shunoko — Restaurant in Toronto

I'll preface this by saying I was not able to try this place despite wanting to for some time. I called about making a reservation for 2 tonight before they opened, around 430pm, and asked if it was reservation only and omakase only, or could you just do a la carte if you wanted and also walk-in, and they said yes you can do a la carte without the omakase, but it's still recommended to reserve and do it online, so I said no problem I'm on my way home and when I get home I'll reserve then, and they said no problem. I got home and went to reserve but realized you have to create a tock account. I don't go out a lot and I'd rather not give my credit card information to a random website I'd likely never use again, so I googled if there was any other way to reserve and a phone number came up that said you can text them a reservation inquiry, so I did, and they called me back quickly and I asked if it was possible to reserve for 2 at 730, not for omakase but only a la carte, and I explained I didn't have a tock account. They said no problem they understand not having tock, and explained the menu was mostly nigiri and not really many hot plates or much other stuff, I said no problem I already looked at the a la carte menu online when I got home and had planned to spend more than it would cost for both of us to get the omakase anyway (because I know sometimes in sushi places when you ask to do a la carte it can appear as if you might order very little), and said maybe somewhere in the 30-40 total pieces range from the a la carte menu, and that I calculated the total on my phone beforehand and it was something like $240+ just for the food, and then said we'd probably drink on top of that too, then the person on the phone said some items on the website aren't available anymore though, and I said no problem we can find other things to order, and asked if they have any special fish that aren't on the menu maybe, and he said yes they do, daily specials and stuff like that, so I said awesome sounds great we can substitute some of the daily specials for the things you don't have anymore, and see you soon. There was a point in the conversation where he mentioned the cancellation fee of $50 per person and seemed kind of shaky about it, and I said no problem we are coming 100% no need to worry about cancelling, as we were literally on the way out the door to head there as soon as I hang up. They called me back a minute later to tell me sorry but they are actually full for the whole night and can't accept us, but we could try tomorrow if we wanted and that we would have to reserve through tock online though. Not really sure what the issue was here, but 15-20 minutes after that I checked the tock screen and it shows reservations available at 7:00pm, 7:30pm, 8pm, 8:30pm, and I had initially asked for 730, and It's also now 45 minutes later after having spoken to them on the phone and writing this review, tock still has openings for 8 and 830pm, so again, not really sure what the issue was, maybe simply the fact that I didn't want to reserve through tock? If you just tell me straight that you absolutely HAVE to reserve through tock, then I'd know to look somewhere else and won't be offended that you won't accept my reservation, but after having a full conversation about it, the menu, and that it's okay, then accepting the reservation over the phone, and then calling me back to tell me sorry we can't accept you, and then still having multiple reservation slots available online, just felt so incredibly disrespectful and like they are more concerned about potentially missing out on the $100 cancellation fee if we didn't show up than actually having guests who want to spend money on a nice meal? Just very weird overall and a shame because was looking forward to it. I put 4 stars because I don't like to give negative reviews to what appear to be independently owned restaurants, but I won't be attempting to make another reservation or ever trying it in the future based on...

This is the evolution of Sushi Nomi. The original spot was a super small take out counter at the base of Roncesvalles. It had it's following and a constant flow of people purchasing their platters and maki sets. It was one of the rare places where you can find interesting fish beyond the typical tuna, salmon, and red snapper AND it didnt cost you a fortune.

This new spot on St.Clair is quite a bit bigger than the previous spot. It has at least 10 tables of varying sizes in addition to the sushi bar in front of the chef. It is quite spacious and if they really wanted to, they could squeeze in a few more tables. Thankfully they didnt and they let the minimalist zen like decor also be held in the atmosphere. Soft jazz plays in the background which just adds to a nice soothing night. I highly recommend doing reservations. When I was there, it was a constant line up of walk ins hoping for a table.

As for the service, we lucked out and it was very good. There was the primary hostess who also did triple duty as main waitress and food runner. SHE WAS BUSY but she also super sweet, thoughtful, and attentive. She either cleaning, speaking to different tables, or checking in on those who already received their dishes. There were a few others helping but no one was the star player like her.

Their menu is easy to read but definitely ask for the daily specials. They regularly have fish flown in from Tsukiji Market in Tokyo. Sometimes they'll have a lot of varieties and they're so unique to 95% of what Toronto sushi spots offer.

Sashimi B set - For only $35, this sashimi set has 24 pieces of 12 different fish. That is so rare in Toronto. Usually they'll only say 7 types of fish ... 8 if you're lucky. So when this platter arrived on the table, it was beautiful. Not only were the slices clean and well portioned, the colours and different sauces they added to the fish were just a great touch. We were also blessed to see we got 30 pieces of 15 different fish! This was just unexpected and we were very grateful to try even more. Of the 15, only 5 were common (salmon sake, tuna maguro, fluke hirame, black sea bream kurodai, and yellowtail hamachi). We also got sea bass, spanish mackerel, horse mackerel, red sea bream, striped jack, amber jack ... and others I can't even remember. Many of the fishes were really good. Some were supple and smooth... others were meaty and had a rich bold flavour. There was only one was just a bit unusual for me. I never knew a fish could be crunchy. Not my favourite but appreciated that I got to try it. I loved this set especially for the price point. Just well done overall. 4.5/5

Coconut Spicy tuna roll - This was a fun and interesting roll. If you love textures, this one you'd might like a lot. It has finely minced tuna in a mild spicy sauce with avocado. Then it is finely rolled up altogether and then covered in crispy popped rice and roasted coconut flakes. The added crisp and crunchy pieces kept it interesting. Flavour wise, I liked how their spicy tuna wasn't mayo filled but the roasted coconut was distractedly sweet. I'm not sure the added sweetness worked for me. 3.5/5

Afterflood roll - This is a solid choice for anyone who likes maki rolls. Filled with asparagus, cucumber, creamy avocado, and spicy crab, it's then topped with 7 types of fish and avocado. It is a pretty looking roll with lots of colour and the addition of the green onion. It's not as spicy as the spicy tuna filling... just a hint of spice. I think this worked well...

This is it, guys. I've dined at numerous sushi restaurants across all price points and this is the ultimate bang-for-your-buck sushi omakase in Toronto. While "value omakase" restaurants tend to cut corners by using more common fish, feature fewer or simpler courses, or skimp on service, shunoko does it all: variety of fresh, seasonal fish, unique cooking techniques and a full course of dishes that will keep your belly full.

First off, as many reviewers have noted, this is a Korean-run place. They source fish not just from Japan, but Portugal and South Korea as well and I liked that I got to try fish that you don't usually see as part of a traditional omakase. This includes uncommon fish like fluke, barracuda and iwame.

Next, the cooking techniques and seasoning are unique to this place. The chef has over 30 years of experience and it shows in how he can confidently use so much oil to add flavour to the sushi. He also uses toasty sesame seeds and other seasoning that add a hint of roastiness or nuttiness. These are high-risk, high-reward techniques that could potentially ruin the delicate flavour of the fish, but the fact that he pulls it off so remarkably well shows the depth of his skill and knowledge.

Another thing that's not commonly seen in omakase here (but very common in Japan) is the free green tea service. I just wanted to point out this small gesture that goes a long way.

The only thing I can fault is the service - the server was very friendly, but she had to tend to the whole restaurant by herself and my green tea was only refilled once throughout the whole night.

Overall, the course was excellent and it's my favourite "value omakase" in Toronto right now. It delivers way more than expected for its price point. There were also some regulars there who were engaging in some friendly chatter with the chef, so this place must be clearly doing something right. Will be back again since the menu changes...