I am looking for restaurants that specialize and focus primarily on tempura, whether it be like a tasting menu / omakase, or whether they are a la carte (a lot of different options to order, or set meals where they serve tempura rice bowls / don). I will link 2 video examples here:
– [this one is like a fine dining/refined tempura tasting menu/omakase]
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PfBD-UXwKQ&t=412s)
– [this one is a more casual tempura restaurant with an a la carte menu where you can order whatever you want](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dJAIvCk0MA)
A note that I am aware of [Edomae Kiyomi](http://edomaekiyomi.com/); I haven’t visited them yet, but I’m a little wary of a place trying to do too much (they are an omakase place, but they do both sushi and tempura) which could lead to a lack of focus; a friend of mine who I trust on food went and said the sushi wasn’t good, and he also thought the restaurant wasn’t focused (“if it can’t get the sushi right, how can it get the tempura correct?” was a general gist).
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I’m not counting all you can eat / AYCE Japanese places, and I’m not counting Japanese restaurants that happen to have tempura on a larger menu with variety (example, I know Zen Sanuki Udon on Midland/McNicoll has some legit tempura udon and tempura rice bowls, however they are a udon restaurant first and foremost).
That said, if you have any favourite restaurants that serve authentic killer tempura, but it isn’t necessarily the focus there / it’s part of a larger menu, feel free to point them out.
by EmperorOfNothing
5 Comments
I haven’t been yet but have heard of recently opened Kappo Sato. Might be what you are looking for.
Akimitsu at Yonge and Dundas, but I haven’t tried it myself.
Akimitsu is what you’re looking for. It currently shares a space with Konjiki ramen.
Tempura Keisuke in Chef’s Hall though I prefer Akimitsu for variety.
I went to Edomae Kiyomi for the tempura omakase. Didn’t try the sushi omakase but I thought the tempura was pretty good. I don’t know about the “not focused” part. There are 2 counters and 2 different chefs doing the sushi and tempura so it’s not like they are trying to cross over each other and do both, though you do get a plate of sushi made by the sushi chef. I thought that was pretty good as well. I guess if money is tight and you don’t want to take a chance, listen to your friend if you guys have similar tastes, but I always find I have to try for myself. I’ve liked plenty of places that friends of mine haven’t particularly liked.