loved the decor, the interior blends bold, traditional japanese elements with a slightly modern,…read moreizakaya style flair. the space features dark brick walls and wooden beams, giving it a cozy, intimate feel, while a striking lantern style light fixture overhead adds a warm glow. i could not help but think what a great place to gather with a group, enjoy drinks, and share a bunch of dishes.
the menu was a bit overwhelming (in a good way). so many options, truth be told, i was over stimulated but we eventually narrowed it down to two oshis and the beef tataki, to start.
unfortunately, the food didn't quite live up to the setting.
we were pretty disappointed that the oshis weren't flame seared, part of what makes oshi sushi so craveable is that warm, caramelized top. both rolls we ordered tasted pretty much the same, despite having different toppings. the monsoon special (tuna, salmon, avocado, dried onion, creamy yum sauce, unagi sauce, sesame seeds) and the salmon oshi (spicy mayo, cucumber, jalapeño, sesame seeds, dried onion) looked different, but flavour wise, were indistinguishable. also, the seaweed wrap situation was strange, it seemed like it was wrapped like a sushi and then the bottom half was sliced off, giving it an unfinished feel. they were not layered in a rectangular mold, and was missing the lightly flame seared smoky caramelized taste.
then there was the beef tataki, the crunchy bits we were biting into turned out to be garlic flakes, but the texture was oddly sharp, i thought i had bit into shards of oyster shells.
the sauce threw us off too, the balance of citrus and sweet was off, with a weird spicy kick, like frank's hot sauce that didn't quite work. we did not finish this. we had planned to order some drinks and deep fried dishes, but decided against this.
service was friendly and the ambiance was great, but the food execution just didn't match up. not sure we'd return.