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Le Cafe Michi
Categories: Restaurants Sushi Bars Restaurants Japanese Sushi Bars, Japanese [Edit]
1802 Pharmacy AveToronto, ON M1T 1H6
Neighbourhood: Scarborough
(416) 490-9688
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 11:30 am - 9 pm
Sun 11:30 am - 8 pm
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dessert, Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
30 reviews for Le Cafe Michi
Review Highlights
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"...were in Japanese Nabeyaki Udon/Sushi/Unagi eel rice heaven." In 3 reviews -
"The sashimi is very fresh and everything is beautifully..." In 2 reviews -
"Nothing is too sweet and each slice is perfectly portioned." In 3 reviews
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30 reviews in English
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Review from Yvonne T.
Le Cafe Michi is small and quaint like most eateries you would find in Japan proper. Le Cafe Michi is a diamond in the rough. The rough being an unadorned, bland white plaza in the middle of Scarborough. The numbering is pretty weird on Pharmacy Avenue and I actually drove past it a few times before I finally found it.
I panicked momentarily when I walked in and almost every single table out front had a RESERVED sign on it. It may be located in a most humble and hidden location, but demand can rival any restaurant located in prime real estate locations downtown.
The restaurant itself is not big. I would say that maximum capacity is no more than 35. As you walk through the door you will see the cake display and random knick knacks (key chains and jewelery?) for sale at the counter.
It isn't your typical Japanese restaurant run by Chinese people. And although the word "authentic" is thrown around so much it'll make your eyes glaze over - Le Cafe Michi is just that.
As I entered the restaurant on this particular Saturday, eagerly anticipating my meal I felt a flush of panic. Almost every single table had a reserved sign on it. I start praying to the upper powers that there is still room and magically my prayers are heard.
As I'm being led to my seat I catch a quick glimpse of the cake display, because you come to just as much for the cake as you do for the actual sushi - or so I'm told. I can't help but feel puzzled as I see random Japanese knick knacks (jewelry and key chains for sale on top of the counter).
The decor is minimalist, but I am lucky enough to nab a seat by the sushi bar, where Toshi-San works his magic.
I carefully scan the menu and notice that the Omakase rings in at $50, but that you need to call in advance. Omakase, literally meaning "I'll leave it to you" is a tasting menu in which the chef presents you with a series of dishes from lightest to heaviest. [1] Depending on the venue, this can be quite a spectacle to watch.
The salad is pretty average but the Miso soup was definitely memorable. It had a really concentrated flavour to it and you could taste the distinct soy flavour in the soup, even if it was just a tad bit salty!
I tuck that thought into the back of my mind and focus on what I can order. We end up opting for a set lunch of Sashimi served with rice, starter salad, beverage (coffee/tea) and dessert. We also order Katsu Chicken Curry that is accompanied by rice. Unlike most Japanese restaurants in Toronto, you have to pay for the tea at Le Cafe Michi.
I can harp about how the Sashimi was fresh, but there's not much else you can say about raw fish and Toronto is definitely not home to the freshest catches either. One really only needs knife skills - and most sushi chefs are experienced enough to serve up the right thickness of sliced fish. My only compliment can be that the wasabi "relish" with scallions was delicious.
The Katsu Chicken curry was creamy and thick. The chicken is battered and deep fried. The chicken was perfectly battered and crispy on the outside. The chicken was quite tender. For me, the selling point of this dish was the rice. The texture of it was different than your average plain bowl of white rice, and soaked up the curry beautifully. The base of the sauce is made with curry powder and thickened with a roux. It should be noted that Japanese curries are unlike Indian curries in that they are quite mild. While it is regarded as a Western dish (since the introduction of curry to Japan was via English cuisine), it is now regarded as a national dish due to its popularity. [2]
The Green Teacake was what I was most excited about as several friends had dined here and highly recommended it. Asian desserts tend to be less "heavy" and less sweet compared to its Western counterparts. Mousse cake are most popular because they are regarded as light and airy. The cake was layered with green-tea infused sponge cake and mousse with a red bean filling and definitely lived up to its hype. The sponge cake was light as a feather, and the red bean gave it just the right amount of sweetness.
Verdict:
Those of you who are used to stuffing yourselves silly at AYCE Japanese buffets for $25 will find Le Cafe Michi to be on the expensive side. Mains range from $15-$35, but you come here for quality as opposed to quantity.
It is a relaxing place to go to slowly sip back a cup of green tea while savouring the flavours of the items that are placed in front of you. The servers are quick to refill your coffee/tea and work quickly and efficiently.
I will definitely be back to try the Omakase - as the price is quite reasonable compared to the likes of Sushi Kaji ($100-$120 for their tasting menu).
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[1] WikipediaListed in: Scarberia
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Review from Precilla C.
Scarborough, ON
Le Café Michi is located in a tiny plaza at the corner of Pharmacy and Sheppard. If you blink, you'll certainly miss it. If it helps, the tiny restaurant is in the same plaza as Lin's Garden, which has more visible signage.
Plastered on the front page of the menu is a list of rules to abide by while dining here. No reservations for cake and drinks only. They do not serve cake and drinks only during peak dining hours. No sharing of coffee or green tea. Minimum order charge of $5.00 per person if that person does not order anything. I personally found this slightly annoying and pretentious.
My mom and I shared a Chyo-chin Bento, which came in 3 stacked tiers. At the very top was the featured deep fried selection (agemono) of the day- nuggets of lightly battered chicken drizzled with spicy mayo. This was very tasty, particularly that tangy spicy mayo. The chicken was juicy and flavourful, but not overly greasy. The middle layer contained six pieces of assorted sashimi- salmon, tuna, and hamachi. I wasn't the greatest fan of this. First of all, the sashimi wasn't as cold as I would prefer it to be. Out of the three types of sashimi, I only enjoyed the salmon. The other two had a slightly unpleasant fishy aftertaste. The bottom tier featured unajyu on sushi rice. The hearty bowl of rice was topped with fillets of barbeque eel, shredded omelette, some pickled vegetables and toasted seaweed. I wished there were more than 2 pieces of fish, but other than that, this was really delicious. The eel wasn't particularly stellar, but what shone was the sushi rice, which was so flavourful that it hardly needed any garnish.
In addition to the lunch set, we also ordered uni sashimi, which both my mom and I love. This was simple and delicious- fresh and sweet! Uni is one of those things that will taste horrible if it's not fresh, but luckily this turned out great.
Finally, our tiny slice of blueberry cheesecake was utterly disappointing. I love my cheesecakes, and this one was awful! It was grainy, dry and bland. Even the blueberries as garnishes were sour. The only positive thing I have to say about the cake was that the slice was extremely small. Ergo, I didn't need to feel too guilty about eating it. Nevertheless, it was a complete waste of calories, and effectively ruined the meal, even though everything else was pretty good.
I can definitely see the charm in this restaurant, but at the same time, I also sense a pretentious air that I don't appreciate. I wouldn't rush back any time for another meal. But when I have another fresh uni craving, I'll definitely keep this place in mind. -
Review from Theresa W.
Vancouver, BC
12/27/2011
My brother and I decided to give this place a visit after all the rave reviews, and it's definitely a nice place but small and busy - you defnitely need reservations. We were heartbroken when they told us they were completely booked up for dinner on a weeknight (what!), so we decided to get take out. Then we were heartbroken even more to find out that we couldn't order any sushi, since the sushi chef was completely tied up with all the sit down orders. Le sigh.
We ordered the gyudon and a chicken katsu curry meal to go, complete with the green tea cake and the bailey's cake. The cakes are fantastic, and completely worth it. The cooked food is good, but nothing amazing. I know I know, I need to come back to try the sushi. It's on my to-do list while I'm in town.
The staff is friendly, but they seemed pretty stressed out with all the orders coming in. It's hidden away in a side plaza, so you'll need sharp eyes to find it - they don't have an "open" sign out front or anything and it's sort of dimly lit, so it always looks closed from far away. -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
Updated - 9/10/2011 17 photos
Le Cafe Michi you really disappointed me!! I was hoping you can impressed my Yelp Blogger Japanese food expert with your food, but in fact you embarrassed me...
You charged $8 for your Toro Miki which we were happy to pay expected that it would at least be half decently good... but it was like something I got at T&T. The rolls was falling apart when we picked it up by chopsticks and the toro was so chewy....
Luckily, My Chicken Teriyaki Set ($12.95) was as good as I remembered. The chicken was tender and moist with this light delicate gingery taste. I always love the cake and the coffee that ones with the set!!
Services was though arrogant and lacking... I was not impressed.... I was in fact embarrassed.... The older lady that took care of us later was much better, maybe I should request not to be served by one of those pretty Japanese girls??Listed in: Japanese Restaurants in the…, Lunch Specials in Scarborough, Japanese Restaurant Owned by…, Memories of Japan in GTA!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/9/2009
Le Cafe Michi has one of my favourite solo lunch Japanese Restaurants.
I always arrive before 12 pm… Read more »
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Review from Mardi C.
Markham, ON
12/9/2011
LOVE THIS PLACE!!!
Food and service is oh so ichiban! Have to try the Chocolate Sake Mousse cake for dessert or over a cup of really yummy coffee!
The place is a bit small, so I would recommend making reservations and their last seating time is 8:45PM EST. Price is alittle high but well worth the quality. -
Review from C P.
Mississauga, ON
10/24/2011
This place is wonderful. Aside from sushi, I love cakes and coffee. This place has it all. My favourite is the cafe au lait chirashi and the green tea cake. I like the mocha cake as well.
It gets very busy here so you either need to go when they open in the morning, or make reservations for any other time. It's a small place, so it's rather hard to get a seat if you don't have reservations. -
Review from Vivian W.
10/11/2011
Yes, this place is not cheap, but it's worth it, especially you are craving for some quality raw fish.
What I like the most is their sashimi combo dinner, the chicken dinner with some salmon sashimi and their chirashi.
All their dinners come with complimentary salad and dessert (a slice of Japanese cake). My favourite is not their japanese green tea, tofu cheese cake, sake cheese cake... but the English Truffle (mixed fruits with some very light pound cake in a cup). It tastes so good! It tastes a lot better than it looks. So, given this, I dont think this place is too expensive. -
Review from Angie C.
Toronto, ON
8/31/2011
Holy expensive, Batman! But to me, worth every penny. I happily fork out the dollars for this authentic "mom & pop" couple. They are REAL Japanese people making SUSHI and delectable desserts. Damn fine sushi. A real family run operation, their daughter even served us. She was very sweet and adorable.
We sat in the back section, in front of the sushi bar action. We watched Mister "Michi" prepare everyone's fish with a very experienced hand. We also witnessed Mrs. "Michi" preparing fried chicken, soba and rice bowls. They were so cute.
My companion and I shared a spicy salmon roll to start, the most expensive one I've had in my life ($7.45 for six pieces of maki). Most places charge half that price for the same thing - but different caliber, as we soon realized. This was fresh and delicious, large hunks of salmon in a spicy mayo, surrounded by perfectly warm, vinegar-ed, sticky sushi rice.
My companion and I both had the Chochin Bento. We loved the three tiered compartment bowls. The top bowl contained karaage with spicy mayo (Japanese fried chicken). Hot, crispy, juicy and delicious! It didn't look like a lot, but there was actually quite a bit of chicken in there. The middle bowl contained the best sashimi I've ever had, fresh and melty. Six slices in total, two each of salmon, tuna and whitefish. There was a shiso leaf in there too, I've never had shiso. It was minty. The final bottom bowl contained the excellent sushi rice, slivers of fried egg and pickle, and two slices of yummy sweet grilled eel. If you want a picture reference, the Chochin Bento was uploaded by Patty L in photos. It's DEELISH!
Our Chochin Bento meal sets also included green salad (quite big with a nice tangy dressing), unlimited coffee or tea (we chose green tea) and a slice of dessert (home-made cakes). We each had the green tea cake, and split an earl grey tea chiffon cake. Lightly sweet, fluffy, fantastic icing. The daughter said her mother made both those cakes just that morning.
All in all, a great sushi and dessert experience! I must go back! -
Review from Tony F.
Café Michi is in a bit of a hood
But the food is really quite good
Michi is so small, so fun, so peachy.
It fills a spot that's a bit nich-ey.
Though the sushi is a bit pricier than it should.
I would recommend ordering from the set menu
Getting a slice of cake is the specialty of the venue
I had the Chunky Chicken rice
It was very tasty and nice
But the Green Tea Cake is what makes them their revenue.
If you go, you should make a reservation
I would go back again without hesitation
The service was great
And we ate and we ate and we ate
There you go, my friends of Yelp Nation.Listed in: Omnomeriffic Yum! (TM), Date night, ROTD
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Review from Roma M.
3/4/2011 ROTD 6/22/2011
I've been here twice now, and I plan to repeat my visits many, many more times. While the place, ambiance, etc., is not what you'd expect for the prices, it's definitely worth every penny once the food arrives.
The place is suitable for soloists, couples, friends, colleagues and families alike with its neutral decor and lack of mood lighting, and I guess that's what makes it work. On my first visit, I was accompanies by a few of my friends, one of whom lived in Japan for some time. She adored the place, as it reminded her strongly of a little cafe she would visit there, and thanked me for the moment of semi-'deja-vu'.
A run down of what I've tried here so far:
Teri-Don: It was really well prepared. Grilled pieces of chicken with just a hint of sauce over a bed of rice in a bowl. The teriyaki sauce wasn't sweet like ubiquitous pseudo-sushi restaurants throughout Toronto.
Spicy Salmon Roll: The professional sushi chef had cut just the right piece of salmon. It was melty, and delicious. The rice was prepared as authentically as it should be.
California Roll: The maki rolls reminded me exactly of the few great, authentic Japanese restaurants I've tried all around North America. I use their rolls as the baseline for my judgement, and really these rolls were just as good. The rice was prepared well and extremely fresh.
Japanese Green Tea Cake: I'd recommend this one for the slightly more health or weight conscious, as the cake is still extremely delicious and creamy, but just not as heavy as the cheesecake.
Blueberry Cheesecake: Love! A slice will make you fall in love with it's berry-nut combination. Peanut Allergy alert, however!
The service was fantastic for a busy restaurant. The attentive and courteous waitstaff spares no second, constantly refilling cups with tea and removing plates where needed.
Overall, Le Cafe Michi is a once size fits all for authentic cuisine enthusiasts like me.Listed in: Japanese Food, OK... I'll brag., Gluten-Free
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Review from Cindy L.
Toronto, ON
8/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
I decided to try this little restaurant which I have heard of but never tried on a Sunday afternoon. I was amused by the cake display and small selection of accessories that were on sale at the front of the cafe.
After sitting down and examining the menu, I ordered the Tamago Don lunch special which included tea or coffee, salad, miso soup and a slice of cake. My boyfriend ordered a similar dish but I cannot recall the name of it.
The server we had was very friendly and attentive. We received our food in a timely manner, the salad was a very generous portion and tea or coffee is refillable (which is a plus). The food was very flavourful and delicious. Although the prices are a little high but for the service and amount of food I think it is reasonable. The sushi was priced a lot higher, so I would suggest having the sushi during dinner. Both my friend and I agree that we would definitely dine here again. -
Review from Darren S.
Markham, ON
5/1/2011
Well I've been here a few times and went back here over the weekend. We had unatama (bbq eel with rice and egg), which was very nice, tender, and fresh. Of course, the dessert just HAD to be the green tea cake. The servers spoke very good English, and the service was nice if nothing special.
So from a food and service standpoint, no problem. In fact, from a food-only standpoint, it is very good. I cannot emphasize strongly enough how fresh the food is. The biggest problem is that, for a place that is cramped and in a rather unimpressive-looking location, the prices were too expensive. The two unatamas, one slice of green tea cake, and the tea (which we had to PAY for), came up to $50 after tips and taxes. That is way too much for a small nook restaurant.
Though again, if quality is your thing, you can't go wrong here. Much better than most Chinese-run Japanese restaurants I've been to. But my praise for this place isn't going to be as effusive as the other Yelpers :) -
Review from Ana W.
Updated - 2/1/2011 ROTD 9/10/2011
I'm back!!! Oh such good cakes keep me coming back for more.
This time I tried the tofu cheesecake. It's amazing! If you like Japanese style cheesecake (which tends to be airy and light), you'll love this. The cake itself is very light, not too sweet, the crust is thin made of graham crackers and black sesame seeds, which adds a nice flavour to the delicate cake.
I've been here to many times, I think I've almost tried all their cakes. I'm still a fan.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/12/2010
The first time I tried looking for this restaurant I was lost. I couldn't find it. It's in a small… Read more »
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Review from Joanne W.
1/11/2011
FINALLY! After many months, my friend and I finally go to meet up to eat at Cafe Michi (seemed like every single time we wanted to go, it ended up being a Monday - and the restaurant is closed on Mondays).
I thought it was closed when we drove up to the restaurant. It's located at Pharmacy and Sheppard right next to Lin Garden. Not the prettiest little plaza, but what do you expect from Scarborough? ;) (I kid, I use to live in Scarborough).
Anyhow, the front of the restaurant was more dark, but the back of the restaurant was better lit and located next to the sushi bar. My friend and I decided to sit at the back.
We both ordered specials. The appetizer was okay - typical salad. I ordered a small Japanese curry katsu don (which wasn't that small - which was great!) and she ordered a seafood udon. My dish was great -- I have a weird affinity for Japanese curry. It had some braised beef, potatoes, etc.
We always ordered a hamachi roll to share. It had a little bit too much rice for my liking though.
I thoroughly enjoyed the dessert. My friend ordered the green tea cake and I ordered the Bailey's cheesecake. I must admit, the Bailey's cheesecake was heavenly. I've been craving for it for the longest time, and it definitely hit the spot.
Cafe Michi is definitely a nice place to have dinner with a good friend for some sushi and some cake if you ever want the combination. The unlimited tea was great too as they actually used real matcha.
Definite recommend!Listed in: OMNOMNOMs in North York!, OMNOMNOM sushi + sashimi
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Review from John Y.
Toronto, ON
12/30/2010 4 photos
Went to have lunch based on my brother-in-law's recommendation. Followed driving directions and our group of 5 arrived at a typical run down strip mall. Are we in the right place.
Predominate wording on outside restaurant (?) sign was Japanese bakery, location was next to a Indian style Chinese food restaurant (WTF??). I was mentally prepared to eat only cake for lunch.
Walked in and and was confronted by a bakery counter with a small narrow sitting area on the left for patrons eating in. It's too late to leave now, we sit down and receive the menu and go over the lunch specials, they actually serve Japanese food!, average lunch special price is approx CAD $15.00 which seems expensive but you also get a drink (coffee or green tea), a green salad and dessert so it's quite reasonable.
Food came and we were in Japanese Nabeyaki Udon/Sushi/Unagi eel rice heaven. I taste buds came to life and I secretly thanked the Japanese for convincing Canadians that raw fish deserved to be eaten just as much as Tim Horton donuts.
My Udon Nabeyaki soup noodles was firm and chewy, Unagi eel was soft and plump, and assorted sushi was freshly made.
Unlimited refills of coffee/tea.
Get to pick your choice of desserts in the bakery section.
What initially was thought be a shady skeptical lunch outing turned out to be a Japanese food appreciation celebration, my brother-in-law came through.
Excellent Japanese food value although surroundings & initial impression upon entering this restaurant was on the "WTF?" level -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
11/10/2010 4 photos
We walked in to see approximately 3 tables of Couples and a Single Lady at the Sushi Bar. Yup, this place had reservations on pretty much all other tables. EXCEPT for mine. :P
We were offered to go into the Sushi Bar area rather than the Cafe area. Good thing I'm too lazy to reserve on this Weeknight. The place setting were all offered as in Chopstick Holder, Soya Sauce Dish, Ceramic Cup but we were still given Wooden Chopsticks(?). The Ceramic Tea Cup was impossible to hold for my friend as the heat penetrates it completely unless you have asbestos fingers.
#1 Cafe Michi Sushi Set($18.95) which I thought was quite reasonable however there are small details lacking. Sushi is an art-form therefore I will critic it as so, it's only fair. This was only considered acceptable value since Cake Slice and App Salad was given, however no Miso Soup.
The California Roll was yummy but my Yelp friend would say "where's the Black Sesame". The END pieces were also facing up which breaks up the uniform 6-piece Rolls. In terms of the Sushi, I only fault it for the Snapper having a rip right in the middle.
#2 San-Shoku Chirashi($27.50) although with a modern presentation, I felt a bit overpriced here especially when the Squid, Octopus pieces could barely be considered a morsel. The Salmon seemed to be in half slice which just lacked that satisfaction factor.
Mocha Cake had Mocha smoothness once you let the solid state Buttercream melt in your tongue. It is good but not better than the Green Tea Cake which was light fluffy with Green Tea flavour while the Creamy portion was reminiscent of Green Tea Ice Cream.
All this said and done, Le Cafe Michi is still 4 *Star* worthy. Especially the Sushi Chef was so patient and friendly in handling the drunk disturbing Lady whom should have went to an Izakaya instead. He was still in FOCUS on his busy task at hand, my hats off to ye.
Good place to take a Friend for a quiet Birthday dinner since the Cake Slice was included in the Specials. :PListed in: 4+ ****Stars****, Oishii
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Review from Patty L.
North York, ON
This little restaurant is a treasure located in a sketchy little plaza in Scarborough - you totally think you are in the wrong place when you park in the lot. But when you walk inside you will find yourself in one of the best sushi restaurants in the city.
This is a cute little restaurant - divided into 2 smaller dining areas: the part facing the sushi bar, and the part facing the cake case. I like that their menus come with a little photo album so that you get a sense of what you are ordering. The sashimi is very fresh and everything is beautifully presented. The wasabi is strong - which I love! The bento boxes are so artfully put together that your eyes are delighted even before you taste anything. The unagi (BBQ eel) is not "fishy" tasting. Service is a bit slow, but it's because they take their time in the kitchen to ensure everything is just right.
Apart from the excellent sushi, one of my favourite reasons for coming to Café Michi are the beautiful desserts. The green tea cake is incredible! It's moist and light and a sheer delight! I'm also in love with the strawberry shortcake - thin layers of moist shortcake layered with real whipped cream and strawberries. Nothing is too sweet and each slice is perfectly portioned. You can also pre-order an entire cake (for pick-up) if you phone 24hrs ahead (48 hrs required if you want to pick up your cake on Sunday). The owner's wife makes all of the cakes herself - except for the green tea cake - it's so popular (they can go through 8 of them on a busy night) that she has someone else make them to her recipe. If you want take-out, a slice is about $5.
If you come on an afternoon between 3-5pm you can have afternoon tea: a pot of tea and a slice of cake.
It can get very busy and this place is small, so call ahead and make a reservation.
On one side of the dessert case and along the top of it are handmade crafts (phone charms, jewelry, bags) that seem a bit out of place.
They accept cash, debit and Visa/Mastercard. -
Review from Ryan L.
11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Food is delicious! Lots of variety. Cake there is awesome!
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Review from Tina L.
Scarborough, ON
2/16/2012
Don't take me wrong. I really like the sake cake there and it was my 3rd time there. However, it would be my last time. I went with 3 friends and we ordered 3 set dinner (over $20/set) and a cake + tea (~$10) for the other person who had dinner already. First of all, we brought an unfinished hot chocolate in and they want us to finish it OUTSIDE (it's not like we are not ordering anything there. We didn't want to make a scene out of it so we did so). Anyways, this place isn't like other Asian restaurant that would have a tea pot ready on the table for you to serve yourself. In fact the set dinner came with the option of tea or coffee and it's refillable. So just from my logical sense, we each have a set dinner and the other friend order a pot of regular green tea which is also refillable. What's the big deal of my friend shared his tea with me when I ordered a coffee for my dinner set??!! The Jap server wasn't giving us any good attitude when we came in the restaurant. When she saw us sharing the tea she told me to pay for the tea. That's the big joke of the night. Never going back there any more. For others who go there, hope you have better luck than us.
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Review from Vincci C.
Richmond Hill, ON
10/25/2011 1 photo
I am in love with this place. Their chirashi is my favorite. Nice sashimi on top with a thin layer of eggs between the rice and the sashimi, in the middle of the rice there's BBQ eel. A very nice looking and delicious chirashi. Their cakes are good too. And please choose coffee if you like coffee when you order the combo. Their coffee is awesome too. I haven't try many of the other items Coz everytime I go I go for their chirashi.
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Review from Winnie H.
North York, ON
10/2/2011
Love it! I am the fan of their sashimi. I guess they make their own wasabi. It is also very fresh!!! This is the only place I tried ever had this fresh sashimi in my life.
Greentea cake and sake cake are also my favourite. The eel fish is very fresh and juicy.
It should be 4.5 star. The reason it is not 5 star is the soba is good but has no 'wow' factor.
Price = their quality.
Definitely will come back. -
Review from Joyees Y.
Scarborough, ON
1/14/2010
An unbelievable gem amidst a dodgy Scarborough neighborhood. Le Cafe Michi is great classic Japanese cuisine in a cozy restaurant.
The restaurant gives you a very warm feeling once you step in. It's decorated more like a bakery, which makes sense since they do have a display of pastries at the front. It is tiny but very bright and just really pretty.
But the food is the key point: really fresh fish, really high quality. Their uni is especially a favorite: sweet and so satisfying. I also liked the scallops which has a nice texture and a sweet taste. Unfortunately, and I am not sure whether it is me or something but I have find that authentic Japanese places used too much wasabi, I had the same problem with Hiro. My friend who who has a higher tolerance of wasabi had the same problem though...
The first time I came I had the unagi don which came with a nice assortment of sashimi, they had the standard but it was really fresh so it was kind of different. The eel was one of the best I've tasted, the sauce was just right and the eel was really tender. It also came with a Japan-ized popcorn chicken (don't know what it's actually called) which was interesting, not astounding but makes a nice snack. It also came with a miso soup which was standard and a salad which was better than most.
The combo also came with your choice of cake (all for less than $35!). I had the green tea cake, it is really soft and moist with a nice buttery cream frosting. It would be better if it had a more green tea flavor though.
Second time I came with my boyfriend and he had a udon which was good but I thought it was overprice and had very little chicken. If I were to rate it just on the sushi than I would've given this three stars because I've had better for half the price. Good thing I really liked the rest of their food.
I had a sushi combo which had an assortment of sushi, and six pieces of roll (two different fillings). It had some standard ones, like the salmon and the red snapper but a few that is less common. Again, really fresh.
Finally, we had a cheesecake and a mango mousse cake. The mousse had really good mango flavor and I liked that the cake had been dribbled with a berry syrup which complimented the mango really well. The cheesecake was phenomenal, great cream cheese flavor and it was not too sweet, really smooth and creamy as well but at the same time not too heavy a well.
So overall, come for the fish! And the combos are a GREAT deal! Except maybe not the udon...Listed in: Recommendations
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Review from murdles i.
Scarborough, ON
Updated - 8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
We just tried to call for take-out at 7pm and they said they were EXTREMELY busy. I think they need to hire more people.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/15/2011
I had the Katsu curry (pork) with rice. I actually really liked it. I love Japanese curry. Hubby had… Read more »
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Review from Aaron T.
7/30/2011
Came in for a very late afternoon lunch - sushi bar was closed but great variety of other dishes. We had the sukiyaki and tonkatsu. 2 very different dishes that were both excellent and reminded me of meals I had in Japan. The meals came with a choice of tea or coffee, and also a slice of cake for dessert - hot tea with green tea cake was a perfect way to end the meal.
I loved everything about this place! Staff is so nice and the ambiance is great for enjoying a low key meal and socializing with friends. I even love their display cases with fun Japanese purses and wallets, cakes, and drinks. -
Review from chop s.
Mississauga, ON
8/30/2011
Went on a Friday night with husband and we were seated at the sushi bar. Glad I made reservation as all seats are either reserved or occupied. It was a small cafe type restaurant but clean and neat. I ordered Chicken and Egg Rice while husband had Udon. My portion was not considered large but I am always a light eater and our order comes with refillable green tea or coffee and dessert. Husband's udon was just the right size and his comes with dessert too. Food was freshly made and we like it very much. We chose to have green tea cake and tofu cheesecake as dessert. Price was $40 tax-in with tips extra. Definitely would recommend to friends who wanted authentic Japanese food.
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Review from Kat K.
2/22/2011 2 photos
Food wise the food was ok, I was expecting the sushi to be a bit better. The eel egg rice was pretty good, however the curry was probably the most tasteless thing I have ever eaten. Luckily, their Green Tea cake made up for the main disappointment. That slice of cake was wonderfully moist and there is a hidden layer of red bean that creates this perfect slice of dessert heaven. Their mocha cake was good, but their green tea cake was the winner by a huge win margin. Their green tea is excellent as well.
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Review from S L.
Markham, ON
11/30/2011
One of the best Japanese sushi bar in town. All seafood are very fresh. Not much decor but you feel very clean and comfortable.
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Review from Rockie E.
Scarborough, ON
12/1/2010
Went to le cafe michi since a friend suggested I try it as I was looking for a Japanese owned Japanese restaurant. The first time we went searching for it we got lost and eventually didn't find it. Which was really annoying as I lierally live only 5 min. Away! Thats walking distance. However I located on urbanspoon and I actually mapquested it to my utter embarrassment! It was in the dodgy plaza where Lin Garden is located right in the corner. Since I've been there twice and the food is really tasty! The rice different than the usual sushi places. It's soft and not stale and the flavour I just cant describe. Presentation is great. However make reservations as it's a tiny place and they close at 9pm on the dot!
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Review from ness y.
Toronto, ON
6/1/2009
I recently came with a friend and it was not an omakase occasion, but a respectable meal and experience nonetheless.
I made reservations about two hours prior, since I'd heard that they are often necessary. Indeed, half-way through our meal the place was comfortably "packed". Yet, the service was kind and moderate in tempo - just what you would expect in an establishment where one goes to have a relaxed time (rather than some places that rush courses as they are dependent on high table turnover).
Ambiance wise, Michi is somehow plain and kitschy at the same time. Against mostly stark white walls, the tiny, framed, gift shop-type art looked awkward and like a weak attempt at "Japanese". Then there's the homemade jewelry for sale by the cash register... To say the least, there's a clean mish-mash of too little and too much going on in terms of interior design. The aesthetic could use a splash of colour, texture, or something.
Visually though, the food is phenomenal. Great care is taken in the presentation of menu and actual food items. This includes table settings that are, you guess it, white! But the feel of the china and chopsticks speaks volumes of the care that Michi puts into the food, which is also plated to appease the senses (even as far as sushi somehow already looks quite artful however positioned, including in styrofoam). Taste-wise, it's a winner. But I won't spend too much time on this as I feel that it should be enough to say that they care immensely about their food at Michi. Further, I don't want to start some series of "authenticity" debate that tends to circulate around restaurants like Michi. I'll leave it at that. -
Review from Kiki I.
Toronto, ON
8/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
After reading all the reviews, I was excited to go to Café Michi for lunch when a co-worker suggested it. As stated in previous reviews Cafe Michi does slightly resemble a bakery as you notice the cake display when you first enter the restaurant.
The staff was polite and attentive and seated us right away.
When looking at the menu, there didn't seem to be many sushi options as there were more hot dishes then fish. The prices are a bit high, I mean $3 for one piece of nigiri sushi is a bit much, even the lunch combos where priced at $18 which come with Tea/coffee, soup and cake. To me if I'm going out for sushi I'm there for the fresh fish not the dessert. Paying that much for a lunch I would rather have more sushi options, I ordered the spicy salmon and vegetable roll, I have to admit when the food arrived I wasn't too impressed, it was okay taste wise the spicy salmon could have had a bit more heat to it but I loved how strong there wasabi was. In my opinion I've had better sushi for that price. I probably would not go back.
