Kayamono Japanese Restaurant is located at 110 Windflower Gate G1, Woodbridge, just west of the intersection of Hwy. 7 and Hwy. 400. It's close enough to the Vaughan Metro. Centre subway station that it could be called transit-accessible. $2.50 AYCD pop including Pepsi Zero is available. Ginger is not dyed pink. Kayamono has a largish modern interior, not too loud. iPad menus are used. Reusable chopsticks thankfully are also used. Sashimi is on the lunch menu! Soy at table was slightly salty and flavourful.
Mishy described the seaweed salad as “comparable.” Miso soup was a little bit dilute and only had moderate dashi; Mishy said “very dilute.” Hot and sour soup was not dilute, flavourful and hot in temperature; was quite good. In the wonton soup, the pork wontons were actually off to almost being rotten and tasted terrible, one of the worst soups I’ve had since Ninki many years ago.
Happily, it got better. We both enjoyed the avocado cucumber roll. Sushi pizza was delicious and Mishy loved it; we never used to order this before. Butterfish AKA escolar nigiri was very good and fresh, and also snapper AKA tilapia. Crab aka surimi sushi also fresh and quite good. Butterfish AKA escolar sashimi was even fresher and was delicious. Red snapper sashimi was excellent and up there with the best I've had of this, in thick slices and perfectly fresh as if it was just caught. Salmon nigiri was also very fresh and good, as was surf clam nigiri.
Enoki beef roll we both loved although Mishy says it reminded her of drive-in movies, which is rather bizarre... I’m guessing she thought of onion rings. Negimiyaki beef roll was pretty much the same, except with more green onion, also enjoyed them. Mishy said the beef teriyaki was “rubbery” which she usually only applies to chicken, and for once I agreed... they were tasty though, the sauce wasn't bad, and the beef had some savour. Chicken teriyaki amazingly was not described as rubbery, but Mishy said it was boring and dry. I agree with dry but I found it quite flavourful, smoky and savoury. We both loved the beef skewers as they were also smoky and savoury and delicious. Deep fried white fish was very similar to chicken katsu, and had the same breading and sauce.
Chicken cutlet AKA katsu was quite good not oily and the sauce was good. Black pepper beef machine said was over the top good and was the best part of the meal. I also loved it. Then she said the sweet and sour chicken was amazing, and I also enjoyed it and the sauce was quite good. Gyoza were also good and the sauce was nice and tangy. Deep fried scallop AKA surimi was also quite good with its sauce and was not oily. Spring rolls were very crunchy and not oily, and the sauce was good. The spring rolls also had an excellent flavour. Pumpkin tempura was excellent, not oily and the sauce was very good and complemented well. Shrimp tempura was not oily, and quite good.
Mishy liked the bacon-wrapped tomato and usually she is not into that sort of stuff; she said it reminded her a BLT and I agree. Crab cheese wonton was delicious especially with the sauce which had mango in it it seems.
For dessert, Mishy indicated that the chocolate ice cream was extremely freezer burned, and I agreed... it was crumbly and had ice crystals in it. Thankfully they had my favourite ice cream: ginger, and it was very fresh and excellent. Chocuccino dessert was fantastic and made up for at least a prior shortcoming or two. Mango pudding was very good with sweet milk on top. Strawberry jello shot glass was, well Jell-o, and it's hard to get that wrong. Mocha and mango mousse cakes are the same as used as many other AYCEs throughout the Toronto area. Weekend lunch was $30. This would be an excellent value with sashimi on the lunch menu and some better-than-average offerings, but a few shortcomings, one serious, weigh on it... I can’t overlook rotten-tasting food in any circumstance. A sad marring of an otherwise enjoyable lunch.
Rating: 7 – 7.5 / 10
