I treated myself and my partner to an impulsive splurge on the tasting menu while baked af on Saturday. The restaurant was very accommodating of my crustacean allergy so I still got to eat all the things I love like uni, fish and scallop! I wouldn't be able to come here often but it's well worth the experience. I might add that a tasting menu under 100 (79 per person as of now) is not that common with Japanese food so I guess you could call this a beginner yuppie's foray into omakase. It seemed like the chirashi bowl was a popular choice for many diners around. Highlights: - PEI oysters topped with oyster caviar. I haven't had caviar that much before but this was the first time it didn't seem too salty or fishy where it appeared. This black caviar made a recurrence on a few dishes but I didnt really care for it. - the most decadent uni-topped nori toast, served like a canape. The uni was arranged in the shape of a lobster. I could taste flecks of crunchy salt in the toast. - Wagyu steak frites dressed with ground radish - the sashimi plate with scallop, bluefin (yes this is destroying our ocean ecology but i prefer this over the more fatty cuts), chuotoro and trout read more

The food is ok, not cheap. However, it's a small place and the atmosphere isn't chill. If you're going to be out quick I guess it's okay, but I have to reiterate that the food isn't cheap. read more

Omai Restaurant - Oyster with caviar, sashimi platter - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Omai Malpeque caviar oysters with hot sauce and mignonette sauce Red snapper and raspberry cooler Uni with butter toast (highly recommend $15 each) Hakkaido scallop hand roll with creme fraiche, compressed apple Croquette, mushroom with truffle nori aioli sauce Beer battered cauliflower fritters with house togarashi Grilled octopus with cashew miso and potatoes Lobster vermicelli with shrimp sausage and herbs Desserts: Matcha creme brûlée and Sudachi Meringue Pie I would definitely go back and either order the exact same tasting menu if not just the uni toast and lobster item or the uni chirashi alone, but the uni options here are a must-try!! The milky texture and bold taste make the uni toast an absolutely exquisite experience!! Every item was solid, which is quite rare for me. read more

See all

Often times when I tried uni in Canada, I was turned off by bitter taste and gasoline like odor. Omai's Uni Chirashi did not have any of that. It was creamy, nutty and sweet. Every element in this dish was just right. Scallops, excellent tamago and seasoned rice underneath. Wasabi was provided along with this dish, but it did not even seemed to be necessary. It was definately a flavor bomb. I can't wait to go back to try their tasting menu. read more

Omai Restaurant - Uni "Flavour Bomb" Chirashi - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Came for lunch and this place did not disappoint! Had their three roll combo. Scallop was my favorite! The scallop was soft and not fishy paired with apple and a kind of cheese?? Yes please! Ahi tuna was great too! I looove the fresh toasted nori have to eat it right away! The fish was very fresh. Need to come back to try the Chirashi which looked amazing with lots of fish. Also, they have happy hour!! One more thing - I think the wasabi is real. read more

See all

Omai restaurant is located in Balwin Village where this eatery offers Japanese/Asian inspired tapas that are sharable. The restaurant has a mix of bar and table seating where the majority of seats are at the bar (where you can watch your food being prepared). The menu comprises of handrolls, rice bowls, smaller plates, and larger sharing plates. There is also a tasting menu with approximately 7 dishes for a cost of $58 per person (requires 2 people minimum and the whole party's participation as well). I tried Omai on a Wednesday evening where I had also made reservations online. It seems like they had a happy hour special from 5-6:30pm where there were $1 oysters as well as $6 sake and beers. My party and I opted to try the tasting menu which was worth it for its price and the food we had. Here are the following items we had for the tasting menu: - Caviar oyster (black caviar, mignonette, hot sauce) - delicious refreshing start. - Crudo (raspberry dashi, smokey pickle) - Uni toast (secret menu item) - if you love uni, this is a must get! It is not listed on the menu but you can still ask for it. - Scallop hand roll - fresh Hokkaido scallop, need I say more? - Croquette (mushroom, truffle nori aioli) - The truffle nori aioli was delicious and the croquette was crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. - Hot dog (jeyuk chorizo, sake steam bun) - interesting take on a hot dog. The sake steam bun is also made in house. - Pork belly (pork, turnip cake, hazelnut) - rich and fatty pork belly with a crispy skin - Lobster (vermicelli, wild shrimp sausage, herbs) - lots of lobster and the vermicelli soaked up the sauce it was in - Matcha brulee - strong matcha taste which was good - Sudachi meringue pie - similar to a lemon meringue pie, this was a good end to the meal Overall, great food and service! I loved the fact that you could watch your food being prepared while sitting at the bar. Would definitely recommend Omai to others! read more

See all

We ordered the tasting menu for 2 which was about $65 pp overall I think this was a good deal as it provided us approximately 10 small appetizers sized meals (see photos below) I did however find their drinks to be on the pricier side. Our favourite dish was the uni (sea urchin) and scallops as they were really fresh. The steak was on the saltier side and we did not enjoy the Croquettes as it wasn't anything special. read more

See all

I have been following this restaurant on instagram for the longest time and finally had a chance to come and try their uni rice!! This nice little restaurant is located on Baldwin street. There aren't a lot of seatings, hence I would recommend making a reservation before you make your way here. Mostly they are bar seats with around 3 or 4 small booth tables only. Their menu is simple - appetizers, hand rolls, hot dishes , their specials & also tasting menu available. My friend and I ordered: - 2 uni donburi - 2 scallop handrolls - oysters I must say their food is very fresh !! They are also very generous on the amount of uni they put on the donburi :) one of the best uni donburi in Toronto!!! We couldn't get enough of their scallop hand rolls- must try if you like scallops. The prices are reasonable too, our meal came to around $40 per person including tips. I would totally recommend this restaurant if you haven't tried this place out yet! read more

See all

Tried the tasting menu over the weekend. Really like the vibe of the restaurant! Would recommend that you make reservations before hand since the space is relatively small. We weren't sure what to order and it was recommended to us that we try the tasting menu since we would be able to try out some of the regular menu items as well as items not offered on the menu. The food was really tasty and we enjoyed the variety but it wasn't enough food for us to get full full. read more

Omai Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Cute little spot in Baldwin Village serving small plates and rice bowls. We got the Uni Don and Tekka Don. The ingredients used in both bowls were fresh and delicious, however the ratio of sushi rice to the fish could be improved. While food was delicious at this spot, I found the price to be on the high end relative to what you get. There are better options in town if you want to spend $40 for a quality rice bowl. read more

Omai Restaurant - Uni Don - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Wow! Everything we had were creative and tastes super delicious and unique, made with high quality ingredients, and are reasonably priced. Omai is a tiny boutique style Japanese/Korean fusion restaurant. Although it's a tiny place, seats are well spaced and the open kitchen give it's a nice spacious feel. It's also a great place to get a drink. Caviar oyster: one of the best oysters I've ever had. The salty taste of caviar accentuates the sweet taste of oyster. Their house made white wine and chilli sauces were delicious too. Temaki (hand roll): we ordered a few different ones and they are all super delicious, especially the uni. They are all pre-seasoned with unique sauces inside. The wasabi that came with it tastes like very good quality and is quite sweet. Kanpachi Crudo: I love the taste of kanpachi and this dish is delicious. Kanpachi is a very high quality ingredient and this dish is definitely very reasonably priced. Croquette: it's a simple dish but it is so well flavoured with multiple layers of taste. The texture was also very well made with a crispy shell and a smooth and soft center. Seoul dog: an Asian interpretation of chorizo. It has a nice spicy kick to it that is flavourful but wouldn't leave your month burning. Pork Belly: super crispy skin. It's probably the least special dish of the night but it's still not bad. Fried chicken: an advanced version of the typical Korean street food. The chicken was super juicy and the flavouring is well balanced but with food kicks and layers. read more

See all

Omai is my favourite restaurants in Toronto. Baldwin is definitely a street known for it's good food, however it manages to stand out from the rest. Midrange prices for high end service/food. From the atmosphere to even their napkins. Just touch their napkins, higher grade paper, thicker shows that they care. Sometimes when I come early you can see the chefs prepping vegetables at the sushi bar and its such a sight to see. With their knife bags, the care they put into the product. I can't say for certain, but I believe they also use real wasabi. The texture to me feels like real wasabi, since its flavour isn't very horseradishy and nose numbing. Quality of their fish is also amazing. Handrolls are to die for. My eyes roll back every time I take a bite of that scallop handroll. Even their homemade hot sauce that comes in little cute bottles, amazing. Great service, great food, great atmosphere. I literally don't know what else to say. I've been here over 10 times and its been a banger every time. read more

Highly recommend trying the tasting menu. Such great value. The tasting menu changes seasonally and as such so does the price. At $55 per person (July 2019), 8 courses plus 2 desserts is a great deal. Dishes look deceptively small but my entire party was full by the second last dish. Unanimously, the star of the tasting menu was the uni toast. It's too bad that they do not serve it on the regular menu. Handrolls were great as well. Would opt to order a la carte once you've done the tasting menu once and know what you like. Service was slow by the end, we sat there a little over 2 hours with the latter third waiting on the last dish and bill. read more

Overall, not bad but didn't have much delight either. The 5:00-6:30 happy hour was a good deal. The highlight for me was the fried chicken rice, the fried chicken, the sauce, the pickle, and the poached egg go very well together. I'd say most dishes gave me an impression of fusion flavoring instead of the usual for izakayas. As a result, the dishes felt too heavy for me, but that's my own preference. I'd go back for the fried chicken rice and that only. read more

See all

I decided to give this place a try because of the 4 star reviews on Yelp.. and I was very disappointed. The dishes are extremely overpriced for its value (yes I know this is tapas style and I've been to many restaurants of similar style), I was simply not impressed with the ingredients/flavour/presentation. To be clear I came here for dinner so the menu is different from lunch. The hand rolls are what I assume the restaurant's "specialty". We tried what was recommended by our waiter, the ingredients itself lacked its own flavour, and all I could taste was the overwhelming salty taste from large chunks of kosher salt... the sushi rice were a bit dry and for the price I expected a lot more... 1/5 stars We also tried a few "hot dishes", including the steak, pork belly, and octopus salad... let's start w the salad because it came with three paper thin slices of octopus... pork belly was three 1-inch cubes of meat with skin, it was okay but the giant chunks of green onion stems was a bit of a turn off. I don't rmb much abt the steak except it was really tough to chew.. 2/5 stars for hot dishes... I think for a sake bar, the dishes should be at least enjoyable and easy to share... I get that tapas come in small portions but this place really took that to the extreme... Won't be returning again and really don't understand the 4 stars review. read more

Omai Restaurant - Octopus salad... find the octopus xD - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

O-MAI GOD I love this place. Came to little restaurant twice in two weeks because I simply cannot stay away. Dinner service has a completely different vibe, trendy and slightly too loud music (I asked the server if the volume can be lowered and he was very accommodating ), but the food...phenomenal tapas style dishes, perfect for sharing. Every little morsel on the plate was licked clean by my friend and I. What made me fall in love with Omai is their uni. This uni is one of the best I've tasted in Toronto, extremely fresh, salty crunchy bits that I cannot identify, but every time I hit one, more saliva just pools in my mouth..and they do not skimp on the portions! So just do it, get that 15 dollar handroll, it'll be the best decision you've made all week. Of course, a couple days later I dragged my coworkers back here for lunch so I can get the best chirashi ($32) I've ever had, packed full of uni, sweet scallops, shrimp, pickled egg yolk (I'd a tube of this for take out, squeezed directly into my mouth), the same salty crunchy bits as their handroll, and adorable little snap peas carefully placed, with love. Sure, my wallet hurts, but my mouth is in its own personal heaven. My stomach growls for Omai as I'm writing this review, and if you like uni, I urge you to go to Omai, if you don't know what uni is and want to try it, I urge you to make Omai your first uni experience, if you hate uni, you still gotta try Omai because it'll be a completely different experience than that bad sea urchin you had that one time. read more

See all

We came on a Friday evening, and the place was semi-full. The waiter was able to accommodate us on the outside patio, which has a very cute atmosphere. The menu is pretty simple and doesn't have too much going on. The waiter was very willing and helpful in answering and explaining anything on the menu, and giving his recommendations. 1. Fried chicken (about $16) There are eight pieces of chicken total, 4 with salt and pepper, and 4 with the more typical korean fried chicken kind of sauce. The chicken was very tender and juicy, but for 8 pieces?? I think that they could have put more chicken on the plate or lowered the price. 2. Pork Belly (Also about $16) This just confused me. I wasn't sure what was so special about this dish. It was quite dry and didn't have much flavor. This didn't taste any different from Hong Kong siu miu, which you can get for dirt cheap. Thus, again, felt very overpriced. 3. Bevette Steak ($20-22?) For supposedly medium-rare steak, this was definitely overcooked. There was barely any pink to it, and it was chewy. The flavoring was okay, but I wasn't blown away. I know that tapa places are typically more expensive in comparison to a regular dinner, but this place was definitely overpriced for the mediocre amount of food. read more

Omai Restaurant - Bevette steak - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Came here last night, for dinner with my boyfriend and friends. This restaurant features high quality, delicious food presented beautifully, served by attentive chefs who explained each dish in detail. The choice of ingredients complimented each dish very well, and they were able to quickly make accommodations for my friend who is only able to eat seafood, and not other meats. The four of us agreed to a seafood-only tasting menu and fully enjoyed the experience. See photos for descriptions of each course. We were all very impressed by the food, and would highly recommend this restaurant to others. P.S. I still dream about that sea urchin toast! Hands down, it was the group favourite. read more

See all

I remember trying this cute spot maybe a year and a bit ago? The sake was definitely the highlight... would love to go back. I ended up enjoying a unique one - so don't be afraid to try something away from the popular choice. Hope i have a chance to go back soon and savour the dishes and sake more properly- it's a popular restaurant! read more

Ask any of my friends and you'll know I love me some sake. And let me just say, WOW. I came with a group of friends, curious as to what had replaced ND sushi (an old favourite while I was still in school). Omai is a small, mainly barside, restaurant that is very much like a relaxed, but intimate experience. The seating arrangement and progression is much like that of omakase, where the chef prepares your meal in front of you and hands it to you personally. Sake was prepared and poured for us and we ordered various handrolls and small plates. The lone hostess was impressively on point, handling all patrons and acting as waitress/busgirl/server all in one for everyone. I had the king salmon, the tuna, and a couple of the specials (scallop and uni). I made sure those handrolls met my mouth at the soonest point in time from when I received them and they were so delicious. Fresh, against the warm rice and crisp nori, the seafood was sublime, perfectly stroking that unending itch I get for seafood, and followed perfectly with the sake. The hot plates were also very delicious and took us by surprise considering how simple they appeared. I loved the pork belly and the pate plates, but the stew warmed me in ways the sake could not. All in all, a pricey meal, but a special treat that I crave every once in awhile. read more

This place is amazing. First off, the ally cool vibes and atmosphere - we loved the music they were playing. They don't have a lot of space, but seats along the bar and small tables for two on the side. We had a couple dishes, but the scallops and the pork belly were definitely a favourite. To be honest, I think we were all right ally satisfied with everything we got. The waiter was super helpful and attentive to us. You can also try their sake for free! I got a sake that the waiter suggested and said was his favorite. IT WAS SO GOOD. Basically this place is really cool and really hip and you should go. read more

See all

I tried the tasting menu with a group of colleagues after work. Overall everything was just okay. There was maybe one item I really loved. The service was great, the staff were really nice. read more

Omai was my last meal in Toronto. I've never seen "temaki" before and it seemed like a great place to have lunch before my long drive back to NYC. When the weathers nice they have outdoor seating but my friends and I chose to sit by the bar where we can watch out rolls be made. During lunch time it wasn't too crowded but they do take reservations. I went during their lunch hour which is from 12-3. They have different lunch sets which are a great deal! I chose to get Pick 3 $18 where you get to choose 3 different temaki rolls except for uni. Although, you can substitute one with uni for an added cost. They had so many different types of temaki it was really hard choosing! I also wish I had a bigger appetite and chose their pick 4. I chose their octopus (6), scallop (9), and salmon temaki (7). Before starting the meal they gave me an amuse bouche of croquettes that contained butternut squash and Oka cheese served with house-made nori aïoli. This was delicious! They have this on their regular kitchen menu and if you get that it'll come with 3. I paired my meal with one of their sakes. The sake list does a good job with describing each sake. The octopus temaki came with jalapeño green olive salsa verde. I was surprised by how much octopus was actually in it. I love eating octopus and having it in a hand roll was fun to eat. They Hokkaido scallop temaki came with compressed green apple and creme fraiche. I don't normally see scallops in a sushi like roll so I thought it would be really interesting. Again, I was surprised by how much they give you! The king Salmon temaki was with maple and daikon. All the temaki's tasted so fresh! My friend ordered a bunch of their uni items and she told me it was one of the best she's tried. If I worked or studied in this area I would be at Omai all the time for lunch! I'm interested to see what their dinner menu is like because it looks more extensive. I don't think this is a great spot for a big group but it's really cute for a date night. read more

See all

Probably the best chirashi in its price category, and definitely the only one of its kind. It was mostly uni, as advertised, but so much more. It had 3 types of eggs: tamago, caviar, and dalops of egg yolk that was soft boiled or sous vide. And other treaures like pickles, snow peas, coarse sea salt, little edible flowers and some well placed furikake, not carelessly sprinkled in clumps. It also had some isolated smears of spicy-mayo like sauce, but much tamer. While the chirashi was being made, I was served some miso soup and an amuse bouche. The miso soup was unexpectedly flavourful, like a mouthful of crustaceans. The amuse bouche was grilled zucchini that tasted more smoky than any way I can imagine grilling a zucchini. Overall, it was a luxurious meal that didn't feel over-the-top. You can tell a lot of attention went into everything but nothing came off as trying too hard. The food, the decor, even the visual composition of the dishes, the sound system, the service, and I think the wasabi was freshly grated too. Good job, Omai :) read more

Omai Restaurant - Chirashi lunch special - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I visited this place a month after they opened and it was quite a surprise. The restaurant is cozy, small and dim lit - reminded me of a sushi restaurant in SF. They're known for their temaki so I tried the blue fin tuna - very fresh and simple. Besides temaki, they also have dishes from the kitchen so I would recommend their Soon Bun, Sunomono and Pork Belly. On the side note, this is a great date spot. Only thing is that I just wish they had more food options! read more

See all

Omai is a little Japanese style restaurant that served hand roll, chirashi, Asian style small and large dishes. I use the word Asian because it gave me a feeling of Chinese, Japanese and Korean mixed style ingredients. It has only 12 bar seats and 3 table seats, so be sure to make reservations ahead of time. I got seated at the bar seat which I preferred, so you can enjoy the process of food preparation. I ordered oysters with black cavier, scallop hand roll, tuna hand roll, uni chirashi, lobster vermicelli, and kalbi butter steak. Since I am sharing, the chef does make sure the hand roll is divided into two portion, and the waitress gave us bowls to share the hot items. The oysters have a touch of black cavier which is a plus. Also I like the chef take a very quick smell to make sure the oyster is fresh before serving to the customers. Scallop hand roll and bluefin tuna hand roll have nothing too special, on par with other Japanese restaurant. Uni and scallop chirashi has a bit of surprise, the uni is fresh, but the portion size is a bit small with the price tag of $32. The steak is perfectly cooked to medium, tender and I enjoy the kalbi butter sauce. Finally, the vermicelli with the bisque, which is favourable. This would be a nice dating restaurant, serving izakaya style dishes with cozy environment. read more

See all

I came here for my birthday dinner (August, 2021), and had a great time. We sat outside and enjoyed a couple of items from the menu, including the oysters (so good), chirashi don, chicken karaage don, and croquettes. The food was fresh and yummy, and the only complaint I could make is that the rice to seafood ratio for the chirashi wasn't the greatest (more rice than anything). All in all a solid Japanese restaurant I would come back to (depending on their menu as it often changes). read more

Omai Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

I came here specifically for the black cod rice bowl and I have to say I was disappointed because it slightly fishy tasting and the black cod was not as smooth and buttery as I would've liked. While the fried ebimaki was good, it was quite expensive considering it was $16 for 6 pieces and didn't blow my mind. BUT what did blow my mind was the appetizer fried mushrooms. So lightly fried and delicious that I would come back just to eat this alone! read more

Omai Restaurant - Black cod - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

Tried the tasting menu with 3 others, for a total of close to $400 each of us only had one bite of each of the dishes (8). One piece of very normal oyster with barely any caviar, one bite of super thin sliced beef tataki, one piece very basic size and quality of bluefin tuna, salmon and scallops. Tiny amount of Uni on some bread, a hand roll with just rice, small amount of egg and truffle. Two small little clams, two bites of the squid. One bite of black cod and regular steak bites for each person and underwhelming dessert. Overall the food is extremely basic and underwhelming given the amount of wait time in between with only one bite of the food paying $400. read more

Omai serves an amazing chirashi packed with uni and a variety of fusion handrolls (temaki) made right in front of you. My personal favourite is the hotate temaki, which is featuring scallop from Hokkaido. The restaurant has a counter seating area which I highly recommend. Watch the chef as he prepares the chirashi and temaki. The temaki have some non-Japanese influences such as creme fraiche and maple, which makes it unique but keeps flavours creative. This is one of my go-to restaurants on Baldwin! read more

See all

I love me a temaki Bar. The food was mediocre for the price. Food - For a restaurant that specializes in hand rolls, they were mediocre at best. The concept is there, but the hand rolls are not the greatest. They offer specialty hand-rolls, but they should also offer classic temaki without all the extra sauce and garnish. Service - the operation needs to be reviewed. Having one guy manning the temaki sat the bar, the server should really focus on getting the food out as quickly as possible. When we visited, the chef was preparing food and serving at the same time. The operation of the restaurant did not flow and communications were not open in the team. Being a small temaki Bar, communication and urgency is key. read more

Omai Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

-The short version- Just go here, you won't be disappointed. Been here many times and I keep bringing a different friend to try it out. Small menu, expensive if you want to be full, but oh so worth it. It's a good time, the staff are kind and attentive. I recommend booking a seat by the bar, the best seat to watch the temaki chef. -The long version- Atmosphere: A very small place, there are not many seats, so I recommend making reservations. Food and Drink: They are known for their Temaki (sushi hand roll). They make them fresh and serve them to you one at a time. They are pre-seasoned, no need for the soy sauce in my opinion. My favourites: big eye tuna and king salmon. They only make Temaki when it comes to sushi, so no sushi rolls or sashimi, don't go in expecting any of that. Favourite kitchen menu items: the Croquettes (delicious - a must have) and the Chicken Liver Pate (so great)! The Beef Cheek is also my favourite. Small, appetizer-sized portions. This is a sake bar, so they have a great small selection of sake. I had the Kippon Junmai Ginjo (sweet, fruity) as well as the traditional Junmai (drier, in my opinion) on my visits, both were great! Service: Everyone is kind, attentive, and they make great recommendations. One of my favourite spots for fresh temaki! I highly recommend it! read more

I came here yesterday with my boyfriend and had a lovely experience. The handrolls were very much the highlight as advertised. I had a great cocktail with Campari that was very well balanced. We also had the hot dog and chicken katsu which were both tasty, but both a tad greasy/fatty. The service was great. I'm likely to be back soon for more handrolls :) read more

Omai Restaurant - Handroll, Chicken Katsu and tea - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

See all

we stopped by chance to Omai, while strolling the Baldwin district, to be welcome by a smiling and polite waitress. decided to have the tasting menu and it turned out to be an excellent choice - varied, nicely presented, unexpected flavours, well combined. Virtually all dishes were top, with the sashimi extremely fresh and the Uni intriguing with its sea urchin taste. Amazing. We are not experts on Japanese food and cuisine, yet the dinner was excellent and I highly recommend to anyone. Considering Toronto price, and the quality of the food provided (not just for its freshness but also the preparation and cooking), I consider Omai good value for money too. I will recommend to other colleagues and friends who may be coming to Toronto! read more

We love the attention to detail, the flavors and the friendly service at Omai. Many new things on the menu, so it looks like they're always creating new dishes. The uni has us hooked because it's great every visit. We'll have to try more next time! Our waitress also made sure we had the best seat by the heat lamps on the patio; made for a nice, romantic and cozy evening. Omai has been consistently excellent for us, thank you read more

See all

This fusion bar features a lot of different sakes and some very inspired dishes and temaki. Tried their tasting menu ($55 per person) and really enjoyed it. I went with three other friends and sampled 11 dishes. Most of the items were straight from the menu with a few special items. We started with an oyster each. They were shucked right in front of us and topped with a little bit of caviar and mignonette and hot sauce on the side in tiny squeeze bottles. It was a great start and got my appetite going. Following the oyster, we got the croquette which is deep fried mashed potato with creamy mushroom on the inside. It comes piping hot so be careful on that first bite. Crispy outer layer, with creamy potato and mushroom, which is further intensified with the truffle mayo. Next up was the Seoul dog, a sausage sitting between soft steamed bun, topped with maple mustard and a slaw of Asian herbs. I generally don't like the steamed bun and sausage combo, but the toppings were good. We got treated to some uni toast: generous portion of fresh uni on top of crispy bread and a little bit of caviar on top. This was the first time I'm having uni this fresh. First the sweetness hits, then the creaminess, and finished with a hit of the ocean. It was delightful. We got more small plates, including a crudo, and beef tartare. The one and only temaki we tried was the octopus. I wished we got either the tuna or salmon instead because later we got the grilled octopus as well. I have to say, I preferred the grilled octopus more than what came inside the temaki. we also got to try the bavette steak and pork belly. The porkbelly was absolutely delightful. The skin was amazingly fragrant and crispy and the meat and fat just melted in my mouth. The evening was finished off with their matcha brulee. The custard had a great balance of matcha bitterness, sweetness, and creaminess. It was a great experience, The staff made the experience very special and I would definitely come back to try the other temaki and get more uni! read more

Really great sake bar with delicious mains and well thought out atmosphere. The host did a good job of explaining the dining concept and seated everyone around a center bar around the chef. It definitely reminded me of eating in Japan. We ordered sake, yuzu saison beer from Godspeed, five temaki (hand rolls), and two mains. The beer was so unique and really did a good job imparting the yuzu flavor. We'll probably be checking out the brewery in person. The temaki were good, albeit the ratio of fish to rice was a bit on the small side. Definitely recommend the tamago truffle roll. The croquettes were to die for. It was so rich but yet wasn't too oily or umami on the palate. Beef cheeks were soft and tender, well cooked and seasoned, but I'd probably try something else next time. We really enjoyed the meal and will be going back for sure. read more

Omai Restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

The quiet little stretch of side street known as Baldwin St. has hosted a flux of restaurants and cafes. A hidden stretch of road hides an eclectic mix of new and old restaurants, a little something for everyone to enjoy. I don't frequent Baldwin St. that often but I made the trip to try Omai, on a quiet Tuesday evening, it was my boyfriend and I and another couple dining. We felt surprised there wasn't more patrons but we loved the quaint feel and took advantage of the extra attention from the chef and server. To start, we decided to try some Japanese sakes and whiskies, and boy do they have quite the selection of both! The server was excellent in explaining the different sakes to me which I have very little knowledge in. My boyfriend got to try a couple varieties of Japanese Whiskies not available at LCBO and not often offered at any other restaurant/bar. Food: Can I just start with - The croquettes are amazing, like to die for AMAZING?! Creamy, smooth, with a crispy outer crust and warm gooey potatoey goodness inside, served with truffle mayo. I always thought Bar Raval had the best croquettes but I have been wrong, these are genuinely the best croquettes in the city. The fresh hand rolls are a must try as well, made to order with the crispiest of seaweed, warm rice and fresh fish. The boyfriend and I both agreed we preferred these hand rolls here over Shousin's. The other food here, also great. Everything is thoughtfully created, balanced and interesting. There's a recurrent theme of savoury perfectly made dishes with just a fresh touch of fruit (be it a small slice of grape, citrus pod, juice etc) it brings so much life to each dish and interest. I love also that the dishes are small and reasonably priced, which means anyone can try it. If you're on a budget you can still try quite a few items, and if you're willing to spoil yourself try the tasting menu. read more

Omai is my absolute favourite restaurant overall in Toronto. Everything from the food to the ambience to the friendly owners and staff to the awesome music playlist is amazing. I've now been to Omai 5 times and I've never once been disappointed. Out of the Temaki handrolls (you can't go wrong with any of them), definitely try the Tamago. It has sweet egg and truffle in it and may not stand out on the menu, but it has an extremely refreshing taste that will surprise you. Omai regularly tries out new recipes and dishes on their menu, so you're always in for a treat (if you're like me and continue going back)! read more

Amazing restaurant with a lot of diverse selections to choose from. This isn't a traditional Japanese restaurant, they do really good fusion food. We tried 90% of the menu so far, and impressed with almost all of them. Here are some stand-out items: - octopus - pork belly - croquettes - trout hand roll Minus one star because they ran out of rice for hand rolls and tuna - which we were looking forward to! But we will for sure return again. Great service as well, they are always open for you to taste the various sake options they have to make sure you pick the right one for the night. read more