It's safe to say that Miku Harbourfront in Toronto doesn't have the wondrous view of the lake that one would so assume. In place of the concept of a modern, fine dining sushi restaurant, the first of Aburi Restaurants' East Coast endeavours was a complete disaster.
Truth be told: I had never actually bothered to write about my visit last October since the experience had been flat-out depressing. Lighting was practically non-existent - it was all but tiny candles that cast a hideous glare on everything and anything that arrived on the table - and the "harbourfront" view was nothing more than a ground-level display of passerbys and the neighbouring buildings. Service was also found to be lacking on our server's part - did you think we couldn't tell you were rolling your eyes as you snatched the menus away? - and food was, generally speaking, unimpressive.
Having undergone such a subpar dining experience back home, I definitely had my doubts when Miku was suggested as the family lunch destination of choice. But one thing was definitely different: the restaurant was equipped with a proper, waterfront view.
Truth be told: I had never actually bothered to write about my visit last October since the experience had been flat-out depressing. Lighting was practically non-existent - it was all but tiny candles that cast a hideous glare on everything and anything that arrived on the table - and the "harbourfront" view was nothing more than a ground-level display of passerbys and the neighbouring buildings. Service was also found to be lacking on our server's part - did you think we couldn't tell you were rolling your eyes as you snatched the menus away? - and food was, generally speaking, unimpressive.
Having undergone such a subpar dining experience back home, I definitely had my doubts when Miku was suggested as the family lunch destination of choice. But one thing was definitely different: the restaurant was equipped with a proper, waterfront view.
Our reservation was secured for the earliest slot - 11:30 AM. I genuinely didn't think anyone else would have bothered to drag themselves up for early lunch on a Tuesday afternoon, but I was soon proven wrong. The restaurant wasn't in operation yet when we hiked up the flight of approximately thirty stairs; we were asked to take a seat in the waiting area until the clock struck half past eleven. It was at this point that we all took turns in visiting the immaculate, but fatally dim washroom stalls.
In the meantime, crowds of customers of all ages and sizes began to pour into the reception area. Couples, young families, groups of friends, and 9-to-5-ers gradually filed in, some with reservations and some without. It was a startling sight to witness.
In the meantime, crowds of customers of all ages and sizes began to pour into the reception area. Couples, young families, groups of friends, and 9-to-5-ers gradually filed in, some with reservations and some without. It was a startling sight to witness.
Neither of the two hostesses were particularly friendly when they had told us to wait, and that attitude only changed slightly when we were guided to choose a table by the window. The restaurant featured a variety of different dining areas: booths, bar seats, sushi bar seats, and balcony patio tables. For those looking to enjoy an abundance of natural lighting and a clear view of the Vancouver harbour, there was a separate area situated adjacent to the patio.
I suppose I should consider myself lucky, as I happened to seize the first table in the room; it provided the best view of Canada Place and the waterfront.
The decor itself is worth mentioning: intricately-painted fish swirled around the ceiling of the main dining area and along back wall of the smaller section of booths and tables. The latter also featured an intriguing light fixture reminiscent of a family of sea urchins.
Peace and quiet lasted for a total of two minutes. Then, other tables began being seated and creating noise pollution. The spacing of the tables along the window was rather tight, rendering the process of lifting our bodies from the seat and carrying ourselves to a different part of the restaurant quite a strenuous task once others were seated around us.
I suppose I should consider myself lucky, as I happened to seize the first table in the room; it provided the best view of Canada Place and the waterfront.
The decor itself is worth mentioning: intricately-painted fish swirled around the ceiling of the main dining area and along back wall of the smaller section of booths and tables. The latter also featured an intriguing light fixture reminiscent of a family of sea urchins.
Peace and quiet lasted for a total of two minutes. Then, other tables began being seated and creating noise pollution. The spacing of the tables along the window was rather tight, rendering the process of lifting our bodies from the seat and carrying ourselves to a different part of the restaurant quite a strenuous task once others were seated around us.
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We leisurely evaluated the various menu options, with me making great attempts to differentiate the selection from that of Toronto's. Several of the tables surrounding us had already confirmed their orders while we were still choosing, so we caught glimpses of their dishes arriving during the decision process.
Boxed lunch sets were ruled out for the sake of trying their speciality items. An Aburi Sushi Lunch, Aburi Chirashi Tart, Aburi Saba Oshi Sushi, Miku Chopped Salad, and Miku Roll were requested to start.
Boxed lunch sets were ruled out for the sake of trying their speciality items. An Aburi Sushi Lunch, Aburi Chirashi Tart, Aburi Saba Oshi Sushi, Miku Chopped Salad, and Miku Roll were requested to start.
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View the full album HERE !
I also took the liberty of trying out Pimm's Dragon, a cocktail comprised of a few select ingredients that yielded a powerful, fruity punch. Pimm's, oolong tea syrup, and sparkling wine made up the base, while basil citrus foam topped with poppyseeds lended a sweet, rejeuvenating touch to the drink. The notes were undeniably stronger than MeNami, but complimented the mains very well by cutting the starchiness of the rice content. Presentation was another aspect I was vastly attracted to.
The Aburi lunch included a few bowls of their Feature Miso Soup. I didn't end up tasting the soybean-based broth as I was saving space for the other components of our lunch, but had been informed of its decency.
The Aburi lunch included a few bowls of their Feature Miso Soup. I didn't end up tasting the soybean-based broth as I was saving space for the other components of our lunch, but had been informed of its decency.
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With the arrival of each dish was a speedy (but well enunciated) description of each individual item as well as its ingredients and toppings. Two servers were present for the explanations, though only one was fully engaged in speaking; the one who was not engaged respectfully stood a step behind him to observe his speech and actions.
A cheerful, experienced waitress was assigned to our table. While she took no part in the depiction of dishes, she was present at other times to promptly respond to any of our ordering concerns and requests. Other members of staff were assigned to clear plates and gently clean tables once the servings had been devoured. The system was incredibly organize, making for great efficiency despite the high volume of customers. Service was flawless, one could say.
Aburi Saba Oshi Sushi, which in more native terms can be described as (charcoal) blowtorched mackerel pressed sushi, arrived first. Each piece of nigiri was topped with a teaspoon of miso sauce, enhancing both the flavour and texture of the slightly charred mackerel.
The Aburi Sushi Lunch arrived shortly after, featuring torched BC wild sockeye salmon, scallop, and others which I cannot recall the name of. Salmon oshizushi was the first piece to be removed from the ribbed ceramic plate. Its silky smooth, buttery nature made for an indulgent treat only capable to be achieved through skillful blowtorching; the process had released the maximum amount of natural oils possible, and allowed them to gradually seep into the rectangular portion of rice below.
One of the sushi rolls was topped with a wasabi aioli - an element I thoroughly enjoyed and have found to be incredibly difficult to master. The degree of spiciness for this particular roll was just right.
A cheerful, experienced waitress was assigned to our table. While she took no part in the depiction of dishes, she was present at other times to promptly respond to any of our ordering concerns and requests. Other members of staff were assigned to clear plates and gently clean tables once the servings had been devoured. The system was incredibly organize, making for great efficiency despite the high volume of customers. Service was flawless, one could say.
Aburi Saba Oshi Sushi, which in more native terms can be described as (charcoal) blowtorched mackerel pressed sushi, arrived first. Each piece of nigiri was topped with a teaspoon of miso sauce, enhancing both the flavour and texture of the slightly charred mackerel.
The Aburi Sushi Lunch arrived shortly after, featuring torched BC wild sockeye salmon, scallop, and others which I cannot recall the name of. Salmon oshizushi was the first piece to be removed from the ribbed ceramic plate. Its silky smooth, buttery nature made for an indulgent treat only capable to be achieved through skillful blowtorching; the process had released the maximum amount of natural oils possible, and allowed them to gradually seep into the rectangular portion of rice below.
One of the sushi rolls was topped with a wasabi aioli - an element I thoroughly enjoyed and have found to be incredibly difficult to master. The degree of spiciness for this particular roll was just right.
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The Miku Roll adopted a similar appearance to JaBistro's own self-titled sushi roll, almost impossibly so. Comparable characteristics included the heavy use of tobiko along the outer perimeter, cucumber, crab meat salad, charred uni, and some form of fishy species. I personally found the JaBistroll to have a silkier finish and the Miku Roll to contain a greater rice to filling ratio. The difference isn't extravagant, but it is noticeably upon precise examination.
The Aburi Chirashi Tart was stunning to look at: distinctive layers of avocado, spicy tuna, sockeye salmon, and more formed the colourful stack. Arranged on top were cucumber, lemon, tobiko, shrimp, and salmon roe. A drizzle of Miku Sauce lined the surface of the plate. There was no immediately clear method of consuming the dish in a graceful manner, so we simply sliced into the tart as if it was cake. This allowed all layers to be tasted at once, but also resulted in a satiating aftertaste due to the immense portion of rice.
By the time the Miku Chopped Salad arrived, my stomach had reached 80% capacity. Greens were crucial to offset the first few carb-heavy dishes, so I took to munching on a few leaves and a piece of deep fried tempeh. The vegetarian-friendly protein was firm and unexpectedly crunchy. Its addition to the salad was akin to nuts or dried berries, but the texture in an entire league of its own.
The Aburi Chirashi Tart was stunning to look at: distinctive layers of avocado, spicy tuna, sockeye salmon, and more formed the colourful stack. Arranged on top were cucumber, lemon, tobiko, shrimp, and salmon roe. A drizzle of Miku Sauce lined the surface of the plate. There was no immediately clear method of consuming the dish in a graceful manner, so we simply sliced into the tart as if it was cake. This allowed all layers to be tasted at once, but also resulted in a satiating aftertaste due to the immense portion of rice.
By the time the Miku Chopped Salad arrived, my stomach had reached 80% capacity. Greens were crucial to offset the first few carb-heavy dishes, so I took to munching on a few leaves and a piece of deep fried tempeh. The vegetarian-friendly protein was firm and unexpectedly crunchy. Its addition to the salad was akin to nuts or dried berries, but the texture in an entire league of its own.
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Other members of our party opted to add a platter of Sashimi and Tempura Fish and Chips, neither of which I tasted since I had consumed an amount that more than sufficient for my needs. They later informed me that I had greatly missed out since both dishes were absolutely scrumptious.
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When dessert time finally rolled around some two hours later, I wasn't surprised to see that many of the tables around were now occupied with new faces. Unwilling to heed my advice, the table made the unanimous decision of ordering the Green Tea Opera. The layered cake had proved to be utterly disappointing during our visit to Miku's Toronto location: the individual flavours were unable to be distinguished and the presentation was dreary and unappealing.
Quite the drastic contrast, the Green Tea Opera laid before my eyes was one with immense visual appeal and clearly distuinguishable layers of varying textures and aromas. The six levels of smooth green tea butter cream, rich chocolate ganache, crunchy hazelnut wafer, and green tea genoise were satisfying beyond comprehension.
Seemingly the only shared factor between the desserts was their name; the recipe and plating was wholly unalike.
Quite the drastic contrast, the Green Tea Opera laid before my eyes was one with immense visual appeal and clearly distuinguishable layers of varying textures and aromas. The six levels of smooth green tea butter cream, rich chocolate ganache, crunchy hazelnut wafer, and green tea genoise were satisfying beyond comprehension.
Seemingly the only shared factor between the desserts was their name; the recipe and plating was wholly unalike.
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As we made our slow departure, we were thanked by a smiley member of staff that had neared to clear the table as well as our waitress, who had paused her interactions with another table to bid farewell. We descended once again down the flight of steep stairs - where were accessibility ramps when you needed them? - to embark on a brief stroll along the harbour.
My experience at the original West Coast Miku was nothing short of extraordinary. From this single visit, my faith has been restored in Aburi Restaurants as well the overall quality of their delivery. The execution of the Toronto location was poor, so I was especially glad that I had the chance to try out Miku's intended dining environment and selection properly.
My experience at the original West Coast Miku was nothing short of extraordinary. From this single visit, my faith has been restored in Aburi Restaurants as well the overall quality of their delivery. The execution of the Toronto location was poor, so I was especially glad that I had the chance to try out Miku's intended dining environment and selection properly.
After a short period of taking tourist photos, I insisted that we give Bella Gelateria a try since we happened to be in the area anyway. My first experience had been extremely positive, so I could hope that it would remain the same for other members of the party to try.
The lineup was a tad longer than it had been previously, but the total wait time hadn't exceeded ten minutes. We planned to purchase three cones and one cappuccino, but only had three hands available for transporting the items back to the rest of the group.
The lineup was a tad longer than it had been previously, but the total wait time hadn't exceeded ten minutes. We planned to purchase three cones and one cappuccino, but only had three hands available for transporting the items back to the rest of the group.
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The staff was very patient in serving us, and even took turns at stuffing empty cups with paper towels such that the ice cream cones would remain upright for the journey. Despite the growing number of patrons behind us, not a single member displayed feelings of exasperation.
We placed our order of two 2-flavour cones, a single 1-flavour cone, and a Milano cappuccino. It wasn't until we shifted down the aisle that we were informed Strawberry Fields had been sold out. I was dejected, but nothing else could be done. Instead, we opted for Black Sesame/Madagascar Vanilla, Roasted Pecan with Vancouver Island Sea Salt, and Organic Matcha/Stracciatella.
The scoops began melting at an alarming rate as we retraced our steps, which was odd given that the ribbed appearance witnessed before hadn't exhibited such extreme signs of melting before. Halfway back, I noticed that my cone had already began dripping intensely. It took immense determination to speed-eat the remainder of our award-winning gelato before they all dissolved into a puddle of milky stickiness.
We placed our order of two 2-flavour cones, a single 1-flavour cone, and a Milano cappuccino. It wasn't until we shifted down the aisle that we were informed Strawberry Fields had been sold out. I was dejected, but nothing else could be done. Instead, we opted for Black Sesame/Madagascar Vanilla, Roasted Pecan with Vancouver Island Sea Salt, and Organic Matcha/Stracciatella.
The scoops began melting at an alarming rate as we retraced our steps, which was odd given that the ribbed appearance witnessed before hadn't exhibited such extreme signs of melting before. Halfway back, I noticed that my cone had already began dripping intensely. It took immense determination to speed-eat the remainder of our award-winning gelato before they all dissolved into a puddle of milky stickiness.
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We agreed in unison that this would probably be our last time trying to transport gelato across the block. Though, I don't believe the excursion would have resulted in such a messy consumption process had the formula been churned to a higher degree of stability.
And as many may have derived from previous ice cream posts, I detest icy desserts that are incapable of resisting deformation. Bella Gelateria may have won two awards, but if such inconsistency persists in future batches, I don't think I'll be making the trip downtown to visit.
And as many may have derived from previous ice cream posts, I detest icy desserts that are incapable of resisting deformation. Bella Gelateria may have won two awards, but if such inconsistency persists in future batches, I don't think I'll be making the trip downtown to visit.
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