Shoushin

Edomae on Upper Yonge

4 of 5

Upper Yonge Street is dentists, dry cleaners and people walking dogs in expensive jackets. Nobody comes up here looking for a revelation. That is exactly why Shoushin works. Jackie Lin runs a twelve-seat counter at 3328 Yonge, near Lawrence, and serves Edomae sushi the old way, with a few tables on the side for those who would rather not be watched while they chew.

There are two omakase menus. Sakura is the structured one. The other is called Obsession Perfection, which is either the most honest name in Toronto dining or a warning, and it means the chef decides everything. Take the second if you can afford it. You are paying for seasonal fish, some of it rare, and for a man whose hands have done this so many times that the rice seems to arrange itself. Michelin gave the place a star. The counter does not act like it noticed. The work stays quiet, exact and slightly stern, which is how good sushi should feel.

I have eaten raw fish in rooms that cost more and meant less. What matters here is the distance between your plate and the knife, which is about an arm. Sit at the counter, not the tables. Book on Tock and plan your evening around it, because they only open Wednesday to Saturday. Go hungry, go sober for the first half, and let the man finish his sentences.

Order this: The Obsession Perfection omakase if you trust the chef completely, The Sakura omakase if you want structure, Chu toro, whenever it comes, Sake from the list, and ask which one
The damage: $$$$
Go: Wednesday to Saturday from 5:30; book through Tock well ahead
Find it: 3328 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4N 2M4