Toyotomi

*Restaurant is now closed*

So you think that after eating a big lunch at No. 1 Shanghai with tonnes of carbs would stop me from eating again? Wrong! How about going to eat Japanese and more carbs! That's exactly what Viv and I did tonight as we decided to try Toyotomi. People keep raving about this place and I really wanted to see for myself what all the fuss was about. For the longest time, I didn't even know that Toyotomi was located near the corner of Hastings and Gilmore in Burnaby. It's not a really big restaurant and the front is quite unassuming. Inside, the place is downright small. You can barely get into the place since the entrance is narrow and there are people either waiting to pay or for a table. Also, you'd better like the people who sit near you, it's almost like they are sitting with you. However, the whole point of Toyotomi is not the comfort of your seat; rather, the quality of the food.

Looking around, there are 2 things that are apparent, the portions are good and the appearance of the food is inviting. Toyotomi has many of the deluxe rolls that are popular these days. These rolls are usually a fusion of flavours and are visually appealing. Moreover, they are larger with more than the standard 6 pieces. We started with the 2 daily specials: the Salmon Tartar and the Tuna Tempura. The tartar was very pleasant to eat, it was lightly flavoured with mayonnaise, lemon and chives. The salmon itself appeared to be the leftover or reject pieces of sashimi. But, that didn't matter, it was very fresh and tasted great. The only thing I would've added was a slice of lemon or lime for more acidity.

The Tuna Tempura was very delicately flavoured with just a splash of tempura sauce. Although the tuna was moist, it would've been better if it was not cooked completely through. We also ordered the Maple Roll, which consisted of spicy tuna on the inside and salmon, sesame, mayo, tobiko, tempura bits, and maple sauce on the outside. The roll on its own without soy/wasabi was a good combination of sweet and spicy. However, if you dipped it in soy sauce, the saltiness brought out more of the sweet maple flavour. In addition, we had the Combo 601, which consists of a BC Roll (4 pcs) and a Spicy Salmon Roll (6 pcs). This combo was huge, with the biggest BC Roll I've ever seen. It was served with warm and crunchy pieces of salmon skin, it was an excellent contrast in texture with the rice. The salmon roll was full of very spicy salmon; however, there was a bit too much rice for my liking.

Lastly, we had the Seafood (large filet of salmon, 2 prawns and 3 slices of fish cake) Ramen. The broth was very light and the ramen was al dente. Viv thought it was a bit too chewy, but I liked it. The salmon was moist and not overcooked; but, the prawns were overcooked. Service is as efficient as it can be with the limited amount of serves for such a busy restaurant. As busy as they are, the servers are pleasant and friendly. As I mentioned in my review of Akira Sushi, I categorized it as a "plan B" type of restaurant. Well, I can positively say that Toyotomi is a "plan A" restaurant. The prices are reasonable, the portions are large and the food quality is generally really good. I heard the table beside me exclaim that they hated Sushi Town. Now that I've tried Toyotomi, I am less enthusiastic about Sushi Town as well.

The Good:
- Good prices
- Generous portions
- Food tastes good

The Bad:
- Cramped quarters
- Friendly, but hurried service

Toyotomi Japanese
4121 Hastings Street
Burnaby, B.C.
604-676-1506

Business Hours:
11:30am - 10:00pm (Mon - Sun)