I had recently enjoyed an Omakase dinner at Rin Sushi in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada.
The reservation was pretty easy and when I called Rin Sushi to check why my preferred time, 7 pm, was never available they explained to me that they reserve the Omakase guests in four groups and need to have ample time between the groups.
The day before the dinner, they called me to confirm whether it was a special occasion dinner and whether there were any dietary restrictions.
Check the video of my Omakase Dinner at Rin Sushi
Omakase Dinner at Rin Sushi
When I walked in, a young gentleman checked my vaccine passport and then took me to the seat by the counter. Near me on the counter was a wooden box with a bottle of sanitizer and some cute, colourful small rectangular boxes. Upon further inspection, I found out that they are charging pods. Very neat. They also had bigger, wooden boxes to keep handbags etc., which, like in Japan, were pushed underneath the seats.
And they have pouches to put face masks.
Sake
I ordered a small bottle of Junmai-style Zaku - ho no tomo - sake. I have read that it is produced in Mie Prefecture in central Japan and uses mostly locally used rice. It had a smooth taste and texture which I usually like, particularly since I was driving and could have only a little.
1st Course - Tamago Tofu with Foie Gras
It was served on a broth. The tamago was soft and the right texture. It was the first time I had bonito flakes as a larger piece, and not the usual small "flake" size. Foie Gras was fresh. The broth was mellow.
2nd Course - Otsukuri
This is the chef's selection of sashimi. There were four pieces of fresh fish, from white fish, to shrimps and grilled tuna. Needless to say, the fish was fresh and delicate.
3rd Course - Hassun Seasonal platter
There were seven items here, starting with chilled spinach in cucumber skin with black sesame seed sauce, to a small, deep-fried crab in a sauce.
4th Course - A5 Wagyu Sukuyaki
This was a mini broth-soup dish.
The wagyu beef in this dish comes from Furano in Hokkaido, in northern Japan.
It came with koya tofu, shirataki noodles and a soft-boiled egg (which came in a separate ramekin).
Koya tofu has an interesting history. Accidentally "discovered" in Mt Kyoto region many centuries ago, it is frozen and then rehydrated and it exudes a different texture and taste when rehydrated.
The shirataki noodle is a long, translucent noodle made from the root of konjac. It is highly nutritious and low in fat and calories.
The dish came in its own broth and I mixed it with the soft boiled egg.
5th Course - Sushi
Chef's choice of eight pieces of sushi.
One by one, the chef, sometimes deeply engrossed in the finer art of crafting the sushi pieces, delivered them. All were served pressed in special, brown rice mounds.
- Kinmedai (golden eye snapper)
- Bluefin tuna toro
- Kanpachi (amberjack or allied kingfish)
- Sawara (Japanese Spanish mackerel)
- Shako (Mantis shrimp)
- Shima aji (striped jack)
- Sime saba (cured mackerel fillet)
- Toro and caviar
The seafood broth came with abalone, matsutake (pine) mushrooms and vegetables, and to make it easier for us, it was served in a container that looked more like a teacup than the traditional dobin tea pot.
7th Course - Toro Uni Handroll
It was handcrafted in our presence with a generous amount of uni and toro, all wrapped in seaweed.
8th Course - Truffle Kamameshi and Kasujiru
The "kettle rice" came packed in a small container with truffle and infused with truffle oil.
Kasujiru - a soup for the winter - was warm and mellow.
9th Course - Dessert - Mizumono
It was homemade ice cream and chocolate - a clean way to end such a delicious and delicate dinner.
Final Thoughts on Omakase at Rin Sushi
The chef and his assistant chef (?) delivered the delicate dishes one after another and the staff was very attentive and professional. They ensured I had a good time.
