Yujiro, Grand Sushi

Japanese restaurants are a growing fad in most major cities with literally hundreds popping up on every corner. Riding the fad of "sushi", it seems that almost everyone has a rendition or take on Japanese food and are not afraid to show it. Winnipeg is similar in this respect with one large exception. Whereas most places lack any quality, Winnipeg is blessed by a wealth of truly authentic spots, and the best of them all is Yujiro. And so when a fellow resident was keen on having Japanese cuisine for lunch, I had no choice but to take them to Yujiro.

Marking my third visit to Yujiro, my previous blog posts go into more detail about the decor and the menu. Needless to say, the restaurant is classy and elegant, adaptable for small and large parties alike, and suitable for both quick meals and larger course dining options. Chef Lam has won numerous accolades for his restaurant and Yujiro has won numerous awards from diners and food industry alike. As always, Chef Lam has a main menu housing the usual sushi, sashimi, rolls and noodle dishes one would always expect. On this day though, Yujiro was featuring a special ramen menu. Perfect for the cold and chilly customer wanting a soothing bowl of soup. They were offering four soups: a Hakata (Tonkotsu) broth, a miso broth,  a seafood broth, and a spicy miso variant.

Sashimi is one of the best ways to tell the quality and freshness of a Japanese restaurant. Yujiro's Assorted Sashimi definitely does not disappoint. The beautifully presented plate of sashimi includes salmon, tuna, snapper, scallop, and octopus. My favourite is the salmon: thick pieces of fresh, rich, melt-in-your-mouth. Chewy octopus, soft scallop and fatty tuna are not far behind and the ensemble make it the freshest sashimi that I've had in Winnipeg which, I daresay, might even rival that of Vancouver.

A visit to a sushi restaurant is not complete without trying their rolls. On this particular day we decided on the Rainbow Roll. This is a play on one of the most basic rolls: a California roll topped with sashimi and avocado. This twist makes it not only a visually colourful presentation, but also adds levels of texture and flavour to the roll. Again the freshness of the salmon and tuna makes this dish fly, and with each bite a wonderful mix of creamy avocado, fresh fish and tasty California roll. Marvellous!

Wanting to ensure that we tried all of the various seafood that Yujiro has to offer, we opted for the Chopped Hokki Roll. Unfortunately, the few small pieces of surf clam were overpowered by the buttery avocado and mayonnaise combination. And while the crunchy fish roe add colour and a burst of flavour, the entire dish fell short of showcasing the main attraction, the surf clam.

As mentioned above, the ramen was on special over the winter months at Yujiro. Featuring a number of different options including the popular miso and shoyu broths, we decided to go with the Hakata Ramen. Perfect on a cold winter day, the pork bone broth was vibrant and had numerous depths of flavour. Encased in this were rice noodles, more chewy and starchy than the usual ramen noodles, two slices of roasted pork belly, and a handful of seaweed and salty pickled ginger. The star of course is the delectable soup which soaked into every bite of this delicious ramen.

Additions to the ramen include a Chicken Karaage. The tender morsels of chicken are expertly deep fried in a crunchy light batter. The chicken was intentionally bland to compliment the strong flavours found in the soup and so by itself it feels under seasoned. Nevertheless the wedge of lemon provided a much needed sour element to the karaage.

Yujiro remains my favourite sushi restaurant in Winnipeg. By combining quality fresh ingredients with authentic Japanese flavours and techniques, Chef Lam brings an elegant taste of Japan to the Prairies. All of this amounts to one of the best restaurants in town.