Flying to Tokyo for a proper omakase meal used to mean booking a long-haul flight and navigating month-long waitlists in Ginza. This November, you can get a taste of that experience right in Toronto’s Financial District, though the price tag might actually rival airfare.
Sushi Yūgen is celebrating its third anniversary with a three-day pop-up featuring Tokyo chef Hiroyuki Sato. At $1,400 per seat for dinner and $695 for lunch, it’s one of the city’s priciest dining events, raising the question of whether to book a round-trip ticket to Japan or simply cross the street.
Before opening his Ginza sushi counter Hakkoku, Sato led Michelin-starred Sushi Tokami. He also joined Sushi Yūgen for its soft opening, making this a return visit for the chef. The Toronto restaurant, recognized by Canada’s 100 Best, is led by head chef Kyohei Igarashi, whose 25-year career spans Michelin-starred omakase and traditional kaiseki. During the anniversary event, Sato will personally prepare and serve sushi to just 12 guests per seating, using premium ingredients flown in from Japan.
The dinner seatings take place on November 17 and 18 at 5:30 p.m. The $1,400 ticket includes Sato’s sushi omakase paired with six Burgundy wines from Domaine Armand Heitz. For those who would rather skip the wine pairing, a single lunch seating takes place on November 19 at 12:30 p.m. for $695 per person.
With just 36 seats available across the three-day event, the pop-up offers a chance to experience Sato’s sushi without making the trip to Tokyo. Whether that experience is worth the price of a transpacific flight is another question.