Montreal Sushi Crisis Part I

For my inaugural blog post, I have decided to address a cause that’s dear to my heart – and stomach: the Montreal Sushi Crisis. The problem is as follows: our gourmet city is severely lacking in sushi that is both high in quality and affordable. This befuddles me, as there is no shortage of excellent chefs and fresh seafood in town. Anyone heard of La Mer Fish Market? The optimist in me wants to believe such a calamity can in fact be averted, and would like to affix a “pending” in front of “Montreal”, but recent experiences have been ominous.

Before I outline evidence to support my crisis theory, I would like to point out that Montreal has been blessed with at least one (to my knowledge) phenomenal Japanese/sushi restaurant. Situated on swanky Laurier St., Jun I’s selection of sushi, sashimi, appetizers and mains is as good – if not better – than some of New York’s finest establishments like Nobu, Sushi of Gari and Sushi Yasuda. The sashimi for two appetizer featuring five varieties of raw fish (including organic salmon!), each accompanied by a complimentary sauce, is edible gold thanks to the freshness of the fish and the flavour intense sauces. And it’s a crime to go without trying the Funny Maki roll. I don’t know if it’s the special sauce atop the roll, the fact it’s served warm, the combination of fried red tuna, green onion, avocado, white fish, and spicy salmon, or all the above (likely) – but the sensation is best described as a party in your mouth. Plus, the service is flawless and the ambiance casual with a drop of up-scale, making it the perfect destination for a date, Saturday night, or a birthday celebration. I write this partly because Jun I doesn’t exactly fall into the affordable category. Therefore, while it’s amazing, it does little to solve the dilemma at hand. To illustrate, five pieces of soft shell crab maki will set you back $14, while at Mikado up the street, it’s $8.60 for four pieces. 

The one and only Funny Maki roll at Jun I

Speaking of Mikado, I used to be a fan of their Monkland and Laurier locations (I have yet to try their St. Denis outlet), but the last two times I’ve eaten at both were major disappointments. If the raw fish in a maki roll lacks that ineffable fresh taste, then no amount of “exotic” fruits, tempura flakes, or sauce can salvage it, and the same goes without saying for sushi/sashimi. What’s more, Mikado falls on the pricier side of the affordability scale, meaning there is no excuse for lackluster fish.

Sho-dan on Metcalfe is in a similar price bracket as Mikado, and while I haven’t been in over a year (things change quickly in the restaurant world), I don’t remember being particularly impressed with the fare, nor the bill at the end. Once again, the optimist in me wants to give Shodan another shot, while the pessimist says to shell out the extra $10-15 and splurge on Jun I. Given the current state of affairs, the optimist may win this one.

All that being said, the greatest indicator that we are indeed in a crisis of epic proportions has been the decline of my go-to casual sushi restaurant Bishoku. The magic of Bishoku always lay in its affordable prices and homey atmosphere; the waitresses remembered your order, the chefs would cater to your whims (I want avocado in my spicy salmon roll and no tempura in the kamikaze kind of thing), and you could sit back, relax, and be out the door in time for the puck to drop at the neighboring Bell Centre. Of course the sushi was always tiptop and the apps and mains delicious, albeit uninventive. Bishoku’s lunch specials are also a force to be reckoned with – for $15 (taxes and tip included) you can get 12 pieces of maki, 1 hand-roll, soup, salad and dessert. While the specials still exist, a change in ownership and sushi chef has led to slow, unprofessional service, and the food, while still good, has been slightly off. The miso soup was simply too salty, and the rolls a little too mushy. I have been a regular at Bishoku since 2003, but my two experiences there this past July left me with a bad taste in my mouth (no pun intended).

Bishoku lunch special (Maki Combo B)

Yet more proof these times are beleaguered, was a recent visit to Tokyo Sushi Bar in Old Montreal. Never mind that every roll seemed to have showered in tempura flakes, what passed for raw fish (could’ve been a stale jelly bean) surely predated Montreal’s sushi craze – in the ‘90’s.  

More a take-out place than a restaurant, don’t get me started on the travesty that is the Sushi Shop chain. Suffice to say it took nearly breaking a tooth on an avocado for me to never step foot in there again. Oh, and how come every roll tastes so sweet?

The good news (it does exist!) is after being closed for renovations, 5 Saisons Sushi has reopened. A BYOW, I wrote this place up for Val’s Bites almost two years ago, and every time I’ve been back since, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the bang for buck ratio. Also, my parents’ buddies at La Mer Fish Market, have been touting the virtues of Bistro Isakaya, a no frills Japanese spot on Parc Ave. The chef/owner is from Japan, and they know first-hand that he only buys the best stuff. It’s on my to-try list, along with Ginger, Sushi Yu Mi, Oishi Sushi and Kaizen (might be too $$). Somewhat apprehensive, I’ve heard good things about all the aforementioned restos from foodies I trust. Apparently Ginger is quite the “scene”, a.k.a. I have to do my hair before going. I’ll also return to Bishoku (fingers crossed), 5 Saisons and Shodan. I suppose I’m more of an optimist than anticipated. Before Montreal Sushi Crisis Part II is posted, I suggest you start saving and treat yourself, or someone you really like with a meal at Jun I. And don't forget to comment and suggest places for me to try! 

Red Line roll at 5 Saisons with red tuna, mango, tobiko, fried onion and crab stick in soya bean leaf.