Fish Tuesday

On Tuesday, during a heavy snow, I was in the Lawrence and Yonge area for an omakase dinner at new Japanese spot Shoushin. This "shrine to sushi" has been getting rave reviews from all quarters. I selected the $120 middle option. The best way to describe this 6-course dinner is "precise": all details were done with meticulous care. So when the "amuse-bouche" came out: a delicate trio of fried veggies yuba (4 tiny portions wrapped in tofu), a black cod in white soy sauce, and a slice of daikon, the mood for the evening was set. Chawanmushi with shrimp, goma tofu soup, green matcha dessert were all beautifully made.

But how was the fish? I haven't had it this good in a long time. The sashimi platter was mind-blowing especially the octopus. I don't think you can get it this tender without hours of massage. Other highlights include Boston tuna and amberjack. I appreciated how fresh the B.C. spot prawn was, but that gooey texture is a hard sell.

Unlike the sashimi, the sushi came out one piece at a time and was to be consumed immediately. The chef actually politely "admonished" me when one sushi wasn't eaten within the requisite 10 seconds. This presentation allowed chef to play and juxtapose flavour. For example, the procession from lean to medium to fatty tuna. So many delicate taste and texture.

Overall, I liked but didn't love my dinner here. I would come back in a heartbeat for the sushi (perhaps in the $80 lower range). But the rest of the dishes were too much in the same palette. It was like an evening of classical music comprising of all 2nd movements. I wanted the other items to have a little more bombast.