Two summers ago I took a trip to Japan, partly to connect with a family and culture I never really knew I had, but also... to eat tons of amazing food. Since coming back, I've been going through a sort of constant gastronomical withdrawal of real Japanese food. Anyone who's had the real thing, made by real Japanese chefs, will know what I'm talking about. But for those who don't, I have some good news to report: there is a place in Toronto that does the real thing really well. It's called Ematei, and if you haven't heard of it, that's probably because it's hidden away in the most unlikely (and hidden) of places.

So what do I actually mean by "the real thing"? Read on about my nostalgic Japanese meal at Ematei in our Restaurants section to find out.