Restaurants
Mazz Sushi
Mazz Sushi is a little Japanese & Korean resto in Bloorcourt with a big menu, terrific service, and impressively fresh fish at reasonable prices. Unlike the Sushi-crowded Annex, Mazz doesn't have much of any competition further west at Bloor & Dovercourt, yet offers amazing quality out of sheer pride in their work.
Maybe that's all I really need to say about Mazz, but then where would I put all the delicious sushi photos?
Sitting in one of a pair of more traditional Japanese booths (screens and all) one side of the resto, a friend and I start off the meal with an order of Edamame Beans and Kani (crab) Tempura.
The hot Edamame beans ($4) arrive quickly along with some small complimentary appetizers: marinated cold tofu cubes and an Okayu cup for each of us.
Kani Tempura ($6) arrives soon after. It's crispy, yet not too batter heavy -- a great seafood portion for $6.
My fellow late night diner orders Bento #1 ($12) which features Salmon teriyaki, California rolls, watercress, beansprouts, glass noodles and rice. He asks for cucumber-less California rolls and Mazz works it out for him without hesitation. The rolls are big and jam-packed - even with missing greenery.
The Teriyaki salmon steak is really the highlight of this box though. Once again, the portion is quite generous yet the quality of the food remains high. It's perfectly cooked and a pleasure to eat (I was plenty happy to "help" him polish it off).
Sure, there are great bento offers elsewhere for a few bucks less, but by the time you "upgrade" to California rolls, you're usually about even, so why not start with a fine box from the get-go.
On my side of the table, an order of the Rainbow Roll ($9) is a little best-of sushi dish and perfect for my indecisive mood.
Pictured at the very top, the rainbow at Mazz includes a long row of California rolls topped with four kinds of fish and avocado. I'm pretty picky about fish as I can't stand overly fishy smells and tastes, but truly fresh raw fish is neither and this roll is a dream. Even the seaweed is tender and effortless to chew through. Each piece, with its own subtle flavour, melts in your mouth.
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Terrific review, i just can't get into that sea weed salad though.
Although my wife sucks it down like coca cola
does anyone know where I would be able to find Inari wrappers? they are the tofu rice pockets.
one of my favs whenever i go for sushi...been trying to find where i would be able to get my hands on them.
thanks in advance.
Tanja thank you again for another great review.
I went to sushi 101 when i got the chance and thoroughly enjoyed it.
http://blogto.com/grocery/sanko
are these korean owners trying to tell us that their own cuisine can't stand on its own?
and contrary to popular belief, korean and japanese cultures are not the same.
And contrary to your belief, Korean restaurants are opening like CRAZY all over the city, so there is obviously a demand for traditional Korean cuisine. Walking near Yonge and Wellesley, I was astonished to find about 10 restaurants offering either Korean BBQ or traditional Korean dishes along the Yonge strip.
your argument about korean restaurants opening on younge may have some merit. however, the fact remains that there are numerous restaurants that are korean/japanese hybrids. again, i ask why?
this might be off topic, but i also ask why all the korean/japanese restaurants are all owned by koreans or other non-japanese persons. sadly, most of these hybrids do a disservice to japanese cuisine because they prepare sub-par japanese food.
perhaps it's not entirely the fault of these owners. most torontonians don't know what good japanese food is and, thus, will frequent these hybrids for "japanese" food. what a shame.
If it offends you, try to suffer quietly as a martyr for all of us. I thank you in advance for saving my culinary soul.
I myself am not a huge fan of "hybrid" restaurants, but I don't think it's related to thinking one cuisine can't "stand on its own" but the fact that a lot of people do like eating or choosing from many different types of cuisine in one place.
What is the "contradiction" between Korean and Japanese food?
And WHAT "popular belief" that Korean and Japanese cultures are the same?
in the meantime, I just got back from Mazz Sushi and the food and service was awesome.
Also, I ordered a lot of sushi and I got several complimentary salads, all of which were tiny. I'm not about to complain about the size of a FREE salad, but the packaging was ridiculous. So much packaging for so little perk... I'd just as soon have skipped the salad and saved the environment. Also, I asked and their packaging is non-recyclable. Lame. Very lame.
I keep reading that it's cheap. I think it's, at best, reasonable. I've been as content with the sushi at all-you-can-eat restos... In fact, I prefer the rainbow roll at Sushi Island, even when you order from the AYCE menu and they skimp on the crab. One thing I will say is that the rice:other stuff ratio is much better at Mazz, even if the other stuff is sort of disconcertingly warm.
It's hit-or-miss with pick-up orders, definitely, but I've never had a bad time when I've come to eat in the restaurant itself. Maybe they take better care when their tips are at stake. I'd tip them better if they had a greener social conscience.
I returned to my seat with my back to the counter. I heard a loud noise and my friend saw the chef throw down his cleaver and storm out the back hallway. When he returned a few minutes later he came over to where I was sitting and started to yell at me in front of the rest of the customers. He was so angry he was spitting on me when he spoke. He accused me of always complaining and sending food back. We were all in shock. Trying not to cry, I informed him there was only one other time in 5 years coming there when the silver skin was left on the sashimi and I couldn't cut it off with my chop sticks so I asked that they cut it off for me. That is not complaining. It is like asking for a steak to be cooked a bit longer. Still furious, he informed me that I can no longer order sashimi from Mazz and went back behind the counter.
Here is the thing: having worked in the service industry, I know that the customer is not always right, but I also know not to take food complaints personally and humiliate and berate that patron in front of the entire restaurant. Perhaps I should stop ordering sashimi but I don't need to be yelled at and shamed to consider this as an option. The worst part is this man is also the owner so until it changes ownership again, I will not be going back. So go, enjoy their food, but enjoy it or else.
My main complaint is with the serving staff. I have eaten there several times in the last two months and one waitress is consistently rude. Whether getting take-out or eating in she is disinterested at best and borders on outright aggressive at times.
Once a friend unexpectedly joined our table part way through dinner (keep in mind there was no line for tables, there were several EMPTY tables and he was planning on ordering food) and she refused to let him join our table. Then when we asked for our food to go so that we could leave with him she seemed openly exasperated huffing and puffing as if we caused her some kind of offense. She even slammed down the bill!
Other times I have come to pick up take-out and she doesn't even make eye contact. Just completely disinterested. One time I went with my mom and she asked for a fork and this women openly glared at her. When she brough the fork she just dropped it from above right into my mom's food. splashing a bowl of soup and walked away.
I really love the food here, but I am pretty much ready to stop going until this women quits or is fired.
You won't be disappointed!