Lunch Tuesday: Edo

A Forest Hill sushi restaurant is not exactly a budget meal option. In fact, Edo (484 Eglinton Ave. W) isn’t even open for lunch.

But what they do have is a Japanese Iron chef, with his own two-star Michelin restaurant in Tokyo, in town for a day to demonstrate proper tuna butchering techniques. Chef Kimio Nonaga even brought his own sword for the occasion.

I though I could make an exception, just this once, for what sounded like the coolest opportunity ever. I was not disappointed.

“Today’s tuna weighs about 60 kilos,” Nonaga explains. He’s speaking Japanese and Edo’s executive chef, Ryo Ozawa, is translating.

Another guest leans over and whispers, “I heard it cost $2300.”

The yellowfin had been covered with a black cloth, and there was also a large sword wrapped in what appeared to be my grandmother’s couch. After the unveiling, we’re faced with the massive maguro shown above.

A fish like this, Nonaga explains, could make about 300 portions of sashimi, with each person receiving three to five pieces of fish.

Nonaga runs Nihonbashi Yukari in Tokyo and Edo’s president and CEO, Barry Chaim, has flown Nonaga to Toronto for a week’s worth of events.

“In Japan, food is about respect. When we buy a package of strawberries or blueberries or little tomatoes here, we know what’s at the bottom. In Japan, that doesn’t happen. The attitude between the owner and the guest is a two way street,” Chaim says.

“What you’ll see here is an incredible chef who treats his fish with respect,” he adds.

It won’t be long before the tuna is turned into perfect cubes.

“We already took off the tail and the head, before we started,” Nonaga said.

“The kind of knife I’ll be using is actually a sword and it’s only for the maguro, or tuna,” he said.

Unlike Western knives, Nonaga explains, his knives only have one cutting edge and can only be sharpened on that one side. That shape makes it is easy to create thin, precise cuts.

To see Nonaga in action, check out the video below.

“First, we take off the hard scales. Next, we take off the neck, or collar. Bone is very, very hard. The neck can be used for teriyaki for a great taste,” he said.

Next, Nonaga uses his sword to cut off a large, long chunk of fish. From this piece, he explains, he’ll be preparing saku, the long blocks often seen wrapped in plastic behind sushi counters. .

Nonaga cuts slices from the belly of the tuna, explaining each portion. Chu-toro is less fatty than o-toro, which is considered premium tuna with a flavour that Ozawa describes as “big.” Next, it’s time to take off the blood meat. It has quite a strong smell, so it is usually steamed with ginger, sugar, sake, and soy sauce.

Now that the piece of fish is trimmed to Nonaga’s exacting standards, it’s time to use the third knife.

“This knife is very sensitive, so if there is a bone, Chef will notice it easily,” Ozawa translates.

From the blocks of saku, he can prepare the fish for nigiri, sashimi, or maki.

The slice for nigiri, which comes with hand-formed rice, is different than the slice for sashimi. To make a hand-roll like maki, Nonago uses a spoon to scrape the flesh from the skin.

After all that preparation, Nonago stands beaming behind his table. Now it’s time to enjoy. 

Other articles by Erin Criger

Email me: erin.criger@citynews.rogers.com

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