The Posh Foodie

Ever since Winnipeg’s Edohei Sushi and Japanese Restaurant closed in 2012, I’ve been looking for a place that serves similar traditional Japanese food. While I enjoy Wasabi Sabi and Yujiro, they focus more on fusion and modern, higher-end Japanese cuisine.

Mr. Sadao Ono, the owner of Edohei, opened his restaurant in 1988. Over the years, he trained many chefs, including Cho Venevongsa, owner of the Wasabi Group, and Masa Sugita, who co-owned Yujiro and is now the owner of Edokko Japanese Food.

Edokko is a tiny restaurant with only six tables, and there’s a small grocery section tucked away at the back. Reservations are definitely recommended.

The sushi and sashimi placed in front of me instantly made me think of Edohei. The presentation, the flavours – everything brought back memories. It felt like sushi nostalgia.

My parents ordered the Hakutsuru Junmai Ginjo sake to go with our meal – smooth and easy to drink.

We also ordered some of our usuals – dishes we used to get at Edohei. Delicious!

There’s a daily special menu taped to the wall – definitely worth a look. My mom went with the first item: Hamachi Carpaccio (GF). She couldn’t stop saying how good it was.

I ordered one of my favourite Japanese dishes – Una Don (with miso soup), BBQ river eel on steamed rice for CDN$27. Hmm… hmm… hmm… so tasty. A small salad came with it too, even though I didn’t see it on the menu.

Our table ordered two kinds of sashimi – Special (15 pcs for CDN$44) and Deluxe (23 pcs for CDN$66). The plating of the Deluxe Sashimi reminded us of Edohei.

Everything was incredibly fresh, with a clean, buttery texture that practically melted in the mouth. Each slice was cut just right – simple and elegant.

Looking for more gluten-free options? The Tuna Goma Ae is a solid pick at CDN$16.

Well, you can’t go to a sushi restaurant without ordering some sushi, and these definitely hit the spot. Our order included:

• Kamikaze Roll (CDN$12.5) – scallop, tobiko, spicy mayo, tempura crumbs
• Dynamite Roll (CDN$8.5) – shrimp tempura, tobiko, mayo, lettuce leaf, sesame
• Philadelphia Roll (CDN$8.5, GF) – fresh salmon, cream cheese, cucumber & sesame
• Hokki Nigiri (CDN$3.25) – surf clam
• Tobiko Nigiri (CDN$3.25) – flying fish roe

Desserts are also listed on the wall menu. We went with the Warabi Mochi with Green Tea Ice Cream (CDN$8) and Shiratama Zenzai (CDN$5).

I’m a sucker for green tea ice cream, and this did not disappoint. The Shiratama Zenzai is like glutinous rice balls in a warm red bean sauce – not overly sweet, just comforting. We devoured it.

Here is a Youtube short of the restaurant:

Restaurant Info

📍Address: 532 Waterloo St., Winnipeg, MB
🅿️ Parking: There’s a small parking lot in front of the restaurant, and street parking is also available.
🌐 Website: No official website, but they do have a Facebook page.