Sanko, the Real Deal for Japanese Food

Sanko Trading Co.
730 Queen Street West
416-703-4550

Steve Mizuno and I are both Nisei, born in Canada to Japanese parents, but when I met him for the first time I was sure he was what my husband and I joke that I am not: the real deal. Steve chats easily in Japanese with his parents, Sanko owners William and Kayoko, and has a vast knowledge of Japanese food and culture accumulated from working in the store since the age of 8. I, on the other hand, was thoroughly assimilated while growing up in Nova Scotia, but my devotion to Japanese food is intact and I was thrilled to see what Sanko has to offer.

Sanko Trading Co. is a Queen West fixture that is celebrating its 41st year in business. The Mizunos opened the store in 1968 and since then have raised four sons, two of whom (William and Steve) continue to work in the shop alongside their parents. It is currently the only store in Toronto proper that sells exclusively Japanese food, pottery, and media. Many Japanese ingredients, especially sushi-making gear, are available at gourmet food stores and big box grocers, but Sanko has the most authentic and comprehensive selection in the city.

Sanko imports products from Japan twice a week, but some items travel shorter distances, like the Ontario-grown Japanese vegetables offered during the summer months. A Japanese farmer in Leamington grows small amounts of excellent quality organic vegetables, such as eggplants, burdock root, and shishito peppers that have been gracing the shelves at Sanko for over 10 years.

Some farther flung articles are all the ingredients needed to make enviable sushi, including never-frozen sashimi-grade hamachi (yellowtail) flown in directly from Japan; uni (sea urchin) and salmon from Nova Scotia; Koshihikari brand rice, arguably the best; and the real wasabi root vegetable, also flown in from Japan, that can be grated and served. The real stuff is quite expensive and comes in a large piece, but Steve tells me that it has a very long shelf life since it is in itself a preservative. Shipments of fresh ingredients arrive late in the week, so the best shopping days for sushi fixings are Fridays and Saturdays.

For lazy weekends, they make and sell prepared food such as sushi, bento boxes, and chicken teriyaki. Another housemade item that is being written about a lot in the blogosphere is the onigiri, triangular rice balls with small amounts of filling (e.g. sour plum, bonito flakes, cooked salmon) that are wrapped in nori. They are usually eaten as snacks or light lunches on the go. At Sanko, they use Koshihikari rice lightly seasoned with salt as the foundation. My mom made these for me when I lived at home and they’re one of the many things I miss.

Steve’s favourite items in the store are the meats. They have Washugyu beef, a cross between Black Angus and Kobe that is extremely tender and laced with copious amounts of delicious fat. Both steaks and thin slices for hotpot-style cooking (sukiyaki, shabu shabu) are available and, as Steve says, "It’s a luxury . . . a delicacy . . . and health-wise, you should only have it once in a while." The steaks are so fatty and flavourful that they require no additional oil to be cooked and just a light dusting of salt and pepper to taste. Beef usually comes in on Wednesday, so grab the best pieces early on Thursday. They also have top quality Berkshire pork belly that is great in Japanese-style savoury pancakes called okonomiyaki.

My personal favourite is soba and at Sanko they offer 100% buckwheat flour varieties called Juwari soba. Most soba sold in grocery stores and gourmet shops actually has more wheat flour than buckwheat. The Juwari has a cleaner taste and absorbs much more tsuyu, the usual accompanying dipping sauce. Steve recommends cooking this type of soba for just 4-5 minutes before rinsing it thoroughly to remove excess starch.

A hot ingredient with fusion chefs is yuzu, an Asian citrus fruit that tastes like a cross between a tangerine, grapefruit, and lemon and is quite difficult to find. Its rind and juice are used traditionally in Japanese sauces, salads, soups, and desserts, but it is also appearing on diverse menus anywhere where citrus is desired. The whole fruit is imported from Japan and available in store only from late autumn until early spring, but the bottled juice is on the shelf year round.

Over the past 41 years, Sanko has seen huge changes in both the city and its tastes. As more people discover Japanese food and cooking, the Mizuno family strives to provide the ingredients for their enjoyment along with friendly, helpful advice. With two knowledgeable, young sons working in the store, its longevity looks promising. It’s the real deal.

Kaori Furue is a Toronto-based blogger who can’t believe soba can taste so good and still be healthy. Her adventures big and small (mostly small, and mostly about food) can be found at: I can’t believe I’m back in Toronto.