Okeya Kyujiro is Yorkville's spot for a memorable and intimate omakase dining experience.

The menu at the award-winning restaurant isn't cheap. In fact, it's a whopping $350 per person but for that hefty price tag you're going to get an unforgettable experience including 20-25 courses and a traditional tea ceremony. 

From the moment you walk in, it feels as though you are somewhere else entirely. The exterior is completely unassuming, but once inside the dark, cave-like waiting room, tranquility washes over you with soft music and the gentle trickling of water flowing from a fountain.

Behind a curtain is the dining area. It features beautiful warm lights reminiscent of lanterns, bamboo textured ceilings, and 10 seats that wrap around the sushi bar.

Just as you settle in, the lights start to dim, and a bell chimes, signalling that the show and meal are about to begin.

Omakase means the meal is entirely in the hands of the chef. At Okeya Kyujiro, they pride themselves on only using seasonal ingredients directly sourced from Japan. The menu is built around these exceptional, high-quality ingredients and prepared according to the chef’s wishes.

I deeply admire this style of cooking for the profound respect it shows towards the food. For adventurous eaters, it offers a one-of-a-kind experience worth trying at least once.

The meal started light with watershield, an aquatic herb dressed in tosa vinegar, which softly bursts in your mouth. 

This was followed by a dish highlighting the Beni Snow Crab from Hokkaido. The crab was sweet and delicate, complemented by a hint of spice from the fresh wasabi. 

The crab made a second appearance, wrapped around a band of seaweed.

The next course was a Bonito fish smoked in hay with a bright green onion, ginger and garlic paste on top. 

The Chilled Corn Soup with dried Mullet Roe packed so much flavour into a small bowl. It was silky smooth and perfectly sweet.

One of my favourites was the Bluefin Tuna. The marinated fish was delicately presented atop hand-rolled sushi rice. It was fatty and rich with a kick from the added Karashi, a type of Japanese mustard. 

We also got to try Ootoro, the fattiest and most flavourful part of the tuna. When the chef presented us with the belly of the Bluefin, you could see the striped layers of rich fat.

The tuna has the melt-in-your-mouth texture of butter and is packed full of umami.  

For many of the respective courses, the chefs took the time to explain and showcase the ingredients before they prepared them, making the dinner even more special. 

There was the Golden Eye Snapper from Chiba, lightly torched and garnished with shredded daikon and freshly grated yuzu zest. Tender Striped Jack from Ehime with soy sauce and wasabi. Tasty Gizzard Shad from Kumamoto.

A standout course was the Uni from Hokkaido. The brightly coloured sea urchin is sweet and decadent, with a refreshingly briny taste.

One preparation featured seaweed, while the other showcased a seaweed jam.

There were also several tempura courses. The Swordfish Tempura was crispy and light with a sweet plum sauce drizzled on top. The fish had a wonderfully creamy mouthfeel.

The Lobster Tempura was perfectly cooked and served hot, garnished with a squeeze of Japanese lime juice.

As we transitioned closer to the middle of the meal, the courses varied between heavy and light. 

There was more Snow Crab, deep fried with miso paste and accompanied by tofu and a small baby eggplant in a sweet and sour sauce.

Next, a marinated Spanish Mackerel from Hyogo, beautifully plated with a fava bean, spicy ginger root, and a dusting of salt. 

Followed by a cold scallop with winter melon, micro tomato, and dashi jelly. 

Something that surprised me was the grilled Freshwater Eel glazed in sesame. It had a delicious smoky, nutty flavour and was tender with crispy skin. 

To help cleanse the palate, we had crunchy cucumber with miso and black bean.

The pressed seared Mackerel with miso paste and dandelion leaves had an inherently meaty taste.

And of course, I can't forget the luxurious A5 grade Miyazaki Wagyu smoked in cherry blossom chips and garnished with black salt and dijon. It's one of the most tender and succulent bites of meat you could ever try. 

The final savoury meals included Miso Soup, Fish Rice, Seafood Ramen, and the best Tamagoyaki. 

The Miso Soup was made by extracting the flavour from smoked shrimp shells. It was wonderfully rich and robust. 

The carefully prepared Black Throat Fish Rice had minced Bluefin Tuna, Salmon Roe, a layer of seaweed, smoked Bonito, and wasabi.

Having never tried smoked Bonito until this moment, it's a true delicacy. Before it can be thinly shaved, the fish is dry-aged for over six months. 

The Seafood Ramen also featured smoked Bonito, along with gold flakes and a fan-shaped kelp. While the gold didn't necessarily contribute to the flavour or texture, it made for the most beautiful bowl of ramen I've ever eaten.

The noodles were perfectly chewy, and the broth was comforting and delicious.

Tamagoyaki is a fluffy Japanese steamed and baked omelette with a distinct slightly sweet flavour. Served warm, it was also one of my favourite bites of the evening.

While eating, one of the chefs skilfully cut some bamboo leaves. In the blink of an eye, he transformed the rectangular sheet into Mount Fuji.

For dessert, we had the most beautiful plate. The playfully presented Japanese ice cream sandwich with yuzu jam and vanilla ice cream reminded me of an oyster with a pearl inside.

Beside it, a sweet and savoury bean paste mochi.

The Japanese mango was perfectly ripe, and the Crown Melon, known as the king of all fruits, is a special variety produced only in Japan. Each plant flowers only a single melon at a time, resulting in a delicate, sweet fruit that tastes like sunshine. 

To finish the meal, our host performed a traditional green tea ceremony.

The matcha was earthy without any of the usual bitterness. 

As we said our thank yous, and the curtains around the sushi bar closed, I felt like I had reached the end of a very fun ride.

Okeya Kyujiro, in my opinion, is worth it for a special occasion. I left feeling satisfied, full and having learned a lot. 

Okeya Kyujiro is located at 26 Bellair St.