Dinner club was at Mikado this evening. Mikado is in the middle of a commercial dead zone in that dreadful world that is Leaside (on Laird, south of Eglinton). We’ve been thinking of trying this sushi place for eons and finally scored a tatami room this evening. What sets Mikado aside is its longevity – here since 1978 and the fact it is a sushi restaurant run by – wait for it – Japanese. Chef is Keiichi Masuda. Language is English but we got to use our Japanese too – bonus!
The wait is worth it as Mikado exceeds expectations when it comes to Japanese cuisine. Chef Masuda knows fish and knows how to prepare fish that is, in a word, exquisite. We all forgot our cameras – with apologies – but chowed down on tara saikyo (black cod with miso); horenso goma (spinach with peanut sauce); kani croquette (a breaded deep fried creamed crab cake that was DIVINE); ankimo (monkfish liver served with ponzu); and Chef Masuda’s sakura sashimi which delivered some of the most perfectly prepared fish – toro, maguro, ebi, oilfish, tai, surf clam, yellowtail, salmon and mackerel – I’ve ever had in Toronto. Surf clam that was perfect (a rare find here) … soft, with just the right amount of ‘bite’ to it.
(sigh) Run, don’t walk if you’re in the hood and give this place a go.
Last weekend, we dragged out our hot stone and prepared a fun meal of shrimp, pork, veggies and paneer prepared in a spicing of red chili, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cardamon, cubeb, ginger and garlic. YUMMY!
1) before dinner we tried an assortment of fine Quebec cheeses, including (l-r): Benedictine blue; chevre noir; kaiser tomme haut Richelieu, migneron de Charlevoix and a triple cream Rondoux; 2) I prepare the paneer
3) secret: lots of spices and some yogurt; 4) mix in the paneer and let sit an hour
5) the table is ready for hot stoning!; 6) on go the veggies for cooking
7) shrimps and pork cook; 8) the veggies and some hot Italian sausage wait their turn
9) the paneer gets its turn on the hot stone
10) my orchid is out of control … I love it! … I must paint that back wall gray soon!
AppsScraps 
looks delicious, as always. reminds me a bit of korean bbq, where you grill your own meats and whatnot. your orchid is quite impressive!
looks delicious, as always. reminds me a bit of korean bbq, where you grill your own meats and whatnot. your orchid is quite impressive!
Your orchid is out-doing the one in my office. As to be expected you set a beautiful table upon which to present an excellent meal!
Gorgeous looking orchid! Nicely done.
Authentic Japanese Restaurant?!. Most that I check out nowadays are Korean/Chinese owned and aren’t all that great…hot stoning looks kinda fun… is it kinda like hot pot… but with a hot stone instead? :P