Daikaya 2f The Izakaya - Washington

Went to this restaurant twice now, once with a friend for lunch with wonderful service. We returned another time with family and found the evening service to be extremely slow. It took 10 minutes before we could order drinks and a lot of waiting to get the bill. Unfortunately due to the number of staff in the kitchen it seemed that some party members finished their food before the last person's meal arrived. The food was tasty for the price. I wished their carbonara dish was a thicker creamier sauce but portions for all dishes were satisfactory. The ambiance was nice both times as they sat us in a comfortable table for six people when we called for reservations. My favourite part of this restaurant is the ample parking available surrounding the restaurant.

Izakaya Tomo has an excellent atmosphere for late night hangout with friends/groups. That being said, the price is a bit on the higher end for the selection and quality of food, so I'd rate them 7.8/10

Izakaya Tomo was the very first izakaya to open in Edmonton and I consider them a part of the food renaissance that happened in the city in the early 2010s. It was a time when Edmonton started to experience new things in our cuisine and everyone was very excited about the concept of an izakaya coming to town. Since then, Izakaya Tomo has truly paved the way you can probably find upwards of ten izakayas in the city today. So what 's an izakaya? It 's an informal affair where you order drinks alongside small dishes of food. A Japanese pub, essentially. It 's all about eating, drinking and being merry Japanese style. The atmosphere is meant to be boisterous and even a bit rowdy. EDify Magazine named Izakaya Tomo as Best Sushi 2022 and the Edmonton Journal voted them as Favourite Ramen Restaurant 2022. I find the latter accolade curious because they don 't have ramen on the menu. Did they used to? They do have udon... But that 's not ramen. You 'll find the restaurant in the Strathcona Industrial Park, which is admittedly a bit of a strange location. Maybe it 's the train yard directly across the street? However, parking is easy and the signage is very clear. Inside, you are met with an unexpectedly beautiful space. The staff will acknowledge your entrance and exit by shouting a welcoming greeting at you which sets the tone for your visit immediately. The style of the restaurant is quintessentially Japanese, with beautiful dark wood, dim lighting, bench seating, and sake bottles adorning the shelves. If you want to be transported to Japan without leaving Edmonton, this is a surefire way to do it. All of the menus at Izakaya Tomo are extensive drinks included. You 'll see the Japanese beers that you know and love Sapporo, Asahi , tons of sake both hot and cold , and you know that they 've got Ramune as well. It had to be the Sake Caesar Sake, clamato, shichimi pepper, soy sauce and hot sauce $10.00 for me, which seemed like a fun fusion of east meets west. Delivering sake in a big way, this drink accomplished what I wanted it to do. Salty and savoury, I enjoyed the spicy kick and notes of Asian flavours that turn this classic Canadian cocktail into a new version of itself. The food menu is lengthy and everything is served tapas style with the intention that a group of people will order many dishes with everyone sampling all of the different flavours. We did just that and our helpful and attentive server began to produce each dish in no particular order. A menu like this might come off as overwhelming but I recommend trying at least one plate from each section of the menu, if possible. From the Appetizer list, I was excited to order my favourite dish, the Aburi Saba Torched sashimi grade mackerel $8.00 . Mackerel is one of my very favourite fish to eat and this was such a delicately beautiful version of it. Tender pieces of almost raw saba lay on the plate, each infused with a light smokiness from the torch. Mackerel has a very distinct flavour that is quite bold. If you 're a fan of it like I am, you will love this ideal preparation. Next up was the Sashimi part of the menu and we wanted to go all in with as much fresh raw fish that we could get. The Assorted 5 Kinds Sashimi $45.00 was the answer. The plating and servingware at Izakaya Tomo is gorgeous and I kept noting this fact with each new dish. The sashimi offering included; tuna, salmon, octopus, squid, and scallop. Each piece was expertly sliced and generous in size. The freshness was evident and each bite melted in my mouth. Izakaya Tomo blends their own soy sauce that is less salty and milder in flavour compared to what you might be accustomed to. The soy sauce enhances the natural taste of the ingredients and I really noticed this application when dipping the sashimi pieces into the sauce. From the Sushi section I had to take the opportunity to order Bluefin Tuna $5.00 each , the most sought after and most expensive fish in the world. One of these fish can sell for millions of dollars! Our server asked if we wanted fatty or lean pieces of maguro and we selected fatty knowing that this is where you 'll find the best, distinctive medium full flavour. Known for its melt in your mouth firm texture and deep red colouring, bluefin is known for having the darkest and fattiest flesh of all the tuna varieties. You can expect a meaty texture and a characteristically rich and full flavour. Served atop their soft sushi rice, this was a treat! You can 't miss the Tomo Original Rolls and this is where I found my favourite dish of the meal. The Lobster Roll Lobster tempura, lobster California roll, avocado, with honey garlic mayo sauce $29.00 . The presentation of this roll says it all! I 've never eaten anything quite like this before and I was impressed by the perfect execution of this dish. The crispy, saucy lobster tempura on top was tender on the inside and not overcooked. The roll underneath packed more sweet lobster within, capitalizing

Always different specials to try. Yesterday was lobster on top of their lobster roll. Starters edamame cooked in butter, tuna tataki (no pics too good and ate it right away), sashimi 3 kinds, udon carbonara. Also real wasabi worth the real cost. This is the freshest sashimi in YEG.

Their sushi is always fresh and they have some unique dishes! They are often packed and don't take resos on the weekends so go early!