One of the many Japanese restaurants that litter the streets of Old Montreal, Tokyo Sushibar, is a sit-in restaurant with exquisite décor that rings a familiar bell with the far East. The nicely lit restaurant smells like spicy sandalwood and Mirin.

The restaurant is situated in an old stone building, with large glass windows that overlook busy St. Paul’s cobbled street, bustling with locals and tourists alike.

The welcoming sights and smells forged an impeccable, but fleeting, impression because the waiters were disorganized and unfriendly on our recent visit.

Without a smile, we were seated at a table much earlier than the standard supper time and, handed their dinner menu and wine list, I began scrounging its content. I was very pleased with their selection of sushi and Japanese fare - everything from Nigiri to Sashimi to the humble, yet delicious, Oyakodon were represented.

Since Tokyo Sushibar is known for their exceptionally good sushi, this became the selection for our meal.

I have dined in many Japanese restaurants, only to find disappointing sushi, which is the most basic of Japanese cuisine. The secret is always in the rice. Sushi masters take 10 years of training to perfect their rice cooking skills before they are allowed to advance to making sushi. Sushi rice must not be too soggy or mushy, it must be glutinous enough to hold its shape - showcasing every grain of glistening rice with a well balanced flavor of sweet, salty and sour. Perfect sushi rice makes for a perfect sushi, everything else is secondary.

Imagine my pleasure when I bit into my Three Jewel Seafood (shrimp, sea urchin and scallops) roll and found it to be perfect sushi - excellent rice and fresh seafood all rolled into one. Frankly, it was quite a surprise to find the quality of their sushi rice exceed my expectations. I was ready to devour under par, but edible, sushi rice based on their lack of quality service and management style. I only have myself to blame for such quick judgment.

There is nothing more comforting than the crunch of nori seaweed, the bouncy texture of sticky rice, and the sweetness of fresh seafood all together. For this beautiful morsel of food on my chopstick, I forgave their lack of friendliness in service.

After consuming a small piece of heaven, it was not long before the cravings for something sweet swelled within me. I beckoned a bored-looking waiter shifting around the bar area to bring me the dessert menu and, without much contemplation, I ordered their green tea ice cream as the perfect ending for my perfect sushi meal. Green tea ice cream has an unexpected bittersweet flavor that no bittersweet chocolate can emulate.

I enjoyed every bite here, but I would have enjoyed it more had their service been more pleasant. Tokyo Sushibar is an unpolished gem tucked in-between English pubs and high-scale French restaurants in Old Montreal: unexpectedly surprising and full of potential.

Tokyo Sushibar
185, rue St-Paul West
Montréal, Québec, Canada
Tel: (514) 844-6695

-Reviewed by Elaine Lim (eelin.lim@gmail.com)

Elaine Lim is a gastronomic enthusiast who lives to savor the pleasures of the palate and life. She is a freelance copywriter and food writer. She spends her free time on all things food: cooking, eating and writing recipes. She loves cooking for her loved ones and feeding her friends with great food.