- Cost: CAD $120-$150, before drinks, tax, and tip
- Size: >15 seats at counter, plus several tables
- Style: Kaiseki
- Reserved: 2 days in advance
I've heard Kaji referenced multiple times as the best Japanese restaurant in Canada. While this may be true (my Canadian dining experiences have been quite limited), I can say definitively that 1) Kaji is not really a sushi restaurant, and 2) the food itself is a cut below even second-tier sushiya in places like New York and LA.
Kaji offers two set menus - one for $100, and a second for $120 (a wagyu course can be added to the latter, which bumps the price up to $150). Both approximate a kaiseki menu, with some small zensai (appetizers) and other dishes more at home in Kyoto-style cooking than at a sushiya, like sunomono, tempura, matsutake soup, and pressed sushi. There are a few pieces of nigiri and a sashimi plate, but these items were unremarkable and not in the same ballpark as what you might expect from a top-tier sushiya. The shari itself was pressed into a dense block, reminiscent of supermarket sushi.
This was one of the few omakase meals I've ever had where I walked away hungry. An omakase at this price in many other US cities is miles away in quantity, quality, and overall value - a quick comparison of the photos in this posting versus others on this site should confirm that. The value for what I received was so off-balance that I was left wondering if the price reflects some sort of scarcity value or shipping cost for some of the specialized ingredients. If you've never had omakase before and rarely make it out of Toronto, Kaji is worth a try. Otherwise, your $120 is better spent elsewhere.