📍 Zen Japanese Restaurant – 7634 Woodbine Ave, Markham, ON L3R 2N2
🌍 Country: Japan
🔥 Must-try dish: Dinner Gozen
🪑 Seating: Indoor seating only.
👍 The high: This is the only place in the Toronto area to get many of the dishes we tried for dinner.
👎 The low: The restaurant is difficult to find in a Markham plaza. 

There’s a hidden Japanese gem on the edge of the city, the kind of place you’d never stumble upon unless someone tipped you off. So here we are, letting you in on the secret.

This isn’t your average sushi spot. In fact, it’s nothing like a typical Japanese restaurant by Canadian standards, it’s closer to what you’d find in Japan. From the outside, the plaza looks unremarkable, but step inside and you’ll find a bright, minimalist space with a beautiful sushi bar and cozy nooks for those who prefer a table.

Staying true to its authentic roots, the entire team here is Japanese. Some even take English lessons with a friend of ours, which makes the experience feel even more personal. The service is attentive and polite, which we appreciated as we worked our way through each course. They serve premium brands you won’t find anywhere else in the city, and the fish is so fresh it tastes like it was just pulled from the ocean moments before landing on your plate. While there are a few great lunch specials, this is the kind of place where you trust the chef, savour every bite, and don’t think twice about the bill.

The menu changes daily, with chef’s specials that depend on what’s freshest that day. You might see some familiar dishes, but there’s always something unique, making every visit feel like a new adventure.

To kick things off, try one of their set menus, like the Dinner Gozen. It’s different every time, so come hungry and savour every bite. If you’re still curious, or just can’t get enough, order a few extras from the sashimi or à la carte menu to sample even more. Be sure to ask about the chef’s special too; it features the freshest picks of the day and adds an extra layer of excitement to the experience.

Some of our favourites that night were the tuna and green onion hand roll, which was dense, flavourful, and every bit as satisfying as it was rich. It stood out as the most impressive bite and was worth going back for seconds. The wagyu beef simmered in soy sauce and ginger daikon radish with matsutake mushrooms was another unforgettable dish – wagyu really is as tender as they say. And of course, you can never go wrong with a comforting miso soup; it did a perfect job of cleansing the palate between courses.

Our meal leaned mostly toward nigiri pieces, sticky rice topped with fresh fish. Each piece was perfectly seasoned and didn’t need any extra homemade soy sauce. Just eat them as they are and savour every bite. Each guest gets a small tray with a selection of nigiri, usually four different kinds. Everyone has the same combination, which makes the experience feel thoughtfully shared.

Here are some of the nigiri we enjoyed:

• Futomaki egg, crab, cucumber, gourd
• Anago (sea eel), fatty tuna, salmon roe and sea urchin, stripe jack
• Scallop, ocean trout, smoked yellowtail, akami tuna
• Spinach marinated in soy sauce, egg mixed with wagyu beef and steamed , white fish and tofu fritter with seasoned vegetables

Dessert isn’t your typical sweet treat. Instead of being overly sugary, it balances subtle flavours that delight every part of your palate. Ours was a house-made brown sugar soy milk ice cream with mochi red bean paste. Trust us, whatever they’re serving, it will be good.

As for drinks, they go beyond the usual Sapporo or Asahi (which we still love) with unique craft beers from Japanese breweries. There’s also an impressive sake list that’s not for the faint of heart. Next time, we’re already dreaming about a more thoughtful sake pairing with the nigiri – the perfect excuse to come back and sit at the counter where all the action happens.

For now, this just might be our new favourite spot in the city.

Eat with you soon,

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)