Shinobu Sushi Restaurant — Restaurant in Toronto

This is a review for takeout

To get the stuffed lotus root ($9.50) or not? These deep-fried pieces of earthy lotus root sandwiching a savoury pork paste are heavenly straight from the fryer. But would they be nearly as good after sitting in a box for 15 minutes? While the crunchiness was stunted, the texture was still there, and the starter was just as juicy as having at the restaurant. So much so, that I forgot to take a picture before we dove in… you’ll just have to trust me on this one.

Similarly, the tempura in the double shrimp cannon roll ($13.50) held up very well and the lettuce didn’t wilt terribly while sitting covered. The maki still delivered that lovely bomb of flavours and textures (is that why it’s called a cannon roll?), no regular dynamite roll can compare.

A safe choice is the spicy tuna roll ($8.50), which resembles what we’d have at the restaurant. And unlike our previous delivery experience from Kibo Sushi House, there wasn’t a crumb of tempura batter. At Shinobu, their spicy tuna roll actually incorporates fish… what a novel thought.

The one dish that wasn’t as impressive was the pressed salmon sushi ($17.50). The kewpie and jalapeno paste (?) topping the fish was just too much; perhaps it really sinks into the salmon on the ride home. Luckily, it’s an easy problem to solve – we remove half of it – and we continued our merry way.

Having a hankering for fresh fish but not wanting sashimi, we ordered the seafood donburi ($24). It was exactly what we needed incorporating so many different slices of fish, octopus, eel, two thick pieces of tamago (egg omelette) and even a spoon of spicy salmon. If you need a variety, donburi bowls are the way to go! Why did it take me so long to try...

Thrilled to discover our new neighbourhood has such a high-quality, homey Japanese restaurant! My sister and my Japanese brother-in-law were visiting from the States, where they live in a small Southern city without access to a wide variety of Japanese food. My BIL was in absolute heaven—we dined in one night and then two nights later ordered take-out so my sis and BIL could get a fix before leaving town.

We enjoyed a sake tasting, and my BIL was pleased with the sake options too. The owners and staff are warm and the vibe is laid back and local. There was a table celebrating a birthday, and the birthday “boy” (elderly man) bought a round of drinks for the whole restaurant and we sang to him.

Small dining room, not pretentious, with a fantastic variety of fresh fresh fresh sashimi as well as hot dishes (seared mackerel yum). I have celiac disease so couldn’t taste some of the dishes ordered, but high marks were given to everything. The staff was accommodating to my dietary restrictions and served GF tamari.

Reservation strongly recommended, at minimum call before you go so you know whether you need to ask...

We visited recently to share a special occasion and really enjoyed the hospitality and food. The portions were generous and the fish was fresh. There is plenty to choose from both the hot food and raw fish menus. They also have specials that are dependent on seasonal ingredients.

Our favourite dishes over the years that have remained consistent since the restaurant has been around include the seared mackerel, miso eggplant, and the hotate dream roll.

We definitely ordered a bit too much for two people but no regrets :) We made the decision to order again midway through the meal as we have a habit of wanting to try more at times!

This is definitely a great go-to regular spot if you live in the neighborhood and are craving for authentic Japanese food. If you're not from the neighbourhood it is still worth the visit for a hospitable and delicious meal. Best to call ahead to ensure you have a spot.

Credit...