“99% of tastes comes from nature, 1% is by human being.”
—the mantra of Chef Joe, owner of Kyoto Ka
Sushi has moved far beyond the palette of adventurous eaters and into the Toledo epicurean mainstream. Our past flirtationship with a food once deemed “exotic” has now become a full-fledged, enthusiastic committed relationship with the wonderful, delicious world of fresh fish— rolled, wrapped and plated like a gift from the Gods of the sea.
For the Cho family, who work together to run the two locations of Kyoto Ka, sushi is more than a trendy meal. It is an extension of their family values, and that belief is in the name: Kyoto is the old capital of Japan, where Chef Joe studied to be a sushi chef, and Ka is the Korean word for family.
I recently dined at the new, Downtown Toledo location of Kyoto Ka, a family business that began as a single Sylvania restaurant in November of 2007, opened by Chef Joe Cho. “Everyone comes into our restaurant hungry,” said Chef Joe. “After we feed them, we love to see them leave with a happy smile.”
This dedication to quality provided the success the Cho family needed to open a downtown, lunch location of Kyoto Ka, providing a welcome change for my overly exercised “falafel, extra pickles” mid-day routine.
Curating the plate
My dining group of six ordered an impressive spread of rolls and appetizers, presented so beautifully that we hesitated before disrupting the composition— if only our self-control was stronger than our appetites. But at Kyoto Ka, the control is left up to the chefs, who masterfully and elegantly prepare their high-quality ingredients to speak for themselves.
Agedashi tofu— lightly fried and soaked in light broth? Please. The Avocado Bomb— consisting of fresh avocado wedges, stuffed with spicy tuna, spicy crab and a spicy sauce? Definitely. The Hot Love— a creation that truly must be seen to be believed? Yes. Seaweed salad— perfectly textured and flavored? Of course. A bento box— the perfect lunch for one? Why not? A giant platter of sushi rolls prepared with finesse, including very pleasing vegetarian selections? Bring it on.
The fresh flavor of the fish turned my group of charismatic (typically loud) companions into silent feeders. The flavor. The freshness. The taste. Like the chefs’ ability to slice paper-thin cuts of fresh fish, the commitment to high-quality ingredients appeared similarly effortless.
The family table
Following the footsteps of Chef Joe, his two sons, Sung and Jason, have both become sushi chefs, working in the kitchen alongside their father. The front of house also features family members, and a dedicated staff, who the Chos treat as family.
“We have some servers who have been with us for 4 or 5 years” said Chef Sung. “We think of them as family members. They love our food and feel like family members.”
And, as Chef Joe gently encouraged us to sample additional fare, despite our clean plates and fully bellies, I truly felt like our dining table was not seated far from their family living room. “Just one more roll, please.”
Sylvania location: 6801 W. Central Ave. 419-841-2070
11:30am-2:30pm Monday-Friday, 4:30pm-9:30pm Monday-Thursday, 4:30pm-10:3pm Friday, noon-10:30pm Saturday, 5pm-9pm Sunday
Downtown Toledo location: 300 Madison Ave.
10:30pm-2:30pm Monday-Friday
419-321-4000 | kyotoka.com
