| Zen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 2000 |
| Owner(s) | Seiichi Kashiwabara |
| Head chef | Seiichi Kashiwabara |
| Food type | Japanese |
| Rating | Recommended (Michelin Guide) |
| Street address | 7634 Woodbine Avenue |
| City | Markham, Ontario |
| Country | Canada |
| Website | zenjapaneserestaurant |
Zen is a Michelin recommended Japanese restaurant in the Milliken Mills neighbourhood of Markham, Ontario, located north of Toronto. It offers an omakase menu. [1]
The restaurant is owned and operated by chef Seiichi Kashiwabara, who immigrated to Canada from Japan in 1984. [2] Kashiwabara first lived in Ottawa, working as a sushi chef there before moving to the Toronto area. [2]
Zen, a Japanese restaurant situated in a Markham strip mall, was first established in 2000. [3] [4] Kashiwabara initially joined Zen as head chef upon relocating to Toronto. He later acquired the restaurant and moved it from its original Scarborough location to its current address in Markham. [5] [2] [6]
The business only uses fresh fish for their sushi, [2] much of it delivered from Japan several times weekly. [4] Many of the employees of the restaurant are Japanese nationals, who have come to work at Zen via work permit to train under Kashiwabara. [2] [6] Notable sushi chefs in the Toronto-area have worked at Zen and trained under Kashiwabara, including Michelin–starred Shoushin chef-owner Jackie Lin. [5] [7]
The business received a 'Recommended' designation in the 2024 edition of the Toronto and Region Michelin Guide. [2] [3] Michelin highlighted the restaurant's price point for its omakase chef's counter experience, and also praised the restaurant for having "some of the best nori in town." [3] Per the guide, a 'Recommended' selection "is the sign of a chef using quality ingredients that are well cooked; simply a good meal" and that the anonymous inspectors had found "the food to be above average, but not quite at [Michelin star] level." [8] As of the 2024 edition, Zen is the only restaurant in Markham to be included in the Toronto guide. [9] Michelin–starred Markham restaurant Frilu was also in the guide before its closure in summer 2024. [9]
Toronto-area digital publication BlogTO lauded Zen as "long holding the reputation as one of the best sushi joints in town." [10]
Zen was included in magazine Toronto Life's list of the best Japanese restaurants in Greater Toronto, with the publication highlighting the business's "meticulously cut" sashimi plates. [11]
In 2022, Markham made United States food publication Eater's list of best food cities to travel to, with Zen receiving a callout as the "go-to destination for hardcore omakase aficionados." [1]
Omakase is a Japanese phrase, used when ordering food in restaurants, that means 'I'll leave it up to you'.
Masayoshi "Masa" Takayama is a Japanese chef and restaurateur. He is the owner of Masa, a three-Michelin-starred Japanese and sushi restaurant in Manhattan, New York City. He is also owner of Bar Masa, with two locations: one adjacent to his New York City restaurant, and one in the Aria Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada.
Pujol is a Mexican cuisine restaurant in Polanco, Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico City. The restaurant is owned and headed by chef Enrique Olvera. Pujol's dishes are based on traditional Mexican cuisine, including maize-based food, seafood, and tacos, served in a sophisticated presentation through tasting menus or a taco omakase bar.
Sushi of Gari is a Japanese sushi restaurant located at 402 East 78th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, in New York City. It is considered to be a hallmark destination for sushi enthusiasts and is also known as the restaurant frequented by characters Max and Sean in the 2019 comedy, "The Car Crash".
Sushi Yasuda is a Japanese sushi restaurant located at 204 East 43rd Street in the Midtown East area of Manhattan, New York City.
Urasawa was a Japanese restaurant located in Beverly Hills, California run by head chef Hiroyuki Urasawa who used to work with Masa Takayama. As of 2018, the restaurant was considered the second most expensive in the world after Sublimotion at $1,111 per person. Urasawa closed in 2020.
Niki Nakayama is an American chef and the owner of Michelin-starred n/naka restaurant in Los Angeles, specializing in modern Japanese kaiseki cuisine.
Jū-Ni is an Omakase-style sushi restaurant located at 1335 Fulton Street in San Francisco, California founded by Geoffrey Lee and Tan Truong. It was Michelin-starred in 2017, and lost the star in 2022.
n/naka is a one-Michelin-star modern kaiseki restaurant located in Los Angeles, founded by chef Niki Nakayama. The name is a portmanteau of Nakayama's first and last name. In 2019, n/naka was named to Food & Wine's 30 best restaurants in the world.
Sushi Masaki Saito is a Japanese restaurant run by chef Masaki Saito. It has two Michelin stars.
Sushi Taro is a Japanese restaurant in Washington, D.C. The restaurant specializes in sushi, and has received a Michelin star.
Shoushin is a Japanese restaurant in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The restaurant serves sushi and has received a Michelin star. Jackie Lin is the owner and head chef.
Omakase Yume is a Japanese restaurant in Chicago, Illinois. The restaurant has received a Michelin star. Thrillist has included Omakase Yume is lists of Chicago's best sushi establishments.
Sushi Noz is a Japanese restaurant in New York City. The restaurant serves sushi and has received a Michelin star. In 2023, its Michelin rating was increased to two stars.
Icca is a Japanese restaurant in New York City. Kazushige Suzuki is the chef. The restaurant serves sushi and has received a Michelin star.
Yoshino is a Japanese restaurant in New York City serving omakase.
Omakase is a Japanese restaurant in the South of Market neighborhood in San Francisco, California. The 14-seat restaurant, owned by Kash Feng and chef Jackson Yu, has earned a Michelin star.
Okeya Kyujiro is a theatrical Omakase restaurant located in Canada.
Yoshi's Sushi is a Japanese restaurant in Portland, Oregon. Chef and owner Yoshimasa "Yoshi" Ikeda started the business from a food cart in southwest Portland's Multnomah Village neighborhood in 2019. Yoshi's has garnered a positive reception, ranking fourth in The Oregonian's list of Portland's best new food carts of 2019 and seventh in Yelp's 2024 list of the one hundred best sushi restaurants in the United States.
