The race for the title of Best Sushi in Edmonton was tight, but Izakaya Tomo ended up on top with just a few votes separating it from Dorinku Tokyo in second place. Izakaya Tomo serves quality food with thoughtfully crafted drinks in an authentic Japanese atmosphere, and that resonates with diners.
The menu is extensive, featuring appetizers, salads, sashimi, sushi, rolls, fried rice and noodles. We tried the Crispy Spicy Tuna Roll and Salad Rolls, both of which were fresh and flavourful. Each dish was artfully plated with perfect portions. The best way to enjoy Izakaya Tomo is with a group, so you can try a variety of dishes as there are many to choose from. Top off your experience with a glass of sake or any of the other traditional Japanese beverages on the drink menu. The overall service is over the top and owner Tomoya Mutaguchi is known to make his rounds at each table to check in and give his thanks. – Katrina Turchin
3739 99 ST. NW, 780-440-9152,IzakayaTomo.net
At the risk of being generic, I find everything at Dorinku Tokyo to be the tastiest of its kind. For many places, Shaka Shaka fries (fun to say, even more fun to shake) would be the marquee item, but the rest of the menu just gets more delectable. Then you get to the pressed sushi and roll section, and it’s scrumptious city.
The three- or five-kinds sashimi and Wild Sockeye Salmon Press are solid go-tos, the latter using specialty sauces (the phrase “house-made” makes many appearances on the menu, which may explain the abundance of succulence). But we went with the TNT Pressed Sushi, drizzled in TNT sauce with deep fried shrimp on top. The only problem is there’s never quite enough, but that’s what the Shaka Shaka fries are for. – Cory Schachtel
10205 82 AVE. NW, 780-988-9760, Tokyo.Dorinku.ca
By now, you may have noticed that many long-standing establishments have fared very well with the judges in this year’s edition of Best Restaurants. And, when it comes to dining institutions in Edmonton, Mikado certainly fits the bill. While Japanese restaurants are common-place in 2022 and we consider sushi one of this city’s most popular dining choices, it wasn’t like that when Mikado opened its doors 50 years ago. It was the first Japanese restaurant in the city. Now, there are three locations and the quality of its rolls and sushi remain among the top of the Edmonton restaurant scene. When you say you want a spicy Dynamite Roll, it’s a given that you’re speaking of Mikado’s ubiquitous offerings. Mikado deserves credit for not only being great today, but for paving the way for Japanese cuisine on the Edmonton dining scene. – Steven Sandor
10350 109 ST. NW, 780-425-8096
1903 98 ST. NW, 780-432-4500
9942 170 ST. NW, 780-481-2202, MikadoRestaurant.com
This article appears in the March 2022 issue of Edify
