Issan Z.
Yelp
Ryú on Peel has now been open for 8 weeks, and its business seems to be booming.
This location is a more upscale version of its stores at Carrefour Laval or the airport. No more siracha bottles on the tables or sushi burritos on the menu! The place can accomodate about 20 guests at a time, which is reasonable considering that they only have two employees working the room and two chefs behind the counter. The place is small, but clean and modern, with pale wooden tables and well-placed faux plants. The logo of the restaurant, which is also its name, represents the kanji for "dragon" - it shines over the patrons, basking the room in a gentle red neon light. The framed logo of Supreme is on a wall, and select 90's pop and hip hop hits are playing.
We liked the restaurant as soon as we walked in. The head waiter, whose witty professionalism was inflaillible throughout the evening, welcomed us. We chose to sit at the benches by the wall, and peered at the menus. The items were mostly traditional - nigiris and sashimis designed to let the fish shine. Since it was our first visit, we decided on the omakase (the chef's selection) numbers 2 and 4, as recommended by the waiter. Not long after, we were presented with edamame as snack. The beans were salted, and mixed with sesame oil and sesame seeds. Although a bit salty, these turned out to be the main entertainment during the widely variable waiting time between dishes. I asked for the bathroom to wash my hands, and was given quite long, but precise directions: you go out of the back door, turn left, turn right to find the elevators, ride to the first floor, and continue straight ahead to find the loos. Ryú is a tenant in a rather upscale, fashion-oriented building, but since it was the weekend and the building was not active, this trip turned out a bit creepy. The first floor was dimly lit, with empty locals peering through papered windows. The women's bathroom was dark, and I patted the walls to find the light switch. To my horror, one of the two stalls was a complete mess, the toilet filled with the most disgusting... anyways. I closed the light, turned and left quickly.
Back to the restaurant, the first dish, salmon tataki, had come. The outer layer of the salmon had been slightly cooked, and the perfectly cut, thin slices looked delicious. The tataki was bathing in a slightly sweetened vinegar that gave the meat a little kick. There were five pieces, which we devoured in no time. A little later came three nigiris: salmon, red tuna and albacore. After a rather long wait, we then received the rest of our order almost at the same time. The Rainbow Ryú maki and Tuna Poke maki stood out from the bunch in appearance and taste, with the Rainbow maki being the most interesting, with basil in its flavor profile. The bill for two came up to about 70$, which is in my opinion rather expensive for the quantity of food offered. "À la carte'' orders might be worth a shot, but they probably won't be any cheaper. The cost is likely related to their strict use of sustainably-sourced, and when possible, local products. If you take a look at their website, you can find more details on their commitment to the environment and charitable organizations.
It was a good and pleasant meal, without any kind of surprise. Although at first Ryú reminded me of Saint Sushi because of its music, dynamic team and urban vibes, it turned out completely different. There's no funky creations here, and the makis are much smaller.