First-of-its-kind Japanese restaurant is opening in Toronto soon

A new restaurant opening in Toronto this fall is going to be the first of its kind in the city, and it's a perfect fit.

It's hard to believe that there's any type of restaurant concept that Toronto doesn't already have. We have seemingly every cuisine under the sun, served straight up or in fusion with another.

Heck, we even have poop cafes. Plural.

Still, unbelievable though it may seem, some major gaps in the city's food scene still have yet to be filled.

One new restaurant that's opening in the Bay-Adelaide centre this fall will be doing just that, attacking the city's current lack of a restaurant devoted exclusively to Japanese rice balls, better known as onigiri.

Opening in the Financial District hub this November, Onigiri Co. is a student of the school of doing one thing really well, committed to perfecting the craft of onigiri through the use of 100 per cent Japanese rice and nori.

"Our goal is to introduce the city to the highest-quality and best-tasting Japanese rice
balls outside of Japan," Onigiri Co. President and CEO Tim Kwan said.

"Every onigiri we serve is freshly prepared, crafted with care, and rooted in tradition."

According to Kwan, some of the staples on the menu include Tuna Mayo, Spicy Tuna Mayo, and pickled plum onigiri, as well as side dishes like spinach with toasted sesame and simmered Japanese pumpkin.

While onigiri is available at plenty of Japanese restaurants around the city, Kwan said that current lifestyle and eating patterns in the city call for a devoted grab-and-go onigiri spot, and where better than one of the busiest parts of the city to take the concept for a test drive?

"Torontonians are busy, diverse, and health-conscious, yet still crave food with authenticity," Kwan says.

"At Onigiri Co., we believe that Toronto deserves a grab-and-go restaurant devoted entirely to onigiri because it reflects the way people here live and eat today."

While there's no specific opening date designated for the restaurant just yet, Kwan said that they're aiming for this November.

Onigiri Co. will be located at Bay-Adelaide Centre — 333 Bay St.