*The 4-star is in consideration of the standards of other Toronto sushi restaurants, but probably a 3 to 3.5 in comparison to all other sushi I've had in my life*
Asuka didn't even know it, but she had a very tough sushi critic and her +1 visit for an important lunch today. A lot was on the line, like my friendship with my +1.
I was a very brave girl in bringing DS to try another Toronto sushi restaurant. I have previously mentioned that I am a huge sushi snob, but DS is an even bigger Vancity snob who had already given up hope on all sushi restaurants in Toronto. I was risking getting a good verbal lashing by DS but thankfully we came out of Asuka with happy smiles and satisfied bellies.
The location is great in the heart of Yorkville, but the decor was terribly drab. Dark (sub-ground level), and filled with those cheesy booth things with rice paper sliding doors that are supposed to make the atmosphere more "authentic". Even tackier are the server's "sexy" kimonos. WTF? Please do not be led to believe that such things are authentic Japanese. Please. I beg of you.
Aesthetics aside, the menu had a lot of sushi items, which we thought was a good sign. Any restaurant with the confidence to offer a "Omakase" or "Moriawase" probably has a proud and fresh selection of sashimi to offer.
I ordered the Nigiri Sushi set from the Lunch menu and DS ordered the Chirashi. Both were great! Considering they were the same price, I would recommend the Chirasi over the Sushi set as it definitely had a larger portion and better selection of fish. The fish were fresh and tasty - you could tell by the umami and texture. The sushi had the right type and portion of rice. Tip: A sure sign of a shitty Japanese restaurant is when they give too much rice on your rolls or Nigiri sushi.
I think the fact that my dear friend DS was happy and said would return to Asuka should be reason enough for everyone to pay a visit here. But please don't remove Vancouver or Japan from your travel plans; Toronto is still not comparable.
Atmosphere - 2/5
Service - 4/5
Food - 4/5
Price - 4/5