Craving sushi for lunch? Head to The Drake Hotel
If you know, you know.
Sushi has been on the dinner menu at The Drake Hotel for what seems like forever. In fact, it’s been on the menu since Day One -Valentine’s Day 2004. Grabbing maki, sashimi, and nigiri at The Raw Bar in The Lounge was - and still is - a major perk because it’s always been part of a larger menu featuring global fare. How rare to be able to indulge in your love of sushi while simultaneously tucking into Cacio e Pepe Cavatelli ($22), Drake Veggie Burger ($18), or Steak Frites ($39), for example.
Now that same luxury can be enjoyed at lunch in in The Café (11am-4pm) for pick-up, à la carte dining, and even room service. So grab some rolls alongside other delectable fare such as made-for-summer Charred Tomato Gazpacho ($12), Niagara Prosciutto + Melon Salad ($16) or perhaps house-cut Drake Fries ($9) topped with pecorino and truffle butter (+$4), because who can resist fries at lunch? Or mix-and-match your sushi selections ($14-$24) with Fried Chicken ($20) or the Drake Burger ($22) for a meal that truly satisfies all your cravings (You: 1. FOMO: 0).
As with all Drake Properties – The Drake Hotel, Drake Devonshire, Drake Motor Inn, Drake Commissary, Drake One Fifty, and Drake Mini Bar – you’ll find everything on the menu made entirely from scratch, using top-notch local and seasonal ingredients.
Corporate Executive Chef Ted Corrado and Chef De Cuisine Zachary Albertsen have created a focused sushi menu for midday featuring: three maki (Veggie $14, Salmon $15, Spicy Tuna $16), one signature roll (Shrimp Tempura $17), a Nigiri Trio (tuna, salmon, hamachi $20), one combo (tuna maki, salmon hand roll, salad $24), and Tuna Poke Bowl ($20) for good measure.
Of course, trademark Drake touches have made their way onto each and every sushi plate. Take the Veggie Maki ($14), for instance. Asparagus gets a light batter of tempura before being nestled next to cucumber, avocado, and seldom-seen in sushi rolls – radicchio – rolled up with rice in a fresh sheet of nori. Even soy sauce gets a unique infusion by way of maple and balsamic vinegar, resulting in a sweet tang that both complements and bolsters the summery veg. The fact that it arrives on a classic diner-style plate with the hotel’s moniker on it? Even better.
Sushi Combo #1 (tuna maki, salmon hand roll, salad $24) also features thoughtful ingredients. Crispy garlic delivers added crunch to uramaki (rice on the outside) stuffed with fresh tuna the colour of cabernet and thin strips of juicy cucumber, all hunkered down on their side atop a thick drizzle of spicy mayo, finished with a artful sprinkling of ebony and ivory sesame seeds down the middle.
A nori cone brims with fresh omega-rich fish cut into large cubes. Seven-spice mayo and avocado add a decadent creaminess, while crisp cucumber and thinly sliced scallions provide texture. And that delightful pop that accompanies each bite? Courtesy of yuzu tobiko.
Salads at many sushi restaurants leave little to be desired. Bland iceberg with maybe a radish or shredded carrots served with either too little or an insane amount of dressing (there is rarely a suitable in-between amount) are an afterthought. And why are they always so minuscule - they’re practically a garnish. Here, fresh from the garden arugula and radishes sliced paper thin, tangle together with the perfect amount of the most addictive carrot and ginger dressing lining each and every forkful. And the serving ain’t puny either – think regular size salad size. Finally.
The Drake was doing sushi long before non-Asian eateries got in the game. And lucky for us, you can now enjoy Japanese fare from the iconic boutique hotel on the west side starting at 11am.
Irasshaimase.
The Drake Hotel
1150 Queen St. W.
(416) 531-5042
Note: Naturally, the eatery at the corner of Queen and Beaconsfield is a popular one, so whether you’re here for a date, meeting, or rendezvous, reservations are strongly recommended.
The Café accommodates #? 35 of guests inside, with room for #? 80 on the patio. The annual art exhibit inside the café as well as in the Hotel Lobby, is by Greg Ito. The café patio currently features work by Jasmine Cardenas. The permanent bicycle light installation is by Zac Ridgely.