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A dessert at this new omakase restaurant went viral before it was even open

Get a load of Sushi Kiwami’s Japanese crown melon cake

By Renée Suen| Photography by Nicole and Bagol

| June 9, 2025

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The viral Japanese musk melon cake at Sushi Kiwami

Name: Sushi Kiwami Contact: 599 Yonge St., 647-891-7668, sushikiwami.ca, @sushikiwami_toronto
Neighborhood: Church-Wellesley Owners: Barry Chen (Sushi Kiwami in Richmond, BC) and Jenny Guo Executive chef: Yuta Arase (Sushi Kiwami in Richmond, BC) Accessibility: Fully accessible

Toronto’s latest omakase restaurant, a BC import, was making waves on social media even before it officially opened, all thanks to a very unique cake. The restaurant’s melon cake layers fruit, cream and sponge cake inside a pricey Japanese crown melon. It arrives unassumingly whole at the table, then it’s sliced into wedges, revealing the dessert within.

“Maybe it’s just good marketing or perfect timing,” says executive chef Yuta Arase, who is still amazed by the attention the cake is getting.

A closeup of sushi chef Yuta Arase's face

The Food

Sushi Kiwami’s premium omakase experience ($299 per person) remains true to tradition, with a seasonally driven menu made using the finest ingredients from Japan, including fish flown in directly from auction in Shimane,where Arase is from, and high-quality local products like spot prawns.

A chef hands a piece of sushi to a customer, who takes a photo using their phone — Each item in Sushi Kiwami’s 10-piece sushi course is hand-crafted and hand-delivered by Arase himself. Here, ika (squid) is topped with uni

A meticulously prepared meal here starts with a warm course (soup or silky chawanmushi), which is followed by a volley of precisely cut sashimi and an artfully prepared platter of delicate appetizers accompanied by house gari (pickled ginger), lily bulbs (they mellow out the ginger’s bite) and an array of jewel-like tsukemono (Japanese pickles).

Mains include a selection of grilled courses and a show-stopping display of Edomae-style sushi served on rice seasoned with a proprietary blend of red vinegars from the Kyoto prefecture. The meal concludes with miso soup and a slice of that much-hyped melon cake.

Fresh wasabi root imported from Japan is grated to order on shark skin

A tray of flowering shiso branches — Arase instructs guests to pluck the flowers from the shiso branch and add them to their soy sauce for a floral aroma. The soy sauce itself is made from a proprietary blend that includes mirin and sake

The kichiji soup features the catch of the day, grilled and bathing in an aromatic bonito broth, along with bamboo shoots, a fried sakura flower, shredded scallions and a sansho leaf — The kichiji soup features the catch of the day, grilled and bathing in an aromatic bonito broth along with bamboo shoots, a fried sakura flower, shredded scallions and a sansho leaf

Three cuts of tuna — Tuna three ways: chutoro (medium-fat tuna belly), otoro (full-fat tuna belly) and akami (lean tuna) that have been dry-aged for 10 to 14 days

A chef uses chopsticks to place a lobe of sea urchin on a plate — Here, Arase plates some fresh sea urchin flown in from Japan

The Sashimi course might start with delicacies like fresh uni from Japan with flounder, served two ways — The sashimi course might start with delicacies like fresh uni from Japan with flounder served two ways: a filet and a cut from the wing, which allows diners to explore the different textures of the same fish

The appetizer platter at Sushi Kiwami — The appetizer platter changes daily depending on what’s in season. During our visit, it was marinated salmon roe (left), tsukemono with clam skirt, seasonal delicacies like firefly squid (centre), cod roe (in the crystal stemware) and spot prawns topped with caviar (in the big spoon).

Salmon roe in hollowed-out citrus fruit — Here’s a closer look at the salmon roe

Spot prawns topped with caviar — BC spot prawns are also showcased on the seasonal appetizer platter. Sweet and succulent, they’re topped with caviar

Arase holds up skewers of grilled freshwater eel

Grilled eel — Prized for its rich and firm texture, unagi (freshwater eel) is grilled until it’s crispy outside, tender inside. During warmer months, this dish will be replaced by sweet and delicate anago (saltwater conger eel)

Grilled tilefish — The second grilled course might feature amadai (tilefish). On the side: pristinely prepared garnishes including a fresh fiddlehead fern and a sakura blossom–shaped slice of carrot

Fresh Akagai (ark-shell clam) — Other sushi offerings might include fresh akagai (ark-shell clam)

A sushi chef makes chirashi — The sushi course wraps up with a chirashi made by topping a small amount of sushi rice with minced o-toro, marinated ikura and Bafun uni (a smaller, richer, creamier and sweeter species)

Delicate oboro kombu (thinly shaved kelp) is wrapped around lobes of uni and finished with a soy glaze

Miso soup — Some miso soup to finish the main meal before dessert

Chef Arase plates Sushi Kiwami's now-viral melon cake — Chef Arase plates the restaurant’s now-viral melon cake

The Drinks

Once the restaurant’s liquor licence arrives, guests can expect a list of premium sake peppered with local wine and beer. Here, sake is chilled to the appropriate temperature and served in elegant hand-cut crystal glasses.

A sushi chef holds a bottle of Dassai sake — Premium sakes span a variety of labels including Dassai

Sake is poured from a glass pot into a crystal cup — Guests can choose from a selection of stunning hand-cut crystal sake glasses to use during their meal

The Space

Located on the ground floor of the Gloucester building, Sushi Kiwami’s tranquil oasis is accessed via a discreet entrance off Yonge. The intimate, minimalist space is clad in pale Japanese Hinoki wood and divided into two dining rooms: the main one, which seats nine, and a private dining room that accommodates up to seven guests. A glance up reveals an intricate hand-carved wood ceiling framed by sakura wood and bamboo. Beyond the sushi counter, guests will find a striking custom-built himuro, a non-refrigerated version of a traditional Japanese icebox, with wood and chrome latches. The case stores the fish selected by executive chef Arase, allowing them to rest until they reach the ideal serving temperature.

The private dining room at Sushi Kiwami in downtown Toronto

The private dining room at Sushi Kiwami in Toronto

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