Yunaghi

Amazing cocktails, true one of a kind!
Astounding food; flavours, textures, presentation and all the other pretentious words one can use to describe truly innovative and impressive food.
9 course option was perfect. Very filling.
Second time I’ve been. Would go again. Eating at the bar was more fun than the tables.

first off, it surprises me Yunaghi hasn’t gotten more good press. they deserve it. there isn’t anyone else doing the same thing in Toronto at that price point. the beautiful composition of each dish takes care and attention to detail. seasonal menus (it was Oct when I went), and options for wine or sake only pairings. servers were friendly and explained each dish (sometimes a bit challenging to ask more questions but they tried to answer). i would return to see what’s on offer next year!

If you’re looking for a nice place to eat where the courses build upon themselves and your taste buds get teased and pleased, I am going to say, go here.
There are 3 prix fixe options: 7, 9 and 11. There is also a drink pairing or a sake pairing option for each (priced differently, because I’m guessing there are more drinks for more courses). The courses were actually of appropriate size. And after the end of 7 courses, my girlfriend and I were both very full. We were surprised to read a small number of reviews which said they felt the portions were too small and weren’t full afterwards. The drink pairing that we had was fantastic. It went very well with the courses we had. I can still remember the first two drinks vividly: the sake with yuzu juice, and the «pearls of perfection» were awesome!
We thought the food tasted amazing. It’s very pretty (as all the other reviewers have pointed out). But more importantly, it’s very easy to notice that a lot of planning went into how the courses and items connected with one another. The taste of pumpkin was carried over quite a bit in our meal. All the elements sort of spoke for themselves within each course – each element served a very nice purpose, and of course the quality of the products made them taste very good. There was a slice of duck meat that I can still picture the taste of right now… and I can remember the smile on my face when I ate it! The term we used to describe the food was that it was «slap-​the-​table» good. Every course was bang on.
The restaurant is small. I think a reservation may help, but I didn’t think it was necessary when we went last night. There were only 4 tables being served last night. I felt like that lead to a nice ambience (not overly crowd, not a lot of hustle/​bustle). We certainly spent longer than 2 hours there (which I think was supposed to be the allotted number of hours for the reservation?), but no one complained!
The service was outstanding. The plates were explained to us very clearly. When we asked questions, they made sure to relate their answers in a way that we could understand it. And most importantly, the staff was friendly and smiled lots.
One thing I didn’t see notice in other reviews is that dishes here is that there is red meat in some courses (I guess I didn’t read the reviews closely enough…). One of us can’t eat shellfish (me), and the other doesn’t eat meat. Unfortunately, not knowing this, I only told the staff about my shellfish allergy when I made the reservation. So I ended up eating parts of her dish that had meat in it. She didn’t mind, but I wish I had known so that we could have told them ahead of time in order for her to have a complete experience.
Overall, I would definitely come back here!

Great service! Great food! Great atmosphere! A small cozy restaurant with delightful dishes. The portions are a little on the small side and left me wanting more. My biggest complaint is the $ 2 charge for a cup of green tea.

Had the 9 course meal as well as the wine pairing. Great meal. Just a heads up to those who are expecting sushi — they don’t serve it here. It’s dishes. Very good dishes. Decent selection of sake as well. I’d summarize this place as Kaji without the sushi and atmosphere.

My girlfriend and I went for the 80 $ tasting menu and the experience was subpar. Perhaps my expectation was too high from such glorious praises and reviews that I found all over the internet about this place. The food was not bad but nothing was blow your mind spectacular, and I found many items were too heavily salted, especially the corn soup. My favourite dish was the egg/​dashi dish with aubergines; any time I get egg yolk food porn I’m sold.
As an aspiring cook, I appreciate the use of many french techniques in the preparation and presentation of the food and the texture of the sous-​vide pork loin and salmon was on point, although the salmon skin could have been done crispier to add more texture to the dish. Also I think the dish portions could be slightly bigger. The highlight of our dinner was a 30 $ Kuheiji sake that was absolutely delicious. The ambience and service was on point although the Japanese server’s English accent was barely comprehensible and needs improvement so that the guest can understand the food more.
Finally, we had a billing misunderstanding but the owner was nice enough to sort it out with me on Unilocal.So I have updated my review to three stars instead of two. The service attitude of the owner Yasuko is top-​notch, so maybe when they change their menu in the winter I will give this restaurant another go.

The worst thing about Yunaghi is the knowledge that dinner service will end.
Stepping into the restaurant on a Wednesday night, we were pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn’t overly crowded, especially at the bar where we had requested seats.
After our first cocktails (the refreshing and fruit filled Sake Sangria), we embarked on the tasting menu with the regular drink pairing.
The first item sent to us was a Hamachi and miso amuse-​bouche, in a Dashi tea. The small dish was delicate and sweet, the miso not at all overpowering.
Next, the sashimi” platter arrived, an elegant tile covered in wonderful confections, including a standout Chicken Sashimi. For those worried, the chicken is cured, not raw, and absolutely mouthwatering. Equally delicious, the Conch in stock practically defined the word «Umami». Less impressive, the Edamame mousse — which tasted bland and sticky — and the Shrimp jello, which consisted of an over-​cooked shrimp in a cold gelatinous casing.
Our next course was presented with a flourish of smoke and drama — a «Dashissoise» playing both on the idea of classic French cold soup, and, well, Corned Beef. It was, for lack of a better description, effing yummy.
The fourth course consisted of a lovely «vegetable garden», complete with whimsical «soil» made out of fried Panko and olive crumbs. That ‘Furikake’ carried the dish. While winter melon is typically not the best Asian vegetable, the cubed and pickled gourd was crisp and fruity. A helping of fresh green peas certainly improved the vegetable course.
The middle of the meal was upon us, and so was one of the best things I have ever tasted. Chawanmushi, an ordinary egg pudding most Asian families are familiar with, was elevated to a height I had not expected, with the addition of Truffle oil and Grana Padano. It was comfort food turned into rich decadence, with the addition of two simple ingredients.
It was therefore disappointing when next, the Nanban course arrived with a lacklustre soue-​vied salmon paired with a boring Harissa sauce.
Disillusionment did not last for long. The next platter, a play on a very familiar meal of ham, beans and sausage, was covered in a buttery white sauce and cubes of fried Boudin Noir. Creamy blood sausage, pork fat… what’s not to love? The cleverness of playing with such familiar ingredients — much like the Chawanmushi — contributed greatly to the enjoyment.
Dessert did provide one last lovely surprise; savoury flavours mixed with sweet (such a sure facet of Asian desserts) was a wonderful way to end the evening. Who knew edamame and chocolate would work so well together?
Aside from the food, the wine pairing throughout the meal was not exactly great. Ontario whites — reeking of bad grapes — did not deserve the foods they were paired with. The one Sake we were served told me that for ten dollars more, the Sake pairing is probably the way to go in the future.
The clientele ranged from dignified Japanese men savouring every last item, to kids who didn’t look up from their smartphones long enough to interact with each other, much less to enjoy the food set before them.
Ultimately, the bad of this dining experience did not come close to outweighing the good. For the price and the quality, this restaurant is worth revisiting.

Had the 9 course menu and it was absolutely amazing. A dining experience I will never forget. The food was so unique and prepared with such thought and passion. We were also gifted with a foie gras dish on the house. Yunaghi is hands down one of the best Japanese restaurant I’ve ever been to. Will definitely be back!

I took my mother to this restaurant and we both loved it. We were waiting for an appointment at Curl Ambassadors and the staff highly recommended. The food was very tasty, the shop is very interesting and different and the staff were friendly. We really enjoyed ourselves.

We had the 9 course tasking menu and it was amazing. Everything was perfectly prepared and beautifully presented. The sous vide salmon plate was especially good!
Highly recommended, one of the best restaurants in Toronto.

Had 7 course menu, dishes are like miniature food, it is great if you don’t have big appetite otherwise, you won’t be satisfied. The dishes are very dedicated and well presented. The description of the dishes can be better.

A hidden gem!
Called on Saturday afternoon for a reservation that night, they were able to accommodate us at the bar.
Ambience: The place is small, maybe fits 25 ppl max, modern clean décor.
Service: Excellent! Very attentive, friendly staff. We were greeted at our table by a cute little paper crane with my name on it, a clever alternative to the usual «reserved» sign. The kitchen is partly open, and we could see the chef and other kitchen staff checking on us from afar, making sure we enjoyed our meal.
Food: Mindblowing! We chose the 9 course tasting, I got the drink pairing (additional $ 40) which included a mix of cocktails, sake, and wine for a total of 6 drinks. My bf got the $ 50 sake pairing. All the courses from the hamachi crudo to the key lime cheesecake dessert were impeccably prepared and meticulously plated. My favorite was the salmon sous-​vide, it was very flavorful without being fishy, and the sauce had so much depth of flavor and a great spice to it. The only (small) complaint I had was the romaine lettuce soup, although cool concept, just tasted like a really well-​made miso soup.
Overall: Great value! Amazing food and service, on par with Michelin-​rated restaurants around the world, for a very reasonable price. I was surprised the place isn’t more packed, there were 3 empty tables and some open seats at the bar. Highly recommend this place!

Fantastic restaurant! Might be the best Japanese food in Toronto. Go for the full tasting menu – it’s pricey but worth every penny. The sake pairing was a nice complement. I actually think the pork there was so good it actually upgraded itself to beef!
Take a special someone there for a special occasion and learn to fall in love all over again.

There’s something wonderful happening at Harbord and Manning: Chef Tetsuya Shimizu is turning out exquisite prix fixe dinners of exceptional quality with creativity, flair, and incredible enthusiasm. The staff are great, friendly, and knowledgable — and the cocktails and sake pairings work beautifully with the main show. If you love Japanese food and want to get well beyond sushi and sashimi, head to Yunaghi where for $ 80 a head you will be transported for a few hours to a very joyful gustatory realm. Honestly, this is the most exciting dinner I’ve had in the downtown core in many years. Standouts for us were the two «mains» to which the tasting menu builds: the spanish mackerel and the pork belly.
Ive never given five stars before — but Chef Shimizu thoroughly deserves a top rating

Amazing taste, beautiful presentation and attentive service. Definitely recommended.
My only issue is that the menu was not filling at all. We were still hungry after 9 courses!
The restaurant is very small (only seats about 25), so be sure to make a reservation!

One of the most worth going japanese suicines in town. The menu is set as a 7 cources meal which changes oftenly. Dishes were amazing with full of creation (combination of Japanese and french style). My favourate is the egg pudding with truffle. The beef tasts awesome too. (in fact everything is pretty good) The server was so nice and introduced every single dish throughly to us. Great experience with a reasonable price. Plannung to have another meal for the next menu.

Excellent and amazing! Service there was really good and all of us liked every dishes! I’ve already recommended it to my friends. We will visit again and hope to have different dishes next time.

Totally blown away. Amazing presentation, unexpected flavors, everything just worked so well. The staff were extremely attentive and the set menu was excellent value for money. For most of the evening, we were the only two guests. Hope their other nights are busier, would hate to see such an innovative restaurant go under.

We tried the tasting menu and really enjoyed it. A delicious selection of freshly prepared dishes that kept coming. Small place so reservations are necessary. Ambience is quiet and pleasant. Service was very good and definitely superior to other Toronto restaurants. The tasting menu at $ 80 per person is very reasonable. Yunaghi is not at all like the other Japanese sushi places in the area and ranks among the top Japanese in the city.

4.5 stars
Fusion kaiseki menu utilizing seasonal ingredients at very reasonable prices: 7 courses for $ 68 or 9 courses for $ 80. Option to upgrade mushroom sticky rice from shimeji to matsutake mushrooms for an extra $ 5. Add beef tartar course for $ 15.
Modern décor and excellent service! Within walking distance from Christie Station.
–0.5 star for charging green tea by the (small) cup with no refills. Ok, organic or roasted green tea @ $ 2 per cup isn’t too bad. But come on, I’d rather pay a bit more to have a pot instead.