Located in the heart of the plateau in Montreal, Kitano Shokudo is a cozy and delightful Japanese restaurant that serves you quality handmade dishes, amazing unique sakes and wines as well remarkable service. This amazing bistro gives you a Japanese experience that you won’t want to miss!
At Chef Hiroshi Kitano’s Plateau restaurant, precise technique meets inventive twists on classic Japanese dishes. Made with top-tier local and Japanese ingredients, the fresh fish donburi and chirashi bowls stand out as some of the city's finest, while dishes like the uni carbonara, which weave in French and Italian influences, leave a lasting impression.
Patrons describe Kitano Shokudo as a tiny, intimate spot with a warm, minimalist vibe where fresh sashimi and carefully executed Japanese dishes take center stage. Standout items include duck mazemen, uni mezemen, chirashi and miso bowls, with sashimi praised for exceptional freshness, though some feel the ramen is overpriced and the broth underwhelming for the price. The two person operation can make service feel uneven or a little distant, even as when staff are present the service is friendly and attentive. Despite this, it is hailed by many as one of the best Japanese spots in Montreal outside Japan, thanks to quality, presentation and a lively atmosphere. Reservations are recommended because the space is tiny, and the overall tone is that the food justifies a visit for those seeking authentic, ingredient driven Japanese cuisine.
The Chirashi bowl was lovely (fatty tuna ftw & how was the rice so impossibly perfect), the soy sauce/balsamic vinegar fried brussel sprouts were a revelation... the bechamel-infused cod croquettes? Delightful. The duck magret finale elevated simple ramen to special place. Ise City native Hiroshi Kitano runs a tight kitchen & he singlehandedly makes this small resto shine. Now for the sigh. I was so excited to try the Japanese crab egg dish & patiently waited 15ish minutes when the server took the order of people who arrived easily 10-15 minutes after us first & I lost my chance (he crossed out the crab on our menu as soon as he took the late-comers' order, I accidentally let out an audible "noooo!"). My dining partner had to finally flag the server down for our order after he went to take care of yet another later-arrived table even though we were sitting right at the bar in front of him. (We were able to place our sake order as soon as we walked in though; it was placing the food order that took a while). At first, I thought, well things happen, but then the server religiously poured & repoured the duo's water & libations beside us but he didn't do that for us. Still gave him a good tip. Is spending $180 for 2 not enough to warrant the same level of service as the others? Ever notice that it's a big club & you ain't in it? I was excited to come here for weeks only to leave feeling deflated.
Jan 29, 2025
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Authentic Japanese experience where the food is just fantastic. The service is excellent as well - all in a cozy environment. A true neighbourhood gem.
Exceptional high-quality dishes. The sashimi melts in your mouth, the gizzards are tender & "earthy". Really appreciated the originality of the ground boar+tofu dish - nicely spicy with strong lemongrass-y aftertaste. They didn't have matcha tiramisu so had to settle with the custard which was nice & silky, but just not that special. Will be back!
One of the best Japanese restaurants I've had in quite a while, although the amazingly high quality of ingredients & cooking techniques (for all traditional Japanese, fusion, & entirely Western dishes) were beset by the rather small portion sizes. The stars of the show were both the chirashi & à la carte sashimi orders. Every slice was decently thick, at a suitable cool temperature, & was cleaned appropriately with not a single bone or fish scale in sight. The short-grain rice was perfectly executed, al dente & seasoned just right. Would highly recommend the chu-toro tuna belly, rich but delicate & melt-in-your-mouth. The sudachi lime, shiso leaf & shiso microgreens were a nice touch for the sashimi, & so were the crisp nori laver squares for the chirashi. The sea urchin & salmon roe mazemen (which I assume is part of a limited time-only special menu) was delightfully creamy, & while the sea urchin was not raw (& appeared to be either cooked or tinned), it paired surprisingly well with the springy alkaline noodles coated in a carbonara-esque sauce that was not too heavy. The confit duck (?) gizzards (also part of the special menu) were remarkably well-done. Tender but not overcooked, fully immersed with herby undertones, & the parmesan on top was balanced by a refreshing zing of lemon. The seasoning elevated the natural umami of the gizzards while not masking it entirely. I finished every single drop of the remaining emulsified sauces at the bottom of the plate. The waiter was very helpful & attentive, & made me feel at home. Service was understandably a bit slow as it was only one person servicing a fully-packed room, but the food arrived at the right temperature & at acceptable intervals.
Kitano Shokudo is truly one of the best in Montreal. This two man show restaurant takes great care in the quality of their ingredients. The sake selection is also on par with the food & they know to recommend what would fit best with your meal or your preferences. I usualy get their sushi or sashimi since the quality is not something you find on every corner in Montreal but everything is excellent. The staff is impossible to dislike as well as their food. Do yourself a favor & go try this Japanese restaurant for a traditional japanese taste with a twist.
Highly recommend! You might passed by a few times & missed it, the same as we did (part of its magic). But the moment we noticed it, we had to try. The first thing is that when you come in you smell, & the smell in this restaurant is so tasty.. that you can't wait to try ;) Everything was delicious & very fresh! ( make a reservation, the restaurant is quite small & gets really busy)
Oct 22, 2024
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Wow. Came for lunch & were seated right away Actually insane meal, every flavor was absolutely rich & wonderful Me & my sister shared the Chirashi, salade de pieuvre, croquettes, & mushroom pasta & was the perfect amount of food. Came to $100+ $20tip The croquettes & the mushroom pasta were the absolute stars but everything was delish Great atmosphere & music, cozy vibes Super attentive & timely service by our British waiter Literally loved every aspect of this meal & restaurant, no complaints Will be coming back :)
Delish! The duck confit was amazing. Chirashi was so good & so fresh. We walked right past the restaurant when looking for it. It's easy to miss. It's very homey & unassuming. Highly recommend the amazing food..
The food was definitely good & may be worth (or not) the premium you pay. The ingredients that were used were of the utmost quality but the portions are just way too small. I would have to think that spending 80$ per person (no alcohol) would allow you to at least walk out of there content & not going straight to the sandwich joint 2-3 corners further.
Ridiculously delicious. First, it is a small, intimate setting with such good energy & service. I was lucky to rest here without a reservation. I ordered the duck mazeman & it was like fried chicken with delicious dry noodles & ufff it was just so good. There was a waiter & a cook for the whole restaurant & they both did their thing! I had to tip above 20% Really really so so so so so good! Also, the music was good. Just really caring & cautious with the service. I can't recommend enough.
