Shinji

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Raw Talent

1726 Rue Notre-Dame O, Montréal, QC H3J 1M3

UPDATE: SHINJI HAS CLOSED

One of my best friends has a deep love for any and all raw fish, so I know who to call when the craving strikes. On Saturday night we headed to Shinji, a Griffintown hotspot renowned for its raw menu and sushi, with the intent of wining and dining to our hearts’ content.

After debating on whether to go for the 6-course or 4-course tasting menu, we decided to order on our own. We started off with a delicious pear and grapefruit cocktail garnished with a large sprig of rosemary. It was beautiful, fragrant, and perfect for a fall Saturday night. Not too sweet, and with just enough gin to get the night started. We followed these cocktails up with some hot sake and anxiously awaited our first course.

And wait we did. The service was a bit slow, but the wait was more than worth it. The Sashimi Moriwase arrived- a platter of 5 different fish (2 thick slices of each). The fish was like butter and had no fishy taste at all. Next up was the Yuzu Kanpachi, which our waiter explained is a traditional dish served to guests in Japanese homes. A lovely plate of thinly sliced fish arrived and a yuzu sauce was poured over top. Heaven!

Assorted Sashimi (Top), Yuzu Kanpachi (Bottom)

We decided to have something cooked for our next course and went with the Miso and Maple Marinated Black Cod. It was buttery, flaky, sweet, and rich- just as cod should be. The only downfall was the size of the dish….it left me wanting more!

Gindara: Miso/Maple Marinated Black Cod

Finally, we rounded off the meal with a Tuna Tartare Maki and Lobster Maki. The sushi proportion was just right with the perfect rice to fish ratio. The tuna tartare roll was topped with a lovely wasabi mayo and the lobster roll was light and fresh.

Lobster Roll (Top), Tuna Tartare Maki (Bottom)

The avant-garde atmosphere lit mostly by candles makes for the perfect date spot (and terrible food pictures…sorry guys!). I highly recommend Shinji for a night of fine dining, raw fish, and sake- definitely one of Griffintown’s finest!