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>> New Brown Derby combines old-fashioned style with a modern twist

by IVY TOLCHINSKY

In the 1700s there was a guy in France named Grimod who was notorious for throwing wild dinner parties where the dishes were created purely from the imaginations of the chefs at hand. Now it's 1999 and there's a guy like that in Montreal, and right now he's using sushi as his medium. The guy is Mr. Josh Fox, and the name is Genki Sushi.

Mr. Fox was brought up by professional caterers and turned "pro" more than a decade ago. He is so devoted to the gods of food that he is soon starting a Montreal Chefs Club that will defy any human convention of gastronomy. And get this--his son teethed on dry morel mushrooms.

Genki Sushi is a mobile sushi party. He'll show up anytime, anywhere and make the sushi as you and your guests order it. The illustrious Mr. Fox will let you select the ingredients for your sushi roll, and he'll create an edible piece of Japanese art before your very eyes. If you can't go through the trouble of arranging your own party, you can find Genki Sushi in full force at Patisserie de la Gare (deep in the West End) on Friday afternoons and at Jello Bar on Wednesday and Thursday nights for happy hour(s).

I checked out Jello Bar--it's closer to my home and they have booze (Spanky likes his Martini with gin and vermouth; none of that fancy crap). Genki was all set up to serve and Spanky was all set up to eat. I love it when a good plan comes together.

The menu is simple. Futo-maki-zushi (large rolls, 4 pieces) is $4.75 to $7.75, hoso-maki-zushi (small roll, 6 pieces) will run you $4 to $5.25 and Inari-zushi (fried tofu pockets) will set you back $1.25 to $1.75. The lower price represents the vegetarian option and the cost goes up as you choose one or two types of seafood.

My futo-maki-zushi included an eye-boggling array of ingredients. You can stick to the basics, but Mr. Fox encourages creativity. I selected each ingredient as he made my maki (and my day), and listened to an informative and highly entertaining narrative while he cooked my shrimps and scallops. At Genki Sushi, nothing is pre-cooked, and some of it isn't cooked at all.

Here's a partial list of what was on hand for my maki: avocado, asparagus, sea asparagus, sesame seeds (black and white), yellow carrots, pineapple, strawberry, shitake, corn sprouts, cucumber, fresh water-chestnuts, Korean and Chinese chives ("I don't use 'regular' chives anymore"), mango, chayote, mini-kiwi (these things will blow your mind), daikon, tuna, salmon, smoked salmon, shrimp, scallops, crab-stick and Japanese mayo, mixed with a completely new list of exotic condiments.

I also tried the seafood "bonbon" ($6). This unbelievable creation involves butterflying a large shrimp or scallop, loading it full of beautiful and mouth-watering ingredients, and then closing it up and tying it with a strip of seaweed. One of mine included a slice of strawberry, roe, spicy sauce made with mayo and chipotle, fresh mint, roasted corn and another slice of strawberry. Eating this was an experience I've never before enjoyed. The lush textures of the scallop and strawberry were perfectly balanced by the slight crunch of the toasted corn (which tastes like corn nuts) and the bright fibers of the fresh mint. God, I just actually drooled onto my keyboard. Wow.

Brown Derby

Address: 5375 Queen Mary

Phone: 369-2550

Hours: 7am-11pm, 7 days/week

Best features: Jewish specialties, salad bar, table d'hote

Alcohol: Permit in progress

Vegetarian friendly: Yes

Fish and seafood: Yes

Wheelchair access: Street level

Credit cards: All major

Price: $15/person with tax and tip

Rating: ** 1/2 out of ****