Kaiji means pleasure in Japanese. And enjoyment, there is plenty of that in the restaurant of the same name, where sushi is elevated to true works of art.
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Since last January, chef Phong Thach has been delighting with his culinary creations at Kaiji in the Gourmet District on Church Road.
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
A gorgeous plate of sashimi fish
Since the opening of this food fair in 2021, the restaurateur has been present with the thach, a counter where he served fine Southeast Asian cuisine.
The restaurant is now closed, but some unique dishes are still available on the Kaiji menu, which specializes in Japanese cuisine.
On the menu: sushi, sashimi and nigris as well as a selection of hot dishes.
“We bring a quality product and offer something different,” boasts Phong, who owns other restaurants in Montreal, including Red Tiger.
delicacy and delicacy
You run the risk of being destabilized, positive. Kaiji’s sushi is in a class of its own. Forget the soy sauce and mayonnaise that are often overused in other restaurants.
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
Finely presented sushi
Dishes are seasoned to perfection and eaten as they are. Everything is delicacy and tenderness, like salmon in sashimi of incomparable freshness.
Photo Marianne White
A salmon sashimi
The plates are made using Japanese techniques that Phong learned from sushi masters, but he adds his own twist to them.
“I like conveying the slightly more Americanized or Vietnamese side of the cuisine that I’ve learned. I’m not Japanese, so I don’t want to make anything typically Japanese, just something that fits my palette,” says the chef, who was born in Vietnam to Cambodian parents and grew up in Montreal.
For example, in certain dishes we find a vinaigrette based on fish sauce, gochujang – a Korean chilli paste – or chimichurri.
I really enjoyed the research, both in terms of flavors and the presentation of the dishes, which are complemented by carefully selected side dishes.
Phong and his team put a lot of effort into preparing dishes that are not only delicious but also beautiful to look at.
If you want to appreciate their skills, take a seat at the counter and watch them in action.
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
Chef Phong Thach at work
The menu is fairly small — about ten sushi rolls — and the prices are higher, but the quality is worth the detour.
“For us, every detail, every bun, is unique and represents the flavor that this fish brings,” adds the chef.
Photo Stevens LeBlanc
Chef Phong Thach and his team
An invitation to discover
One of Kaiji’s strengths is the invitation to discover new fish straight from Japan, such as amberjack (a rich, melt-in-the-mouth yellowtail tuna), kinmedai, and shima aji (Japanese mackerel).
I recommend the omakase discovery menu to sample everything Kaiji has to offer.
Otherwise, Phong’s favorite is the black cod with deglazed miso. It is marinated for three days.
“It’s really melting. I love it. “The big Japanese restaurants have black cod,” he says, adding in the same breath that he prides himself on his top-notch nigris flavored with foie gras or sea urchin.
Are people receptive to his sometimes quite courageous suggestions?
“I’m super happy, people are really open. They taste all sorts of things and that allows us to push new products a little bit more each time,” enthuses Phong.
The restaurant is one of the few in the complex that has a terrace and will be opening soon. Enjoy!
Kaiji sushi and izakaya
990 Church Street
Open for lunch from Tuesday to Friday and for dinner from Wednesday to Saturday