The art and traditional flavour of the Edo era, right in Oakville
By Rebecca Dumais
Enter into Hōseki Sushi in downtown Oakville, and if it’s a simple sushi platter you’re looking for, you’ll be seated at one of the tables. But if a traditional experience is what drew you to this intimate Japanese restaurant, you’ll be seated at the bar, where you can watch the masters at work.
As you sit and perhaps sip on some sake, a glass of wine or Sapporo, owner-chef Tim Nguyen will create individual pieces for you and serve them one after another at somewhat leisurely intervals, so you can savour each piece. This style of eating sushi is called Omasake, or chef’s choice. “Leave it up to the chef to choose what is best in season to serve, and the menu changes depending on what’s available,” he explains.
Chef Tim brings with him 28 years of experience; he completed his training in 1995 in Portland, Oregon, where he trained under Kurata Sensei, Suzuki Sensei and Maru Sensei. Working alongside Chef Tim are Master Chef Osamu Fukushige, with 35 years of experience; Master Chef Roy Takizawa, who is in his tenth year of sushi mastery; and Sushi Chefs Luc Le and Leon Lo. Both have completed apprenticeship under Chef Tim and excel in the intricate art of Sushi Maki.
The menu itself is mainly sushi, with very limited cooked items. Daily selections consist of 25 different freshly prepared seafood items and some seasonal rare finds. Where the restaurant excels is in delivering the best quality sushi through the authentic experience of traditional “Edomae style” sushi, and all ingredients are sourced from Japan.
Hōseki makes nigiri sushi in the traditional Japanese Edomae style, which was invented in Tokyo during Japan’s Edo period (1818-1830). This style of sushi uses Akas, which is sake yeast instead of rice vinegar, giving the sushi rice a slightly red or brown colour. “Edomae style means using local fish and ingredients, so we must use everything from Japan to get the same experience,” says Chef Tim. “During the Edomae period there was no refrigeration available, so all fish was preserved with salt.” The fish was aged, similarly to wine, in order to bring out the intensity of the flavours and improve the texture.
Each piece of sushi features six ingredients: top-grade Japanese short grain rice; Edo red wine vinegar; roasted Nori (seaweed); a fresh, mild wasabi seasoning; fresh-cut aged sashimi (raw fish), and a garnish of the chef’s choice. Each component is served at the proper ratio and temperature in order to complement the fish in each piece of sushi. Beverage-wise, Chef Tim says that the best way to enjoy sushi is with cold sake.
Absent from the tables and bar at Hōseki are bottles of soy sauce. Edomae sushi has a stronger taste, and doesn’t require it. The rice, which is slightly acidic, melts the fat once it’s in your mouth and leaves a mild and smooth taste. You will, however, be given a small mound of ginger to eat between each piece.
Of the 11 pieces we enjoyed, they were as follows: Albacore Tuna, Monkfish, Miso Cod, a small bowl of fish stock soup, Golden Eye Snapper, Mediterranean Fatty Tuna, Spanish Mackerel, New Zealand King Salmon with Black Truffles, Fatty Tuna with Caviar, and Fatty Tuna with Salmon Roe. As one who’s not entirely a seafood lover, I was won over. Each piece was so flavourful.
Chef Tim is proud to exhibit what he does – and loves – best. “I love what I do, because I put smiles on people’s faces,” he says. “Seeing customers’ satisfaction makes me happy.” Being a chef is not just about delivering good food; what’s also crucial is safe food handling when dealing with such delicate (raw) ingredients. Oh, and a word to the wise: Don’t let the sushi sit longer than 10 seconds, he cautions, or it will lose its flavour. And, it must be savoured in one bite.
For more info, visit HosekiSushi.com
