Five Months In, Someone Finally Reviews Mile End Japanese Bistro Thazard

Amid the recent bumper crop of non-sushi Japanese restaurants, Mile End newcomer Thazard is a standout, writes Ariane Krol today in La Presse. The critic, regrettably, excludes the fact that the restaurant is the brainchild of Dave Schmidt (Maïs, Datcha, Kabinet, Le Mal Nécessaire, Maison Sociale), Pierre-Olivier Besner (formerly of Furco and Ludger), Christophe Jasmin (formerly of OMMA), chef Hachiro Fujise (Guu in Toronto, Izakaya Iwashi) and noted restaurateur Edward Zaki (Chez Victoire, BarBounya, Mimi la Nuit). The omission is a bit of a shame since it would have contextualized what is a very decent review.

Admittedly, not every dish that lands on Krol's table hits the mark but there's more than enough to like about the late night, small plate-driven Japanese bistro with French-style cart service to give it a strong recommend. "Dans l'ensemble, toutefois, la proposition du Thazard vaut largement le détour. Un bel endroit animé, qui donne l'impression de faire une vraie sortie sans pour autant sacrifier la qualité ni l'originalité de la cuisine, ce n'est jamais de refus." Would Ariane Krol return to Thazard? "À la première occasion."