I live only a few minutes north of downtown Toronto, but I always feel like I’ve gone somewhere new when I head down to the waterfront.
Toronto is blessed to be one of the world’s great lakes, as well as an actual Great Lake. And the waterfront is a fabulous place to be, especially in summer.
My wife and I spent Saturday down along the lake at the request of Toronto’s Waterfront Business Improvement Association and had a wonderful time.
After taking a minute to check out the pink umbrellas at Sugar Beach, which is at the foot of Jarvis Street, we wandered down to Bay and Queen’s Quay to check out Miku for lunch.
The original Miku is in Vancouver, just steps from their waterfront, and has been wowing visitors (myself included) for years. This version, at 10 Bay Street, opened nearly five years ago but this was my first visit.
The emphasis here is on Aburi, which is normal sushi nigiri (fish with vinegared rice on the bottom) that’s been slightly heated with a torch, which provides a subtle flavour enhancement that’s quite delicious.
Toronto being in Stage Two, of course, we dined on the patio, which is festooned with bright red umbrellas and a series of gorgeous flower baskets.
Not sure of what to order, the manager brought us each the Chef’s Selects platters, which were filled to overflowing with traditional sushi, Aburi nigiri sushi, rolls and oshi, which is pressed or slightly flattened sushi. We had tuna, salmon, mackerel, scallops and more, as well as sweet, tender beef that had been braised for 24 hours, cooked scallops, and more.
It’s absolutely terrific food, and great mocktails, too.
Chef Kazuya Matsuoka is widely known for his Aburi, and also for bringing a French touch to Japanese cuisine.
The folks who run Miku also have Aburi Hana in Yorkville and TORA at Yorkdale Mall. They plan to open Minami on King Street West in Toronto later this year. Definitely worth checking them out.
After stuffing ourselves silly, we took a walk along the waterfront to check out the scene near the Queen’s Quay Terminal, which was hopping on a fine day like Saturday. There are tons of outdoor patios in the area, so you’ve got great options.
I’ve been on the official City of Toronto ferries to the Toronto Islands many times, but this visit was the first time I’d tried one of the private boats. We had a fun ride to Hanlan’s Point with the folks at Tiki Taxi, which features thatched roof designs and a South Seas flavour. It’s a fun way to get to the islands without the crowds you often find at the official ferry dock.
You can catch the Tiki Taxi boats at the foot of Spadina Avenue, adjacent to the Music Garden. Rides are $10
