Quietly soft-launching at the beginning of February, Jumi Gozen Bar has been wowing patrons with their artistically presented sushi -- and they haven't even opened their dining room yet.
Beautifully arranged boxes of sushi are captivating eyes as they make their rounds on Instagram. Vibrant colours, visibly fresh fish, meticulous attention to garnish details and surely delicious flavour combinations await those who pick up a takeout box from North York's newest Japanese restaurant.
The owner aims to expand upon Toronto's Japanese restaurant scene through Jumi Gozen Bar. Growing up in Vancouver, she notes how she's been spoiled by the incredible sushi scene on the West Coast and wants to bring that piece of her upbringing into a spot of her own.
"Though Toronto has some of the most diverse food scene, we've always felt that there's an opportunity to expand within the Japanese cuisine," she says. "We thought we could help with that, so Jumi Gozen Bar was born -- a modern culinary experience honouring Japanese tradition through gozen style meals."
Gozen style meals are meal sets where a main dish, which is often fish or meat, is accompanied by a handful of side dishes that includes miso soup.
Though they've taken an innovative approach to presentation, treating every slice like a blank canvas, traditional methods of preparation are still respected. Since the team sources the majority of their ingredients from Japan and values the seasonality of ingredients, an ever-changing menu is present.
"We want our diners to enjoy all aspects of our dishes, from the seafood down to the sauces and garnishes, using only the highest quality ingredients that the season has to offer," she says. "We hope to engage and excite our customers as we continue to expand our menu and roll out new dishes."
The current takeout menu features sashimi, nigiri, chirashi (sushi rice topped with assorted sashimi), aburi pressed sushi (flame-seared pressed sushi) and futomaki (thick maki rolls). As mentioned previously, since the menu focuses on showcasing what's in season, fish selection does rotate. Right now, indulge in options such as Kinme Tai (Golden Eye Seabream), Sawara (Spanish Mackerel), Shima Aji (Stripe Jack) and Hirame (Flounder).
According to the owner, the crowd favourite so far is their Mosaic Chirashi, and for good reason. Unique in its presentation, it's plated gorgeously, with thin slices of the Chef's choice of premium sashimi portioned in squares over a bed of rice, topped with Japanese garnishes including uni and salmon roe.
Other popular items so far are their Nigiri Sets and Torched Pressed Sushi. Jumi Gozen Bar also allows you to customize your own sashimi and nigiri sets, which conveniently lets you pick options you think (or know) you'll enjoy most.
Once they're able to welcome guests in, expect an omakase-style counter experience, served in a gozen style setting, where all dishes are prepared right in front of your eyes. A 10-seat bar allows for diners to have an intimate and personal experience with the kitchen team.
Until then, Jumi Gozen Bar is currently open six days a week for takeout. Find them on weekdays (excluding Tuesday) from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, they're open from 12 p.m. until 9 p.m. Follow them on Instagram to be the first to know when they finally welcome guests in their dining room.
"As much as we'd like to offer [dine-in] right now, we want to perfect not just our menu, but our dining experience as well," she says. "As we reach the end of our preparation phase, we would like to thank everyone for their continued support, and we promise to open our doors to you soon!"
