Introducing: Yunaghi, the Japanese tasting restaurant that replaced Ici Bistro on Harbord
(Image: Renée Suen)
Name: Yunaghi, Gastronomie Japonaise
Contact Info: 538 Manning Ave., 416-588-7862, faceboook.com, @yunaghi_toronto
Previously: Ici Bistro
Neighbourhood: Little Italy
Owners: Yurika (who used to work at Ryoji), and Yasuko Miyata
Chefs: Executive chef Tetsuya Shimizu (formerly the sous chef at Yours Truly and chef-consultant for Ryoji’s recently overhauled menu) and sous chef Koichi Fujioka (Hapa Izakaya in Vancouver)
The Food: Shimizu studied traditional kaiseki —the highest form of Japanese cuisine—for 12 years in Japan before moving to North America. At Yunaghi, he uses French techniques to create modern Japanese food that you won’t find at a ramen shop, izakaya or all-you-can-eat sushi joint. Expect a refined tasting menu ($68 for seven courses; $80 for nine) comprised of dainty, complex dishes like black sesame tofu with wasabi and brown butter powder, or white asparagus dressed with almond glass chips and a paste made of tofu and Grana Padano cheese. For those who’d rather not commit to multiple courses, à la carte options are available on request.
The Drinks: Chef Shimizu used to be a bartender, so he knows his booze. His drinks are designed to be sipped with dinner (read: more savoury than sweet). A Caesar comes spiked with fermented chilies, black sesame and a Japanese seasoning blend called yuzukosho . Sakes, wines and beers round out the drinks list.
The Place: The former Ici Bistro space has been given a subtle makeover, with soft gray walls and a few pops of purple. The elevated open kitchen lets diners watch their meals being prepped.
288272 <strong>Yunaghi</strong> is located right on the corner of Harbord Street and Manning Avenue, in the old <strong>Ici Bistro</strong> space. (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: Yunaghi https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-01-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-01/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-01 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
288271 Yunaghi is Japanese for “calm evening.” (The logo is a setting sun.) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-02-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-02/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-02 0 0
288270 The former Ici Bistro space has been repainted and refurnished in shades of black, white and gray. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-03-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-03/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-03 0 0
288269 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-04-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-04/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-04 0 0
288268 An elevated open kitchen allows diners to watch the chefs at work. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-05-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-05/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-05 0 0
288253 Tables are decorated with personalized origami place cards. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-20-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-20.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-20.jpg 987 658 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-20/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-20 0 0
288267 The Yunaghi Caesar blends Clamato and vodka with <em>yuzukosho</em> spice, fermented chili, pickled cucumber, lemon peel, black sesame and salt ($13) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-06-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-06/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-06 0 0
288266 A hot dashi tea is poured tableside over hamachi (yellowtail) sashimi that’s dressed with sesame sauce, <em>masago arare</em> (tiny rice cracker balls) and chives. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-07-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-07/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-07 0 0
288265 In traditional <em>kaiseki</em> dinners, the second course (referred to as <em>hassun</em>) sets the seasonal theme of the meal. The collection of small appetizers here includes shrimp jelly; saba (mackerel) sashimi with wasabi and sour cream; octopus with Dijon kimizu (a sour sauce); mustard-cured cucumber; black sesame tofu with wasabi and brown butter powder; slow-cooked quail egg topped with chive salsa verde; and okra nigiri. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-08-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-08/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-08 0 0
288264 A duck confit dumpling is served in a clear broth with chives, salted celtuce (a type of lettuce), chilli ume (plum) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-09-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-09/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-09 0 0
288263 White asparagus spears are topped with miso-cured green asparagus, bacon powder and glassy almond chips. They sit on a savoury paste made from tofu and Grana Padano cheese. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-10-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-10/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-10 0 0
288277 Two types of squid-ink <em>chawanmushi</em> (steamed custard). The one on the left is served cold with puréed sweet corn, salted celtuce, spinach and fermented chili. The one on the right is served warm with <em>ikura</em> (salmon roe). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-extra-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-extra.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-extra.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-extra/ yunaghi-extra 0 0
288259 Grilled sake-marinated grouper with pickled lotus root, garlic scape emulsion, whey-simmered shallots and wasabi sour cream https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-14-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-14/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-14 0 0
288258 Marinated duck with soy beurre monté (a melted butter sauce), confit leeks, lychee and coconut milk gel, pickled beets and brown butter powder https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-15-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-15.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-15/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-15 0 0
288257 Japanese sticky rice with marinated <em>shimeji</em> (honey mushrooms), wasabi cured celery and chili ume (plum) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-16-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-16.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-16/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-16 0 0
288256 Yuzu-miso cream with feuilletine flakes and cocoa powder https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-17-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-17.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-17.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-17/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-17 0 0
288254 To finish: chocolate soy milk mousse, orange gelée and confit orange with fermented chili. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-19-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-19.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-19.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/yunaghi-toronto-restaurants/slide/yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-19/ yunaghi-toronto-restaurant-19 0 0
I don’t think I want to eat “almond glass chips”. Might have to go to the ER after.
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