Ematei Japanese Restaurant 416.340.0472 lunch mon-fri 1145-230, dinner mon-sun 530-1030
Ematei could have been plucked right out of the Shinjuku district, in the heart of Tokyo. Picture a toned down Guu, or a N.Y.C sushi joint. The charming, dimly lit interior and friendly servers help to create an authentic Japanese pub experience that flows nicely into to the dishes.
To start a cool Japanese tiny cabbage and carrot amuse is lovely and simple. Next Takowasa (wasabi seasoned octopus) zings but doesn’t zang. The deep fried chicken bones sparked an interest with me, but when the dish arrived it looked just like fried battered chicken. The thighs were juicy and dressed with fresh lemon. Crisp chicken Yakitori is adorable, salted, fried crisp and skewered for your pleasure. Wafu space ribs, prepared in a sweet Japanese sauce, are slightly fatty but overall a success. The evening was going rather well until the Age Hama Roll hit my table, it was huge and carelessly rolled. Sushi is definitely not their strong suit.
Overall the menu has a little bit of everything, but not everything was good. My recommendation is to stick with the recommendation list.
