Tucked away on Harbord Street is Skippa, one of Toronto's newest Japanese sushi and sake bars that siblings Ian and Kati Robinson launched in 2017, specializing in refined small plates influenced by the slightly sweeter flavours of Japan’s Fukuoka region that Robinson became familiar with when he trained under Mitsuhiro Kaji at Sushi Kaji. Named after their father’s sailboat, the 30-seat space and most of the furniture in it was built by the Robinsons themselves. While Kati manages the front of house, Ian takes on the role of head chef, and decides on the menu every day, depending on what’s in season and locally available. Quality ingredients are the cornerstones of Japanese cuisine, and Skippa embraces those same high standards, with a daily-changing menu that features a selection of Ocean Wise fish and produce from small-scale Ontario farms, including Robinson's homegrown Japanese herbs. Skippa's prices are market-driven, with small plates such as Edamame, White Asparagus Sunomono, Grilled Black Maitake Mushroom and Miso Salad or Wagyu Beef from Japan which range from $3 to $13, to chef Robinson's popular 'Trust Skippa' omakase sushi which is competitively priced at just $50. While all of the menu items are worth trying, the sushi is the main attraction. Everything is made to order, and each expertly made plate is served one at a time, so with an ever-changing menu, diners can taste the best of what the four seasons have to offer.
The L-shaped sushi bar has a front-row view of the kitchen
Skippa is a beautiful harvest table that was custom-made from a fallen sugar maple trunk
Avocado Salada with red oak lettuce and blood orange
Organic Ontario Edamame
Kaki, also called persimmon, from PEI with yuzu
Masai Moriawase with morsel mushrooms, burdock root and beets, sliced daikon and carrots
Howaito Asparagus Sunonomo with white asparagus and shiso
Tsukune, a Japanese chicken meatball cooked yakitori style with kimone
Nasu: Simmered eggplant with ginger and daikon
Chef Robinson cooking the Tsukune Chicken Teriyaki on Skippa's yakatori grill
Chef Ian Robinson preparing our Omakase behind the wooden sushi bar
The first dish of the 'Trust Skippa' Omakase, Goldeneye Sea bream with steamed rice and dashi
Ocean Trout from British Columbia
Great Swordfish from Nagasaki Japan
New Zealand Sea Bream garnished with olive oil and preserved lemon
Torched Aburi Mackerel
Tuna with black housemade garlic soy sauce
Horse Mackerel from Fukuoka Japan and smoked with Japanese hay
Wild Yellowtail Hand Roll with freshly roasted nori seaweed from Tsukiji Market in Tokyo
Tamago sweet egg roll
Wagyu A5 Striploin from Japan
Coconut Iced Cream with Rhubarb
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