese cuisine that rivals most established restaurants. That it is able to perform such feats in the confines of a food truck is dazzling and incredible. While not cheap, the quality is there making Waki Temaki an absolute recommendation for anyone who sees its colourful truck parked on a streetcorner.

Ninja Club - Good Ramen (Edmonton 30 in 30)

I often find new restaurant recommendations from Urbanspoon and Ninja Club had been at the top of the charts for the entire time I have been back in Edmonton. Then I had numerous friends and family rave about the authentic ramen shop on Whyte Avenue and it sealed the deal. After a relatively long day in clinic I made the short trek over to Ninja Club.

The restaurant is easy to find on a nice and busy stretch of Whyte Avenue. Its obvious that the restaurant retrofitted the original (?home) to fit the needs of the eatery which has resulted in relatively drab interiors, minimalistic decor and a shared bathroom with the neighboring businesses. Nevertheless the functional eatery is punctuated by the enthusiasm and energy emanating from the husband and wife owners. I am told they hailed are recent immigrants from Japan and took up shop in Edmonton hoping to live the Canadian dream. With a story like that it does seem difficult to do nothing but root for them ...

The menu is small and functional. I often attest that the best, especially mom and pop-esque, restaurants limit their menu to the few items they have perfected and become known and popular for those dishes. Ninja club has crafted their brand through the ramen, and so their noodle soups are rightfully front and center on the first page of their menu. In additional to their ramen they have a bevy of sushi rolls and sashimi.

One of the hallmarks of any great Japanese restaurant is their fish and so I ordered Salmon Sashimi to start. The generous portions of salmon certainly looked gorgeous with a gentle orangy hue, but were unfortunately a tad mushy and lacked the texture you would expect from fresh salmon.

Thankfully their namesake dish was much better, Kimuchi Ramen takes their base miso broth and adds in a kick of spicy kimchi. The key ingredient, the miso broth, was excellently rich, milky and deep; an excellent contrast to the spicy and sharp flavour from the kimchi. The noodles were nicely tender and able to soak in the flavours from the soup without becoming mushy. The toppings, which included bean sprouts, sliced pork, seaweed and spinach were nice accompaniments to the dish and added freshness (from the vegetables) and fattyness (from the pork).

Ninja Club delivered its advertising promises of authentic Japanese ramen with its dense flavours and excellent soup base. And while the sashimi could have been improved, Ninja Club still created solid food that should warrant a visit from anyone in the area for ramen.

Nomiya - Average Japanese (Edmonton 30 in 30)

Ramen is winter's soul food. There is nothing better than a steaming bowl of hot broth, dense noodles and tasty toppings to drive away the nippy cold that is the Canadian winters. Thriving in the cold north we would see numerous Japanese ramen houses pop up, serving up bowls of life sustaining warmth as patrons lined up out the doors. Nomiya was one such restaurant in Edmonton and one that sustained me through the longest and coldest of Edmonton winters. It was without a doubt that I had to re-frequent Nomiya during my stay here in Edmonton.

The location is prime for any south Edmontonian. Found on the corner of 38th avenue and Calgary Trail, the small restaurant is tucked away in a large and popular strip mall. Even though the owners tucked as many booths and seating into the small space as possible, you would still find lines of would-be patrons coalescing outside the doors, waiting for their name to be called. Clearly their popularity has remained.

The menu is adept and features the basics of Japanese cuisine. Their star to fame is their ramens featuring a good variety of soups and bases. Of course you get the classic Tonkotsu, Shoyo, and Miso broths; but Nomiya also features an intriguing curry, seafood and Tan Tan broth. If ramen is not in the cards, diners can also choose from a variety of bento boxes, rolls and small Japanese appetizers. Overall a functional menu and one that should satisfy most looking for a quick Japanese meal.

Feeling famished after a long morning of work, I started with a Bento Box. I like the organization of their lunch boxes here as patrons have three categories to choose from: a main, a side and a maki roll. What Nomiya does well here is offer variety and with four to eight options per category, an almost unlimited permutation of bento boxes can be created.

For my side I chose the Century Tofu. The base is firm fresh tofu which is topped with century fermented egg, salmon roe and scallions. The flavour comes from the fermented eggs that have been marinated in soy; and the texture comes from the firm tofu with the smooth juicy salmon roe. While the century tofu is an acquired taste I did appreciate the subtlety of tastes here and admire Nomiya for offering such a polarizing but tasty side in their bento boxes.

A sign for any good Japanese restaurant is the freshness of their Sashimi. Unfortunately, Nomiya produces a mixed bag. With the bento boxes they offer two large pieces of Tuna, Salmon and one of Surf Clam. While I enjoyed the fatty and springy pieces of salmon, the tuna had a mushy texture and was devoid of any flavour, almost as if it was defrosted too quickly. The surf clam was entirely average with its meaty and chewy meat.

For my maki I went with Nigiri. Three pieces arrived consisting of Salmon, Red Snapper and Mackerel. These were much better with the fatty and large salmon being the most impressive of the bunch. The red snapper had its customary gentle sweetness and the mackerel the typical meaty-ness.

I would be remiss if I did not order a ramen as well. The Tonkotsu ramen features a milky broth surrounding a bevy of tender noodles and toppings including chashu pork, marinated bamboo, corn and seaweed. The rich, creamy and thick broth was key here as it showed a depth only found when brewing for hours and hours. The tender noodles were springy and robust enough to keep its texture in the broth and while I would have appreciated more toppings, the included ones were tasty and added a nice balance of fattiness (from the pork), sweetness (from the corn) and saltiness (from the bamboo).

Nomiya offers thoughtful and solid Japanese food and ramen that should do for anyone in the craving for such. While the quality of their fish was a little suspect, they do supply a tasty ramen and made it up with an authentic take on century tofu. You will not find fine Japanese food here but rather will find average Japanese cuisine at a good value.

Ichiban Steakhouse - Average Teppanyaki

Teppanyaki is a style of Japanese cooking that combines quality ingredients cooked in front of you on an iron griddle with a show featuring the main chef doing tricks and stunts in an effort to excite and amaze their guests. Most major cities feature a Teppanyaki style restaurant and Winnipeg is no different with Ichiban Japanese Steak House. On a frosty night myself and a fellow co-resident made the trip to Ichiban for some flare and good food.

Ichiban is located in the heart of downtown kitty corner from the Delta Winnipeg and across the street from the Winnipeg Convention centre. The restaurant itself is in the basement and actually fills a large sprawling area with plush chairs, comfortable seating and the aforementioned teppan style grills. Great care was put into the experience with authentic decor and attentive waitresses in authentic geisha outfits. Everyone seemed to be having a good time with a cacophony of noise as the teppan tables exploded with excitement at the next act of each show.

Unfortunately we, having made an impromptu decision, were not seated at the teppan tables but rather at their regular dine in tables. We were assured it would be the same food (minus the flare of the show) at the same prices and most importantly, quality. The menu itself is quite limited and focused on the Teppanyaki combinations; with the occasional appetizer and sushi roll designed to compliment the main meal.

Each meal starts with a bowl of Vegetable Soup. Simply chicken broth with root vegetables, the soup tasted fine but severely lacked any authenticity (where was my miso soup?).

Alongside the soup came a starter salad: Marinated Cucumbers with Crab. Again an odd dish to serve with teppanyaki that was missing an air of authenticity. I appreciated the use of real crab meat here and thought it had a slight sweetness that rounded out the crisp vinegary cucumbers well.

The next dish in the meal was an appetizer of sorts, Chicken Liver with Vegetables fried and finished on the teppan. Again, an odd choice to surround a teppanyaki meal with, this liver dish was rendered inedible and devoid of flavour. The accompanying vegetables had a nice sweetness from the teriyaki based sauce but overall this dish was a complete miss (and a head scratcher for this type of meal).

For my main I ordered the Sirloin & Salmon Combination. The sloppily presented plate featured a sizable steak portion, cooked to your liking, and a chunk of salmon with a nice sweet soy glaze. Accompanying the protein was a heaping bowl of fried rice and a mix of teppan vegetables. Each individual component were fine, but there was no forethought or combination of flavours here. The meat was well cooked and salmon tasty, but the entire plate did not work and resembled a pick-four style combination plate one can find at any food court.

It was as if Ichiban wanted to overwhelm the diner with a host of options to give the idea of value. While one cannot discount the value associated with sitting at the teppan with a chef cooking in front of you, the food itself was simply not up to par. There was no planning or thought into why each course was given, nor was there any truly unique or tasty offerings. Rather Ichiban gives you pomp and circumstance almost to trick the diner into believing they are getting fine dining. You will get better food in almost any other Japanese restaurant in town and there you can enjoy the show of chefs creating real Japanese cuisine in front of your eyes. Do yourself a favour and skip Ichiban.

Ramen Aji Kura - Ordinary Ramen

There are lots to enjoy about winter, especially in Winnipeg. Living in Canada, one has to brave the forces of nature and endure the long and, usually, cold winters no matter where you are. Winnipeg winters are a new kind of cold, a macabre bone chilling sensation that would send the most strong-willed of hearts home. The citizens have adapted finely though, with thick warm parkas, balmy conditioned interiors and, most importantly of all, warm winter food solutions. Such was Ramen Aji Kura. I had noticed it during my many trips down Corydon Avenue and always made a mental note to try it, specifically on a cold wintry day. The perfect opportunity arrived when, after finishing my mountain of paperwork, I made the trip to Corydon for some ramen.

Ramen Aji Kura is on Corydon Avenue closer to the Eastern gates. It is a brightly lit, attractive structure akin to old school Japanese noodle houses. The huge sign in front beckons you forward as you approach the neon signage on top of the actual building. The interior are functional and modestly decorated and tread a nice balance between gawdy and classy. The lone waitstaff at the front of house welcomes everyone enthusiastically with a huge smile and promises of delightful food.

The menu is rather sparse. Harking to their namesake, Aji Kura focuses on their ramen and offers a good range from the typical tonkotsu pork broth to the shoyu (soy) and miso ramen. On top of their noodle offerings, Aji Kura features a number of meal sets centering around a decent variety of rice bowls. A functional menu and one geared towards what they do well.

Tonkotsu Ramen is the standard upon which all ramen restaurants should be judged upon. The base is a creamy pork broth and should be filled with tender crunchy ramen noodles, pork and vegetables. Unfortunately the broth here is lacking and missing a richness and depth in flavour one would expect, rather it tastes thin and dull with a hint of MSG. The noodles were nice and crunchy and one cannot fault them for the good array of toppings.

Oyako-Don meal set is Aji Kura's take on a traditional Japanese rice bowl featuring simmered chicken and egg on top of sushi rice. The dish was handsomely decorated and presented with the feature in the middle surrounded by few sides.

The Oyako-Don itself was nicely presented and had a wonderful aroma that wafted throughout the restaurant. The key ingredient is the egg which envelops the chicken and adds a luxurious smooth component to the dish. The chicken itself was simply ordinary with a slight crisp crunch to the outside with a tender interior while fried onions add much needed sweetness and a textural balance to the dish. Overall tasty but the ratio of rice to topping was overwhelmingly rice.

Miso Soup was delivered with the main dish. Nothing too exciting and tasting as you would expect with a strong miso flavour and filled with silken tofu and seaweed.

Chawanmushi was the other side given with the meal set. Nicely presented in a teacup, the egg custard had a nice smoothness to it, but overall lacked any flavour. I would have appreciated a salty or savoury component to the custard to counteract the dull flavour profile of the egg custard.

Ramen Aji Kura was simply ordinary. From the decor to the food there was nothing exciting about the restaurant. Certainly not the worst in the city but there are better alternative ramen places in the city. Nevertheless, if one is found stuck on Corydon with a craving for ramen, its relatively inexpensive decent cuisine are an attractive option.

Fusian Experiance, Wagyu and Prime Sushi

I just had one of the memorable meals of my life. You see, I regularly skim through Urbanspoon to find new restaurants and to my delight, found Fusian Experience, a upscale Japanese joint with plenty of positive reviews. My research into a restaurant prior to dining there usually involves a perusal of their menu and one word caught my eye ... Wagyu. Commonly known as the Rolls Royce of beef, this Japanese variant houses some of the most marbling and are world renowned for their tenderness and buttery texture. I was shocked to find a place in Winnipeg offering such a world class ingredient; needless to say I was out the door and in my car hurrying to what would amount to be my favourite meal in Winnipeg so far.

Fusian Experience lies on the west end of Academy Road in River Heights. The restaurant itself, I am told, was an old fast food chain restaurant that the owners retrofitted to its current state. Their owners are a veteran in the food scene of Winnipeg having previously owned another popular Japanese eatery in town. Although the exterior looks bland, the interior has a beautiful modern sheen to it: magnificent oak tables, comfortable wooden chairs and a handsome bar situated right next to the open kitchen.

I knew what I came here for, the Wagyu. Nevertheless, a perusal through the rest of the menu reveals some interesting delights. You see, Fusian Experience offers an good array of Japanese Izakaya tapas offerings, a litany of sushi rolls (some standard, some innovative), a healthy offering of fresh sashimi and of course, the aforementioned Wagyu. Fueling my inner curiosity and inner glutton, I decided on a few items ... so I can properly rate all aspects of their food.

I started off with a sushi lunch set, their B.B. Dragon Special. Only offered during lunch, it features a multi-course Japanese meals that offers value and variety perfect for those who want to try a diversity of dishes. The starter was the House Salad: the usual mixed greens with a grated ginger and miso based dressing. The dressing does well to heighten the crispy greens here.

Second course of the lunch was Miso Soup. A rich background of miso broth is filled with tofu, seaweed and green onions. The soup had an enticing aroma and rich miso flavour which contrasted the soft tofu and chewy seaweed well. Overall solid and as you would expect from a miso soup.

The main offering of the special included assorted sashimi, a dragon roll and assorted maki. I have to commend them on the handsome and beautiful presentation of their food. The artistry and creativity shown here harkens to the chef's ingenuity, cleverness and playfulness in his food.

The sashimi included were two large pieces each of Organic King Salmon, Albacore Tuna (white flesh) and Ahi Tuna. Fusian prides themselves in using the best ingredients possible and the freshness of the fish was obvious here. The Salmon, two thick slices, had a wonderful fatty and springy texture with a hint of sweetness. The Ahi, my personal favourite, had a firmer meatier texture to the flesh that melted away in your mouth. The huge Albacore portions were smoother and more subtle in flavour compared to the others. Altogether a great mixture of extraordinarily fresh and high quality sashimi.

The Dragon Roll was incredible. The base roll of tempura shrimp and mayo was layered with thick cut fresh avocado and a generous portion of BBQ Eel. The luxuriousness of the eel was well balanced with the creaminess of the fresh avocado, the crunchiness of the tempura and the saltiness of the thick sweet soy sauce drizzled on top. Every ingredient well thought out and every flavour carefully crafted into this delightful roll that screams of umami.

Finishing off the main course was the Wild Sockeye Salmon Maki and Bluefin Tuna Maki. Fusian here gives a healthy portion of fish per piece of maki and attains a nice mixture of smooth seaweed, soft rice and buttery fish. The freshness of the fish was ever apparent here as well with springy and tender flesh.

Wanting to try something off the tapas menu I ordered the Goma Ea: a simple dish of boiled spinach finished with a sesame dressing. So beautifully presented, I appreciated the flavour profiles here with the soft boiled spinach contrasted by the rich and pungent black sesame dressing that had a strong combination of sweet, salty and sour (likely from the smart use of lemon). The accompanied daikon radish sprouts added earthiness and bitterness to finish off the umami effect.

The star of the meal is in sight! Fusian Experience offers their Wagyu in multiple ways: slight seared as a nigiri, as a sashimi, in a beef roll, or my preference served as Hot Stone Wagyu. The marble stone, I am told, was imported and chosen because of their good heat dissipation and even cooking temperatures to allow for the ultimate control of the meat.

Just look at that marbling! The dish involves three ounces of thick cut genuine Japanese Wagyu Beef. The chefs explained that they only import the highest grade of beef and serve only the cuts with the most amount of marbling available. These absolutely beautiful slices of beef are indeed the most marbled I have come across!

The beef is served on the side with Enoki Mushrooms, Asparagus and Shimeji Mushrooms which are also meant to be grilled on the hot stone. I appreciated the addition of the vegetables here as they did a great job of complimenting the incredible tender meat.

Served along the mains are three condiments: Soju Sauce, Soy Sauce and Salt & Pepper. Although thoughtful, I ultimately found the two sauces to be too strong and detracted from the natural flavours of the meat. As per the instructions of the staff, adding a touch of salt and pepper did wonders to heighten the fattiness and creaminess of the meat.

I like searing mine for fifteen to thirty seconds to get a nice brown sear to the outside but maintaining the juicy red marbling on the inside. I cannot invent enough words to describe how incredible this beef was. The amount of fat and marbling make this the most tender and flavourful beef I have ever had, one that melts in your mouth like butter. Furthermore, the beef has an slight underlying sweetness that is further augmented by a small amount of salt and pepper.

As the bites continued through the meal I was reveling in the experience of Wagyu. Pairing each piece of beef with the vegetables elevates the entire meal as the vegetables add earthiness and crispness to contrast the smooth meat.

Food is an emotional experience. My favourite meals and restaurants are those who are able to evoke an emotional response through the dining experience. From decor to service, and ultimately to the food; the best meals I have had are those who are able to weave excitement, entertainment, bliss and satisfaction all in one night. Food is more than sustenance for me, it is a vehicle to guide me through new people, new cultures and new emotions. Fusian Experience ranks highly on my list of top dining experiences. For anyone in Winnipeg with even an interest in trying incredible sushi or the extremely rare Wagyu, do not hesitate to try Fusian Experience.