Makimono - Oshawa (Japanese)

Update: 2022-Oct-03 - Makimono's AYCE menu is back ($29.99 weekend lunch, $39.99 weekend dinner) so an happy to return them to the list!

Update: 2021-Aug-20 - There is currently no AYCE at this location post-lockdown even though it is now permitted (also seems to have returned to the other Makimonos in the chain) and it is unknown if and when it will ever return. I am therefore removing it from the active list, and will follow up periodically and restore it should it return to AYCE status.

Makimono is located at 1300 Harmony Road in Oshawa, just south of Taunton. It has a nice modern stylish interior with an interesting ceiling. Happily, reusable chopsticks are used, as well as iPad ordering. Pop is $2 AYCD. Soy at table was very salty and not very fresh, but low sodium is available on request. Low sodium soy sauce was much improved, with more flavor and much less salt.

Salmon and red snapper (tilapia) sashimi is available on lunch as with the other Makimono locations, which is worth a visit in itself. Salmon sashimi was excellent, very fresh and delicious, and we were amazingly happy that this is on lunch. Vegetarian sushi pizza was quite tasty; we usually don't order this. Miso soup was delicious with that "Javexey" flavor that Mishy loves although I think we need to think of a better word for it. Wonton soup was the first and only letdown of the meal; it was only moderately flavorful and needed more savor. Hot and sour soup was delicious and well-seasoned; it was just starting to go burnt but not enough to matter. Unfortunately it is very difficult to keep it fresh.

Black pepper beef was another excellent addition to the lunch menu and was quite good with plenty of garlic. Beef teriyaki was fantastic, not too sweet and peppery, and was among the best I have ever had. Dim sum shrimp har gow was excellent, with a darker and more flavorful dumpling than most, delicious. Dim sum pork shiu mai was very good and nicely seasoned. The flavor was also somewhat odd. Chicken teriyaki also had a fantastic flavor with a whiny sauce and was well-cooked. Sweet and sour chicken was very good with a nice orange cheese sauce. Pad thai was a little sweet but still delicious and I enjoyed it. Spicy basil shrimp was quite good and indeed spicy, beware as the heat creeps up on you. Beef broccoli was very good with a nice savory sauce. Chicken with broccoli with similarly good in the same sauce and was delicious.

For dessert, raspberry, mango, and "black forest" cake are the same make as at many other places in Toronto from a third-party. Strawberry Jell-O was very good but it's hard not to be. Sweet bun was good, but not as good as the custard dim sum bun was, of which I had seconds. Mango ice cream has that amazing mango flavor which is most desirable. Vanilla ice cream was like french vanilla and had excellent character and was delicious. Even the red bean has a fantastic flavor which is most desirable and hard to find. Green tea ice cream was delicious very fresh and full of flavor. Banana tempura was good in a sweet maple sauce. Weekend lunch is $20.99 and with the included sashimi this is an excellent value with only one minor letdown. We had a wonderful lunch and would happily return.

Rating: 9-9.5/10