Yamato

This Japanese restaurant seems to have been on Belair forever, and as you might expect from its fancy neighbourhood, Yamato is a high-end joint. Featuring those trendy cooking tables with high-flying fire and a theatrical chef as entertainment, Yamato certainly has flair.

Kids love the show, so Yamato is a good place for families to dine out. Personally, I like sitting by the sushi bar. For one, it’s got incredibly fresh fish — in my opinion, the freshest in Toronto — and secondly, if you sit around the cooking table, you tend to smell on your way out.

The lunch specials at Yamato are my personal go-to meals. I’m definitely not what you’d call an adventurous sushi eater. I like the classics. The spicy tuna roll, onion soup, and house salad are all amazing. The sushi pizza (not fried) is also a favourite. The simpler, the better — in my opinion, at least. One of the funny things about the restaurant is that for some reason, you leave feeling heavier, like they’ve somehow put butter in the food. I have to ask how one manages to put butter in sushi, but that’s a mystery for another day.

The food (buttery feeling aside) really is the reason to go to Yamato. The service is okay and the flashy atmosphere isn’t for me, but the high-quality, fresh fish is what makes me come back. Then again, it is an expensive place to dine, so be prepared when the bill comes around.

Opening hours: LUNCH: Mon-Fri 11:30am-3pm; Sat-Sun 12pm-3:30pm DINNER: Mon-Thu 5pm-11pm; Fri-Sat 4pm-12am; Sun 4pm-10pm
Reservations: Not required
Meals Served: Dinner, Late Night Dining, Lunch
Cusine Type: Japanese, Sushi
Good For: Dates, Dining Alone, Late Night Dining, Locals, Quick Bites, Singles, Teens, Twentysomethings
Payment Options: American Express, Cash, Diners Club, JCB, Mastercard, Travellers Cheques, Visa