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Editorial Review

Reviewed in June/July '07 issue of Ciao!

Asahi may not have the same hip factor as other Japanese joints in the city, but its Broadway locale makes it the prime destination for lunching 9-5ers, office execs and convention delegates. It’s also a popular drop-in spot for downtown dwellers who trickle in during the evening and weekend.

The 70-seat dining room is minimally decorated with simple paper lanterns and wall hangings, but high-back chairs with Victorian-style upholstery add a classy, comfortable element. The room caters especially well to solo diners who can discreetly take a seat at the window counter—the perfect spot to survey the bustle of Broadway during the weekday—or at the sushi bar in front of a colourful selection of seafood. A private room with traditional tatami seating is an available option for groups. The multi-page menu is promising, but some of the items are seasonal and therefore are not always available, such as the signature raw oysters. Favourite izakaya snacks are always on hand and ordering these small plates makes for a social tasting straight from the alleys of Toyko. Gigantic cubes of agedashi tofu are noteworthy, along with a towering bouquet of tempura vegetables. Chicken yakitori, small grilled chicken skewers, are a typical tasty treat. Complement it with the more adventurous maguro tataki or goma maguro. These are two silky tuna dishes, the latter mixed with buttery chunks of avocado and tossed in a light sesame dressing.

Two signature sushi rolls stand out from the lengthy list: the scorpion and explosion roll. The former is filled with salmon, avocado and tempura flakes and topped with tuna, a special teriyaki-blend sauce and chile flakes. Despite the layering of flavours, the taste is pleasingly subtle. The bright orange explosion roll looks just like that, with a simple crab and avocado roll smothered in a lava-like creamy seafood sauce. Sprinkled tempura adds a crunch, fish roe adds a pop and the chile flakes add a kick, making this roll a mountain of bold textures and flavours.

For diners on a time limit, udon noodle bowls are a quick and filling option. With nabeyaki udon, a steaming clay bowl arrives loaded to the lip with plump noodles, tempura shrimp, chicken, shiitake mushrooms, spinach and egg. It’s a complete meal in a bowl, with each dip of the spoon scooping up a surprise. The complete dinner is a multi-course meal ideally suited for two people to share. It starts with tiny nuggets of tempura salmon cheeks and is followed by a bowl of traditional miso soup with sunomono salad. The dinner arrives in a bento box, making for an organized, yet artistic, presentation. Colours pop from each compartment—neon pinks and whites of gleaming sashimi, a pile of green edamame and a stack of translucent tempura vegetables. Barbeque mackerel, the main entrée in the box, is grilled to crispy perfection.

Asahi offers an exotic line-up of ice cream with flavours like red bean, ginger, mango, green tea and coconut. The red bean option is very traditional and its uniquely sweet flavour rounds out the dining experience.

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