This elegant, yet simple establishment is located on 171 King street east, in the area of old town, Toronto. When phoning for my reservation, the staff were very friendly and recommended right away that I sit by the sushi bar where one can see Hiro and his sushi making at work. I thanked her for the recommendation and asked her what she or Hiro would suggest for some one looking for a special sushi experience. She once again was very helpful and knowledgeable, suggesting I try the Wakanasi or seasonal menu, something that gives the diner a sample of many of Hiro's dishes. After my reservation I went online to do some research and found a very interesting and informative website on Hiro's knife shop, restaurant and his cooking philosophy or 'Hirosophy'. Hiro's philosophy is one based on a balance of human nature and cuisine. According to Hiro and his philosophy, one should "play well and work hard", meaning as a chef one should keep a healthy balance towards cuisine and human relation.
Arriving at Hiro's, right away I was greeted at the door by a warm and friendly smile by the wait staff. When you first enter Hiro Sushi the front of the restaurant is actually a knife shop selling specialty Japanese knives. As I continue towards the back of the shop we finally get into the restaurant and I'm immediately struck by the simple and beautiful wood sushi bar, lined with glass compartments, where many different delicious fish are displayed for all customers to see. I'm seated right in front of some gorgeous mackerel and am asked what I would like to drink, and decide to order a beer and a warm sake. As I wait for my drinks to arrive, I enjoy the sounds of Billy Holiday and the quiet, humble atmosphere that surrounnds me. The restaurant is very clean with many Japanese symbols and art deco on the walls. On the way down to the bathroom I find myself being distracted by the photos of customers displayed on the stairway wall. Once in the bathroom, I'm glad to see a high level of cleaniness is being maintained.
As I return to my seat, my drinks have arrived and I enjoy a warm sip of sake, or Japanese rice wine, while watching Hiro work his magic right in front of me. The server informs me that my Wakanasi menu will start with a macherel salad and I begin to salivate already, anticipating a delicious meal.
Arriving at Hiro's, right away I was greeted at the door by a warm and friendly smile by the wait staff. When you first enter Hiro Sushi the front of the restaurant is actually a knife shop selling specialty Japanese knives. As I continue towards the back of the shop we finally get into the restaurant and I'm immediately struck by the simple and beautiful wood sushi bar, lined with glass compartments, where many different delicious fish are displayed for all customers to see. I'm seated right in front of some gorgeous mackerel and am asked what I would like to drink, and decide to order a beer and a warm sake. As I wait for my drinks to arrive, I enjoy the sounds of Billy Holiday and the quiet, humble atmosphere that surrounnds me. The restaurant is very clean with many Japanese symbols and art deco on the walls. On the way down to the bathroom I find myself being distracted by the photos of customers displayed on the stairway wall. Once in the bathroom, I'm glad to see a high level of cleaniness is being maintained.
As I return to my seat, my drinks have arrived and I enjoy a warm sip of sake, or Japanese rice wine, while watching Hiro work his magic right in front of me. The server informs me that my Wakanasi menu will start with a macherel salad and I begin to salivate already, anticipating a delicious meal.
Wakanasi Menu
The mackerel is sliced thinly and laid a top of frisee lettuce and minced ginger, then a hot, sesame dressing is spread over top, searing the fish and lettuce with an amazing sizzle. I'm immediately encaptivated by the smell of sesame and mackerel. The mackerel is oily and slightly salty with a wonderful umami quality, due to the sesame dressing. The frisee adds a bitter note and balances the dish very well.
The second course is a light, crispy tempura of eggplant, sweet corn, green bean and sweet potato. The batter is brilliant and the tempura sauce has a good balance of salty and sweet.
The third course is a sushi plate, which is a combination of tuna, hamachi, mackerel and squid. The rice is cooked very well, with the right level of rice vinegar and the tuna and hamachi are exquisite, with just a hint of wasabi and soy sauce. The macherel is good, however, compared to the salad, the flavour doesn't shine through as much as you would hope. The squid on the other hand, has a great garlic marinate and finishes the course off well.
The fourth course is a salmon trio, where the first salmon is served in a traditional way, just with wasabi and soy sauce, the second preparation is a delicious garlic marinate and the third, a miso paste, marinate. I ask the chef how he prepares the miso marinate and I am told that it is a three day procedure of curing/marinating and hanging the salmon to achieve the desired taste.
The fifth course is a simple hand roll with Japanese basil, which has a strong anise type of quality to it, refreshes my palate and allows me the opportunity to finish my warm sake.
The final course is a housemade basil, lemon sorbet, a reflection of the whole meal, due to its flavour and simplicity. The meal, as a whole, is well balanced and simple, just as Hiro and his philosophy stated.
The cost of the entire meal and beverages came to $90, well worth it and the portion size, although small, was very fulfilling, due to the quality of ingredients and the excellent cooking techniques that Hiro employs. The bill was delivered promptly and again with a smile. The whole experience was very pleasing and I felt well looked after by the wait staff and the chef, who was willing to answer my questions whenever I had any. I would rate Hiro Sushi three stars or excellent and well above the average of many establishments.
The second course is a light, crispy tempura of eggplant, sweet corn, green bean and sweet potato. The batter is brilliant and the tempura sauce has a good balance of salty and sweet.
The third course is a sushi plate, which is a combination of tuna, hamachi, mackerel and squid. The rice is cooked very well, with the right level of rice vinegar and the tuna and hamachi are exquisite, with just a hint of wasabi and soy sauce. The macherel is good, however, compared to the salad, the flavour doesn't shine through as much as you would hope. The squid on the other hand, has a great garlic marinate and finishes the course off well.
The fourth course is a salmon trio, where the first salmon is served in a traditional way, just with wasabi and soy sauce, the second preparation is a delicious garlic marinate and the third, a miso paste, marinate. I ask the chef how he prepares the miso marinate and I am told that it is a three day procedure of curing/marinating and hanging the salmon to achieve the desired taste.
The fifth course is a simple hand roll with Japanese basil, which has a strong anise type of quality to it, refreshes my palate and allows me the opportunity to finish my warm sake.
The final course is a housemade basil, lemon sorbet, a reflection of the whole meal, due to its flavour and simplicity. The meal, as a whole, is well balanced and simple, just as Hiro and his philosophy stated.
The cost of the entire meal and beverages came to $90, well worth it and the portion size, although small, was very fulfilling, due to the quality of ingredients and the excellent cooking techniques that Hiro employs. The bill was delivered promptly and again with a smile. The whole experience was very pleasing and I felt well looked after by the wait staff and the chef, who was willing to answer my questions whenever I had any. I would rate Hiro Sushi three stars or excellent and well above the average of many establishments.
From: http://www.yelp.ca/biz/hiro-sushi-restaurant-toronto?utm_campaign=yelp_feed&utm_medium=feed_v2&utm_source=bing