Sushi 67       647.717.8744     www.sushi67.ca       Lunch & Dinner Tues to Sun

I walked into Sushi 67 while looking for a local fishmonger, and I’m glad I did.  The layout is similar to that of a jewelry store, glass cases display rows of colourful sushi like gems.  The room is small, very modern (almost futuristic) and has no seating area; strictly takeout or delivery.   

Its lunchtime and I want a quick snack –  The Roncesvalles Roll.   Deep fried shrimp, crab, and cucumber is topped with spicy mayo and buttery salmon and served with a vegan soya sauce.  The rice is nice and thin on the outside – always a good sign the chef knows what he is doing.  The menu even includes a gluten-free section.  Staff is friendly, food wise and accommodating.  Unlicensed. 

District           647.347.8744    closed Mondays       http://districtbistro.ca/

With a name like district one would never think – Japanese restaurant.   The décor is ultra modern – picture steel, brick and wood.  The atmosphere is cozy and warm.  A romantic lantern lined patio bordered with shrubs and flora is charming; and finding a sushi restaurant with a great patio is few and far between.

Tuna tartar with green onion, fresh avocado and crispy yam chips arrives first.  This dish is tasty but isn’t a standout.

 Sea salted Edamame is flawless,  firm and vibrant. 

Hiyashi wakame salad is crunchy, lightly dressed, however, seems run of the mill. 

Tempura sweet potato wedges with mayo taste like sweet morsels of holiday goodness, lightly coated and browned.

Spicy roll (salmon, tuna, crunchy bits, cucumber, avocado, tobiko, spicy mayo)  and Black Dragon (kani, cucumber, avocado, eel, and tobiko ) are both heavy and dense.  I don’t feel rolls are this restaurants strong suit.

Overall the food is average, but the space is beautiful and worth a visit. 

After Rain     905.273.5758     Open daily lunch & dinner

At this cozy sushi restaurant nestled in the heart of Mississauga the staff are welcoming and the room is kitsch, decorated with paper lanterns, artificial greenery and dark stained wood banquets complete with red velvety cushions – quickly I am whisked away to my table.

Not having had sushi in quite some time I went a little overboard ordering lunch.  The lightly battered Tempura appetizer (3 fried shrimp, broccoli, onion, squash, and yam) is served alongside a sweet – sesame coated winter squash, a standard green salad, an astringent pickled radish dish and a delightful warm noodle soup loaded with crunchy tempura bits. Oshizushi is a unique sushi formed by using a wooden mold to press fresh fish and rice together; regrettably, my salmon version lacked luster and love.  One lightly spiced scallop hand roll followed along with two pieces of creamy tobiko sushi.  Things seemed to be moving smoothly until the Red Dragon Roll arrived, and it was one of those giant – this is my first time rolling sushi I can’t even fit the whole thing in my mouth – rolls, disappointing. 

The menu can be hit or miss.  I did enjoy the fact that when I ordered my dishes the kitchen staff paced everything out perfectly so I didn’t get everything at once.  But this is just your everyday sushi play.

Blowfish Restaurant and Sake Bar      416-860-0606       http://www.blowfishrestaurant.com/king/   Closed Sun

One needs to know and love the old before excelling at the new.  Since opening in 2003, Chef Naito Teruhiko has been creating interesting Japanese cuisine by fusing the old with the new.  The menu changes with the season keeping a few staples.  Spicy tuna rock shrimp roll is wonderfully crispy flavoured lightly with spicy mayo and spicy tuna on crispy rice is perfect for beginners, excellent texture with the perfect bite. Other mentions include the soft shell tartar roll and the rainbow flame roll which delights the palette with subtle curry notes.   Its stylish and chic, servers are very efferent and knowledgeable.  The bar stocks a wide variety of sake along with an impressive cocktail menu that is a little pricey.

416-201-8688     www.spoonandfork.ca    lunch Mon to Sun 1130am to 3pm; dinner Sun to Thurs 430pm-10pm, Fri to Sat 430pm-11pm

I ordered some take out sushi and really enjoyed it.  I needed enough for 3 so I decided on party tray A which included 44 pieces of maki for $35.  The tray was made up of Golden dragon, tempura roll, California roll, spicy salmon roll, tekka (tuna) maki, and sake(salmon) maki, all tasting very fresh. Even the avocado was bright green and the rolls had just enough rice around them.  In Etobicoke it’s hard to find a reliable take-out sushi restaurant so add this one to the top of your list.  The prices are very reasonable, service is quick and efficient.