Shoushin

Twelve seats line a roughly 200-year-old hinoki counter on Yonge Street in Bedford Park. Chef-owner Jackie Lin opened Shoushin there in October 2015 after years as sous-chef at Zen in Markham. Born in Guangzhou and raised in Scarborough, he builds Edomae-style omakase on wild-caught fish, much of it from Japan, and a blend of two rices. Michelin awards one star and praises the rice acid for lifting the toppings; inspectors call out firefly squid, monkfish liver, murasaki uni, and nigiri that moves from kohada to anago.

Tock lists two paths. Sakura is the structured set with snacks and nigiri. Obsession Perfection leaves more of the night to Lin’s read of the board and the guest. Leave room for Shizuoka muskmelon when it is on. Streets of Toronto reported that Drake phoned to congratulate Lin when the first Toronto Michelin stars landed in 2022. Book the counter if you can; a few tables sit beside it. Wednesday through Saturday evenings only. Yorkville’s Sushi Masaki Saito is the other short hinoki booking; Hashimoto still runs traditional kaiseki farther north at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre.

Counter guests talk about seasonal fish, precise rice, and servers who wipe vinegar the moment it hits the wood. Anniversaries and birthdays show up often. The check is steep. Some diners find Lin quiet at first, then forthcoming if you ask about the fish. Tables still work when the counter is gone. Either way, book on Tock.