Isakaya

[ademello]

Has anyone been? It's yet another alleged contended for 'Best Sushi Restaurant in Montreal.' I'd be curious to read/hear about it if anyone has been yet.

[gnatharobed]

This restaurant is far from new. It opened in the late 90's. I haven't been in years but from what I remember it was fresh and delicious.

[carswell]

gnatharobed's right. It's been around for a while. Also, it doesn't look like it's been redecorated since it opened.

Word on the street notwithstanding, you're better off thinking of it not as a sushi joint but as a Japanese family restaurant. In other words, the sushi are OK if ho-hum but where the restaurant shines is in the home-style cooked dishes, many of which will be found not on the menu per se but on a photocopied insert of daily specials. Also, they put together a nice bento box for lunch. Service is friendly, prices are low and a lot of the customers are Japanese (always a good sign, what?).

edit: spelling of gnatharobed's name (whatever does it mean? deborah tang's mirror image?)

Edited July 8, 2004 by carswell (log)

[ademello]

Hmmm... not new? Maybe new management or a new chef? I was tipped off by a friend of mine who is a fairly big sushi nut. Anyway, I'll be checking it out this weekend and will let you guys know how it fares.

[skunkbunny]

Is this the place south of Prince Arthur on the east side?

If so: Ageh dashi tofu is really good

[thomasein]

Perhaps the confusion is because the restaurant while being around for five years or so did have a major renovation last year. The decor is still somewhat plain, but the size of the restaurant has doubled.

While the sushi is good, it is certainly not the best in Montreal - that the prices are modest probably helped boost its ratings. Nonetheless, some of the appetizers are definitely very good. Many are a fusion of Japanese and French styles which ironically is very authentic as that style is very much in vogue. In fact, the whole dining experience is very close to what one would find in Japan where it is very rare to have a whole dinner composed solely of sushi.

Speaking of sushi restaurants - it seems that the curse of the locale has struck again as Yoshi on St. Laurent has ignominiously closed. And what has announced that it is opening across the street at another cursed locale? Why a sushi restaurant - that will be called Sino, I think.

[riboflavinjoe]

yeah, the tokyo fusion (whatever that means) place across the street from the now defunct and ultra short lived yoshi, already looks like its doomed. their sad tarpaulin of an opening soon sign was hanging by a pathetic thread when i walked by this morning. they might fare better if they opened up in that hole between the new club soda and the porn shop... its saddening to see these places open and close so quickly...

[baophac]

After living 8 years in Silicon Valley and enjoying all types of Japanese cuisine, it was good for me to try out Isakaya. I prefer traditional dishes to the sushi fare and this place has more of my favorites than most restaurants. It is quickly replacing the more expensive Katsura as my regular hang out. When I have visitors from out of town, we go to Ginger for the rolls.

I'm still looking for a restaurant that serves traditional apetizers like ponzu fried fish and chicken kara age.

[carswell]

Hmmm... not new? Maybe new management or a new chef? I was tipped off by a friend of mine who is a fairly big sushi nut. Anyway, I'll be checking it out this weekend and will let you guys know how it fares.

Et puis ?