Not even a major shutdown of Notre Dame Street in Little Burgundy could keep us away from a gastronomic luxury take-out of sushi and Asian fusion at Sushi Taxi. No exaggeration! The fire department literally closed down the street for an emergency. However, the conscientious staff called to say, ‘stand by’. As soon as the ‘all clear’ sounded we headed into the bistro-chique locale.
The ambiance was warm and inviting with attractive wood decor in the century-old building. Enormous floor-to-ceiling windows opened onto the trendy block of Notre Dame West alongside popular restaurants and bars. With a bustling, young, professional crowd packing the nearby neighbourhoods in Griffintown, St. Henri and The Point, it’s easy to see why this franchise is booming for in-restaurant dining as well as for take-out.
The online menu is avant-guard and presented in a clean, colourful and simple format. The traditional sushi selections are all available but don’t be shy to try a few out-there dishes. We were pleasantly surprised by their trendsetting choices. We prefer pescatarian and were so pleased with the array of dishes available to us.
Here’s what we enjoyed that was beyond the usual: The Bao dishes were very unique in that the bun was so incredibly soft, silky smooth and light ‘n fluffy. My son, Jeremy, loved the crunch of his Bao Fish ‘n Chip most of all. “It melted in my mouth,” he yummed, licking his lips. Daughter Nikki also claimed it was her favourite noting that the sweet jam-like sauce on her Bao Végé made this stand out from all other dishes. Her boyfriend, Daniel, also gave top ranking after sampling both Baos.
The Pizza Trilogy was superb with three samplings on a galette of panko-sesame crispy rice. One was topped with salmon mousse, apple and honey. Another had tataki tuna, avocado and fried pear while the third featured crab salad, pears and lichi jam. Delicious!
With a crispy, crunchy exterior and a silky, salty fresh guacamole and just a hint of spice, the Guacamore was a wonderful upscale option. Daniel also thought this was tops thanks to the unique texture. “It has a great vibe,” he opined.
The Hoso, Honey, Tofu and Apple was half dinner, half dessert. With inverted nori sheet, fried tofu, avocado, cranberries, cream cheese, fried apple, honey it was light, sweet and oh so tasty!
The Shogun is Sushi Taxi’s themed box and includes 14 pieces. Each month, the Sushi Taxi teams design a new Shogun collection in line with available seasonal products. The Demoiselle Croquante maki roll has been a favourite since the beginning of Sushi Taxi, 21 years ago, when all deliveries were made by… you guessed it: taxi! It is made with an inverted nori sheet and northern shrimps, avocado, masago, shallot, wonton flakes, sesame and a spicy sauce. The Winnie fried maki is a must for anyone who enjoys makis. This maki roll is made with an inverted nori sheet and a tempura-panko-coconut crust, and includes salmon, apples, mango, cream cheese and honey.
Of course we had traditional makis, hosomakis, nigiris and sashimis on their Ying Yang platter of 24 wonderful little pieces that we dipped in soya sauce as well as their sweet and spicy Taxi Sauce.
I always enjoy something sweet to end off a savoury meal. They have three chocolatey choice as well as a pastry pick. Heavenly.
Presentation is everything. The packaging was modernistic and swank but if take-out isn’t your thing dining in is definitely a great option for date night. Their floor-to-ceiling wine cooler is impressive and the staff are friendly, helpful and informative. There are 21 restaurants in the Sushi Taxi Group across Quebec and the organization has made a serious commitment to positively impact the community, environment, its customers and staff.
For a real gastronomic sushi outing add them to your list, make your reservation or place your order online for take-out or delivery. I really enjoyed Sushi Taxi in Little Burgundy, located at 1744 Notre Dame West. Call 514-564-3434 or even easier log on to their site at sushitaxi.net. Closed Monday and Tuesday they are open Wednesday through Sunday evenings from 5 PM to 9 PM. Sharon has been the friendly manager there for four years. Tell her you read it here first at MTLRestoRap. And have a wonderful meal.