5 new Japanese restaurants in Toronto you need to try at least once

New Japanese restaurants in Toronto are proving that the country has a whole lot more to offer in the culinary realm than sushi and miso soup.

... Not that there's anything wrong with sushi and miso soup, of course.

From swanky celebrity chef-helmed ventures serving up cuisines rarely found elsewhere in the city to not-so-hidden gem yakitori spots that allow you to eat your fill of grilled skewers, it's a bright time for Japanese cuisine in Toronto, indeed.

Here are my picks for the five new Japanese restaurants in Toronto you need to try at least once.

Kajiken

The lineup that snaked out the front door and around the corner the instant this Japanese chain opened its first Canadian location should be all the evidence you need that this noodle shop is doing something next level.

Specializing in abura soba, a soupless ramen dish that, in lieu of broth, centres around fresh noodles coated in fragrant oils and spices, the chain has even earned a Michelin nod for its California location.

TONO by Akira Back

On the list of names ubiquitous with excellence in Japanese cuisine worldwide, Chef Akira Back has inarguably cemented his spot.

His latest entry on the Toronto food scene has landed at the W Hotel, and features a distinct menu of Nikkei cuisine, a fusion of Peruvian flavours and ingredients created using Japanese techniques.

While it's not strictly Japanese, it's unlike anything else in the city, and it's absolutely worth a visit.

Saku

Katsu is the name of the game at this B.C.-based chain that just opened its first Toronto location in the heart of Yonge and Dundas.

Here, the quintessential Japanese dish is crafted with a broad selection of different cuts of pork, chicken or seafood and served atop pillowy beds of rice, but the real star of the show is the signature cheese katsu, where a block of mozzarella is wrapped in paper-thin pork, lightly fried and served utterly gooey.

Ramen Tabetai

Ramen from one of Canada's most highly-awarded chefs? Can I order two?

This ramen spot from Michelin-star chef Masaki Saito rests atop MSSM Yorkville, and only serves one ramen alongside a selection of onigiris. To make things even more exclusive, the restaurant only serves around 100 bowls a day, so you'll want to get in early.

Torishi

If all things juicy and charred are the key to your heart, you'll undoubtedly fall in love with this new yakitori spot in the heart of Baldwin Village.

Skewers grilled over Japanese Binchotan charcoal pair perfectly with other staples like udon and karaage to warm you from the inside out on the rapidly approaching winter nights.