From Chase Hospitality Group, owners of The Chase, Little Fin, and Colette Grand Café, comes Yorkville’s newest hotspot, the Japanese Kasa Moto. Situated where Remy’s stood for 26 years, the place has been transformed into a chic, contemporary space. On September 25th, we had the opportunity to join a Kasa Moto dinner party to sample some of their food and drink offerings, and check out the new restaurant.
On this night, the dinner would be held in Kasa Moto’s 60 person capacity private event area called Bar Moto. Upon entry, you immediately notice the decor. It stays true to the clean and modern lines of Japanese design, but is layered with pops of colour, and intricate patterns found on the walls and pillows, bringing a needed warmth that contemporary spaces often lack. Bar Moto is available for rent, whether it’s for birthdays, office parties, corporate events, or any other occasion.
Before we began dinner, we headed over to the bar where we had the chance to see four of the restaurant’s signature cocktails made. The Samurai Reviver had undoubtedly the flashiest presentation, being blow torched on the spot to create a neat effect on the glass. My favourite though was the Thai Collins, which you’ll like as well if you enjoy tart drinks. Recipes for these cocktails, as well as the Kasa Moto Caesar and the Origami in Flight, can be found at the end of this post.
As for the food, we had the chance to sample several dishes. Standouts include the Robata Pork Belly ($13), the Whole Roasted Sea Bass ($36), and the Binchu Grilled Beef ($28). The pork belly was tender (as it should be), and cut into large cubes, so as to not be overpowered by the sweet, caramelized ume glaze. The sea bass was moist, and boneless; it must have taken great care to cut a whole fish into pieces, debone it, cook it, and then reassemble it again. The beef is a skirt steak, pre-sliced and nicely seasoned, accompanied by roasted vegetables, and strikingly presented on a small grill atop a clay pot.
Executive Chef Michael Parubocki explained that in the few months that the restaurant has been open, they’ve worked hard to gain the trust of the neighbourhood in serving classic, well-made Japanese cuisine. Now that Kasa Moto has settled in, the team can begin to play and experiment, so we look forward to seeing how the restaurant’s menu evolves. It begins with the new brunch menu, now available, inspired by classic brunch favourites, but with “Japanese flair”. Breakfast bento, anyone? Brunch is every Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 4pm.
Kasa Moto is located at 115 Yorkville Ave just east of Hazelton Ave.
For more information:
http://www.kasamoto.ca/
Twitter: @kasa_moto #KMDinnerParty
Instagram: @kasa_moto @KMDinnerParty
Facebook: CHGkasamoto
Photos by John Tan and Nick Lee
Kasa Moto cocktail recipes:
Thai Collins
Ingredients: Gin, Lemongrass Syrup, freshly squeezed Lime juice
Garnish: Thai Basil
Booze: 2 ounces
Samurai Reviver
Ingredients: Gin, ginger-infused Cointreau, freshly squeezed lemon juice, Lillet Blanc
Garnish: “Flamed Dragon’s Breath”
Booze: 3 ounces
Kasa Moto Caesar
Ingredients: Shishito-infused Vodka, Yuzu ponzu, Sriracha, Walter’s Caesar mix
Garnish: Wasabi-salt rim, Togarashi spices, Spicy-pickled Cucumber slice
Booze: 2 ounces
Origami in Flight
Ingredients: Bourbon, freshly squeezed lemon juice, Kumquat cordial, touch of green chartreuse
Garnish: Orange zest cut to resemble bird in flight
Booze: 2.25 ounces
