Makimono - Whitby (Japanese)

Makimono Sushi Bar & Restaurant is located in Whitby near the Thickson Road exit of Highway 401. Makimono has a striking modern interior with an interesting, almost cage-like, design around the dining area. Happily chopsticks are reusable. Pop is $1.99 AYCD. Soy at table was very salty, but low-sodium is available on request; it was a slight improvement and somewhat more flavorful.

Green salad was very good, very fresh in a nice house orange-ginger dressing. Mishy said the miso soup was amazing, and I agree that it was very good and rich with plenty of savour. Shiitake roll was delicious; I don't have these nearly enough. Mishy liked the wakame salad.

Spring rolls were very good and the sauce is quite good, not too sweet and the rolls were not oily. Mishy was blase about the beef teriyaki, but I loved it; the seasoning was very good in a slightly sweet sauce and complemented it well. Pad thai was excellent and not too sweet; the sauce and seasoning were very good. Black pepper beef was absolutely fantastic, beautiful cubes of steak wonderfully seasoned and worth the entire meal. Salmon Teriyaki was very good, the sauce was quite tasty. Mishy loved the General Tao/Tso chicken and I agreed it was quite good.

Dim sum custard buns were up above the best I have ever had, the filling was absolutely delicious. Dim sum spinach dumpling was quite good, and a nice variation on the usual. Har gao shrimp dumplings were good. Pork shiu mai was also good, though not as savory as at some other places, but still quite sufficient.

Mishy also really loved the pumpkin tempura and it was very good, not oily and the dipping sauce was tasty. Sesame chicken was good in a nice sauce. Chicken don was delicious, but unfortunately was too sweet for my liking.  Coconut shrimp was very good, and I could clearly taste the coconut. Chicken karaage was very good in a ketchup-like derived sauce. Beef udon soup was quite good, not overly spiced but still savory and tasty.

Amazingly and wonderfully, like the others of this chain, Makimono has sashimi available on lunch. Crab surimi was very fresh and good. Red snapper AKA tilapia was among the freshest I have had; it was absolutely just-caught fresh. Salmon sashimi was also extremely fresh and very good. Salmon nigiri was very good, fresh and tasty, but with sashimi available we passed on more sushi!

For dessert, banana tempura was excellent, with just enough chocolate sauce and delicious. Strawberry jello was very good, although it is jello so difficult not to be. Mocha, mango and strawberry mousse cakes are the same brands used at many other places, and it was noticed that they were slightly stale but not really enough to matter. Mango ice cream had that wonderful flavor that is very desirable, and was very fresh. Vanilla also had a delicious and unique flavor and was very fresh. Red bean ice cream was pretty much like other red beans but was good. Mishy loved the chocolate ice cream, saying it was over the top. Coconut ice cream was not only the best coconut, but one of the best ice creams I've ever had, filled with pieces of shredded coconut and absolutely delicious. Weekday lunch was $20.99, and with the included sashimi and quality of the offerings this is an excellent value. Hoping to return to Makimono with Mishy and the rest of my family.

Rating: 9-9.5/10