Miku Toronto opened in late 2015 and ever since – like its Vancouver precursor – has thrived on the burgeoning popularity of its specialty of aburi sushi, a blowtorch-singed version of the more familiar nigiri sushi. In the run-up to Taste of Toronto, on June 9, Miku chef Kazuki Uchigoshi won a pre-Taste of Toronto showdown for the title of Toronto’s tastiest dish with a plate of lobster prepared five ways. Shortly afterwards Canada’s 100 Best caught up with Miku Corporate Executive Chef Kazuya Matsuoka in Vancouver to see what was being planned for Taste.

Kazuya Matsuoka: Shrimp cocktail. Tuna tartare. Green tea Opera cake – a Miku signature dessert. And an aburi sushi sample selection – with salmon, and sweet shrimp that we call ebi.

C100B: Many other restaurants have tried to popularise aburi sushi in Canada. None has had nearly the success of Miku. Why?

KM: We care very much about quality. We have very strict controls. Especially the way we make our rice, which is always the same.

C100B: Does the recipe have a story?

KM: My family has been in the restaurant business for many many years. We have eight sushi restaurants in Japan. The way we make the rice here is exactly the same as we have made it there for more than thirty years. It is a very traditional recipe that we follow exactly.

C100B: Can you explain how important rice quality is to sushi?

KM: In North America, it’s just like a great hamburger needs a good bun.

Kazuki Uchigoshi and his team from Miku Toronto will be cooking at Taste of Toronto from June 23-25.

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