{"id":15090,"date":"2018-10-17T17:15:41","date_gmt":"2018-10-18T00:15:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pickydiners.com\/www\/?p=15090"},"modified":"2019-04-30T23:05:56","modified_gmt":"2019-05-01T06:05:56","slug":"does-masayoshi-represent-vancouvers-best-japanese","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickydiners.com\/www\/does-masayoshi-represent-vancouvers-best-japanese\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Masayoshi represent Vancouver’s “Best Japanese”?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Masayoshi Restaurant won the “Best Japanese” at the Restaurant Awards 2018<\/a>. and also received the ranking of #48 of Canada\u2019s Best 100 Restaurants for 2018.\u00a0 The restaurant has only 16 seats in total for the whole restaurant, including only 7 seats by the sushi bar. The award winner proudly proclaims to be Vancouver’s own answer to many\u00a0critically-claimed Japanese eateries in Japan and around the world.<\/p>\n

Chef Masayoshi Bobo, a trained sushi master with his own personal touch on the craft.\u00a0 Like any other modern chefs,\u00a0 he loves utilizing local in-season ingredients as much as possible, also working with imported fresh goods from Japan.<\/p>\n

The chef offers\u00a0omakase-only<\/strong>\u00a0menus,\u00a0 meaning that diners have to leave up to the Chef to prepare with available ingredients of the day.\u00a0The options include 14-Piece Nigiri Sushi Omakase ($80), 16-Piece Nigiri Sushi Omakase ($110) and\u00a0Original Creation Omakase\u00a0($120).\u00a0\u00a0With only two seatings every evening at 6 and 8 pm, reservation in advance is a must.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I came here with my fellow blogger Area (@foodgressing) and my visiting friend Will (@wdwphoto) from San Francisco. It’s a great reunion for the trio since our visit to the 3-Star-Michelin\u00a0Saison<\/strong>. The expectations were high as we were eager to show Will the best we have in the city.\u00a0 \u00a0We all picked the $120 omakase menu.<\/p>\n

We chose the\u00a0Ichinokura sake<\/strong>\u00a0 (720 ml. $55) to\u00a0go with our meal. Craft sake is pricy in Vancouver in general. So the price for this bottle seems reasonable. It would be nice if they have more descriptions on the sake list or have the server provide more insights in picking the right bottle. There is another fun part – we get to pick our\u00a0own sake cup!<\/p>\n

\"Sake<\/a>
Sake list at Masayoshi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Masayoshi\"<\/a>
Masayoshi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Omakase<\/h2>\n

“Corn”<\/h3>\n

The first course was chilled corn soup served in a glass, subtly sweet, silky smooth and super delicate. What a great tribute to such a beautiful ingredient in season!<\/p>\n

\"Corn\"<\/a>
Corn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Zensai”<\/h3>\n

As\u00a0the name (which means appetizer in Japanese) suggests, it was\u00a0a collection of appetizers including\u00a0gomae\u00a0salad, dashi consomme, konnyaku\u00a0dumpling, and ankimo (monkfish liver). The Kaiseki inspired presentation was remarkable. The flavours were subtle overall, except the ankimo, aka the foie gras of the sea,\u00a0 always a favourite of mine for its rich flavour and luscious texture.<\/p>\n

\"Zensai\"<\/a>
“Zensai”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Ankimo\"<\/a>
“Ankimo”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Domyoji”<\/h3>\n

The next course was also visually stunning, featuring a zucchini blossom stuffed with rice and other fresh vegetable ingredients.\u00a0 It was a fresh taste of the summer garden. The name “Domyoji” reminds me a manga character Domyouji from Hana Yori Dango, which was adapted into various tv shows in Asia.<\/p>\n

\"Domyoji\"<\/a>
“Domyoji”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Otsukuri”<\/h3>\n

“Otsukuri” is just a different word for sashimi but used in Kansai region around Osaka.\u00a0The neatly arranged sashimi pieces were Tako (octopus), Maguro (blue fin tuna), Aji (Japanese horse mackerel), and hobo (red gunnard), with a tiny soy sauce dropper on the side for flavouring the fish to our liking.\u00a0 It was great to enjoy the raw fish with the garnish, fresh from the garden.<\/p>\n

\"Otsukuri\"<\/a>
“Otsukuri”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Sakura Ebi”<\/h3>\n

The dish appears to be a take on Chawanmushi.\u00a0 But the name comes from the key ingredient \u00a0– Sakura Ebi is the dried cherry blossom shrimp that infuses the umami flavour\u00a0into the savoury steamed egg custard.\u00a0 The egg custard was perfectly made with a smooth luscious texture.<\/p>\n

\""Sakura<\/a>
“Sakura Ebi”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\""Sakura<\/a>
“Sakura Ebi”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Uzaku”<\/h3>\n

This is traditional Japanese preparation with unagi (grilled\u00a0freshwater eel) and thinly sliced cucumber served in a sweet and vinegary broth.\u00a0 I’ve had a lot of unagi don and know rice is the perfect complement to the richness of unagi, but the brightness of vingar works too.<\/p>\n

\""Uzaku"\"<\/a>
“Uzaku”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Hata”<\/h3>\n

A large piece of Japanese grouper,\u00a0garnished with a cute baby radish, was wrapped in parchment paper folded like Japanese origami.\u00a0 The fish was moist and succulent. The texture was satisfying, although the flavour was quite subtle.<\/p>\n

\""Hata"\"<\/a>
“Hata”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\""Hata"\"<\/a>
“Hata”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Osuimono”<\/h3>\n

The Osuimono is a clear soup that comes with a Japanese meal. Sliced cooked duck breast, charred leek, and shiitake were spotted in the light broth. It’s interesting that when we usually think soup is an appetizer, but in Japanese dining, soup is served during the meal or even towards the end of the meal.<\/p>\n

\""Osuimono"\"<\/a>
“Osuimono”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“Nigiri Sushi”<\/h3>\n

The nigiri set was the most exciting course of the evening, as the sushi-making craftsmanship is what Masayoshi is known for. The pieces looked extremely exquisite in front of us, featuring Hamachi (Yellowtail), King Salmon,\u00a0 Aji (horse mackerel), Ebi (prawn), and Awabi (abalone<\/span>), and finished with Tamagoyaki, a small square of sweet egg omelet in a more traditional form without the rice.\u00a0 The sushi rice was served at body temperature and precisely flavoured.\u00a0 I could feel each grain of rice against my palate.\u00a0 The whole sushi experience was absolutely stunning.\u00a0 I would love to come back here just for the sushi omakase.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

“Grapefruit Jello”<\/h3>\n

The sweet finish of our omakase adventure, was the refreshing Grapefruit Jello,\u00a0 with citrusy but very pleasant flavours, and garnished with a fresh blueberry and slices of fresh strawberry.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Final thought<\/h3>\n

Masayoshi’s original\u00a0omakase tasting menu does showcase the chef’s masterful skills, especially\u00a0the immaculate nigiri set and the sashimi preparation.\u00a0 The cooked dishes are elegant, mostly subtle in flavors. The thought behind the utilization of both Japanese and local seasonal ingredients is impressive.\u00a0 \u00a0 However, what I was looking forward to the most seemed to be missing. As described in Canada’s 100 Best<\/a>, Masayoshi is known for his “radiant good humor”.\u00a0 The chef was too busy at the sushi bar and we\u00a0didn’t receive any greeting or interaction from him.\u00a0While appreciating the chef’s beautiful and delicious sushi, we were staring at the guests sitting at the counter in envy – they get to actually see the chef in action! \u00a0So does Masayoshi represent the best Japanese in Vancouver? In many ways, it is, but I would be much happier to receive more of the famous Japanese hospitality that I expect from an authentic sushi restaurant. But this is just coming from a foodie who has traveled to Japan.<\/p>\n

$$$$<\/h4>\n

Rating: 3.5\/5<\/h4>\n

Masayoshi<\/em><\/h3>\n

4376 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC V5V 4G3<\/em>
\n(604) 428-6272 or masayoshi.ca<\/em><\/p>\n