Ryuko’s premium brand Sushi Jun Named an Air Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2026 Finalist

Follow Macleod Trail south, past the increasingly suburban stretches of Calgary, and an unassuming commercial plaza holds a rather extraordinary secret. Upstairs from the casual Japanese restaurant Ryuko, Sushi Jun is an intimate omakase counter where the city outside quickly disappears. At its centre is chef Jun Young Park, working within arm’s reach of every guest.

From the first piece, it becomes clear that almost nothing here is accidental. Rice arrives beautifully cooked and at exactly the right temperature, warm against exceptionally fresh fish flown in largely from Japan and Spain. Shima aji is clean and pristine; sweet ebi paired with creamy, briny uni makes for an indulgent mouthful; and beautifully marbled chutoro almost dissolves against the warm rice. Watching Park work is part of the pleasure, from the precision of his knife to the quiet confidence with which each piece is placed before you.

What makes the omakase truly exceptional, though, is its rhythm. Rather than following an expected progression, Park uses palate cleansers, shifts in temperature and unexpected transitions to continually reset both palate and expectations. There is tremendous technique behind it all, but also imagination. Even tiramisu somehow makes sense by the time it arrives.

A sake tasting follows the progression beautifully, while service remains personal and remarkably kind. Sushi Jun is precise without rigidity, matching exceptional ingredients and serious technique with creativity and warmth. Finding an omakase this accomplished hiding above a casual sushi restaurant on the edge of Calgary makes it all the more remarkable.

https://enroute.aircanada.com/best-new-restaurants/finalists/