Sushi S

We decided to try out Sushi S because it had a 3.9 rating on Zomato and was on our way to Costco. The decor was simple and it was pretty busy for a neighbourhood restaurant (i.e. nothing else around). 

I have to admit that I was initially a little disappointed that it was Korean-run because I had googled "Authentic Japanese" when I was looking for something to eat that night. But we gave them the benefit of the doubt because some other Korean-run sushi places have been good (i.e. Bella Sushi in Kits).

I started with a Seared Maguro (right) and a Seared Toro (left). I liked the addition of vinegar because it gave it a fresh taste; however, it was a little too much vinegar. It would be better if the vinegar was lightly brushed on the dish or just sprinkled on instead of pooling at the bottom of the plate. I did like the addition of the shredded daikon on top though, which gave it a bit of texture.

B had the Seared Hamachi (left) and Seared Sake (right). He agreed that there was a little bit too much vinegar, but it didn't overpower the smokiness of the sear for him like it did for me.

Of course, B had to order the Tako Sashimi. It was good, but a little soft in the middle and not as dry as we had hoped. It could be a little crunchier, but we are not mad or turned off by it.

Then we each ordered 6 more nigiri each. I only ended up with 5 (top row) because the server told me there was Kanpachi when there really wasn't any left. From left to right, I had the Toro, Big eye, Hamachi, Hotate, and Ikura. The Toro was decent, and not too fishy. The Big Eye didn't have much flavour, but the texture was quite interesting. The Hamachi was a little fisher than expected; it tasted quite metallic. The Hotate was very creamy and had a good balance of wasabi between the rice and the scallop. The Ikura was also a little fishier than expected and not as salty as I had hoped (to help contrast the fishiness).

B had the Unagi, Saba, Hokkigai, Ika, Big eye, and Hamachi (bottom row). The Unagi was okay, it had a mild smoke flavour that it could use more of and good texture. The Saba was oily, salty, and fish in a good way. The Hokkigai was fine and nothing out of the ordinary. The Ika had good texture. He agreed the Big Eye had interesting texture. The Hamachi didn't have a lot of flavour for him.

Because the server didn't tell me they ran out of the Kanpachi, they gave us two Seared Tunas on the house. It had more smoky flavour than the other ones I tried and the combination of the sauces really brought out the smoky taste.

We thought we would try out the Kanpachi Kama since it's "limited", but were kind of disappointed. The texture is like chicken, which was good, but it wasn't grilled properly and was kind of soggy.

As the Kanpachi was lacking in the saltiness and oiliness that I craved in a Saba Shioyaki, we decided to order one. Unfortunately, as you can see from the picture, it lacked the proper grill of a Saba Shioyaki. It looks and tastes more like it was toasted. The meat was tough and not flaky like it normally is. It also didn't have the saltiness I craved either. It was rather disappointing as I've had awesome grilled mackerel at Andamiro and in Seoul. I thought, even if you can't make an authentic Saba Shioyaki, Korean grilled mackerel is still tasty.

Up to the Saba Shioyaki, we were okay with the restaurant. Everything was decent enough and service was good. But we just can't look past the failed Saba. We will likely not return. That being said, if you're in the neighbourhood and craving sushi, it's worth visiting. It could be a good "go to" for people in the neighbourhood.