My new favourite Japanese restaurant in the Yonge and St Clair area is the recently opened Tonari Sushi at 1404 Yonge St. Their sashimi lunch bento box is one of the best I've ever had. For $12.95, you get 9 pieces of delicious fish that consisted of sushi-grade salmon, red tuna, white tuna and hamachi (butter fish). Happily missing was red clam which is often included in sashimi samplers, but which I find tough and chewy.
Every compartment of the bento box contained a welcome treat and not a heaping of rice, often used as filler in other restaurants. The other components consisted of lightly breaded tempura shrimp and vegetables (zucchini, squash, sweet potato), a spring roll, salad with miso dressing and three pieces of nigiri (salmon, red tuna, hamachi). Cucumbers were sliced and arranged in the forms of flowers and even the wasabi was shaped artistically. The lunch special included a miso soup that has plenty of tofu and seaweed. The glasses of water came ice cold with a slice of lemon, a nice touch.
All the lunch menu options are bento boxes with other choices including teriyaki (chicken, shrimp, salmon, beef or tofu with vegetables), lemon chicken, spicy chicken, marinated short ribs or sushi combos. We're looking forward to going back to try their dinner menu which includes non-standard items like lobster roll and chicken teriyaki roll.
Tonari Sushi
1404 Yonge St.
