Minami Dishes Up Super Fresh Sushi and More with the Latest Tasting Menu

We dined at Minami’s sister restaurant Miku late last year, but it had been a while since we’d been into this Yaletown spot, specializing in Aburi sushi, sake and cocktails. We headed on in to try the new spring tasting menu and Minami was also featuring Okanagan’s Kanazawa Winery’s Sakura Rosé, Kokuryu Junmai Ginjo Sake, and a soft cocktail called the Ibuki made with Seedlip Garden 108, the world’s first non-alcoholic spirit. We’ll have more on that spirit soon as we’ve got some sample bottles now to play with.

First up was a drool-worthy Beef Carpaccio made with AAA sterling silver short rib, and served with a 63° sous vide egg, shaved grana padano, wasabi crème fraîche, caper crisps, ponzu, wasabi chimichurri, organic baby greens

The next delight was a plate of PREMIUM ABURI OSHI SUSHI, including the Premium Oshi Trio of the signature Salmon Oshi sushi,  artfully plated with green pea-shiso and red cabbage purées, Hokkaido Hotate and Botan Ebi with mentaiko aioli, amaranth, Albacore Tuna and Ōtoro with tobiko oroshi ponzu, yuzu zest and Japanese Wagyu and Country Style Bacon
wasabi negi relish, kiku flower. Unbelievably delicious!

The Champagne Roll comes with hokkaido scallop, sockeye salmon, cucumber, and is rolled in golden tobiko, and Miku sauce
and the Garden Roll is filled generously with avocado, asparagus, pickled daikon and carrot, and wrapped in shiso and braised Japanese eggplant, tomato chutney, chives.

Entrees included the oh-so-tender Fraser Valley Pork and Bacon Wrapped Scallop with braised pork cheek, carrot purée, togarashi spiced chicharrón, sweet shoyu glaze, market vegetable, grilled pineapple salsa and a Saikyo Miso Sakekasu Sablefish and Crispy Tiger Prawn Dumpling with YK3 sakekasu, grilled jumbo tiger prawn, mango salsa, baby radish, sesame kale inari, yuzu foam, Asian microgreens. Both were incredibly tasty.

The pastry chef goes all out for this menu too! There’s the Earl Grey Mousse with earl grey shortbread, orange coulis, dark chocolate espuma, orange tuile, salted sesame crumble, meringue, yuzu ice cream

AND Sakura Petit Fours
Yuzu White Chocolate Cheesecake rose sakura gelée
Lychee Raindrop Cake kinako, jasmine syrup
Raspberry Honey Castella red bean mochi ice cream
Sakura Macaron matcha white chocolate

The service was spot on and this is a great spot for people watching, when you can pry your eyes away from the incredibly appealing plates.