Sashimi Island
About: 635 College St has seen many name changes and owners throughout the years. Sashami Island opened under new management back in November 2011, and it is an AYCE. They also have an à la carte menu and it's 20% off if you pick-up.
Atmosphere/Decor: The interior and décor hasn't changed much despite the multiple changes of owners. I don't really see anything wrong with it as I have always liked the simplicity of the interior, and how its wooden booths provide privacy for diners.
Price: The last time that I went to eat with my bf and friends (late 2013); Sashimi Island had a three-tier pricing point. The prices are as followed; #1 is $13.99 (sushi rolls), #2 is $16.99 (sushi rolls and appetizers/hot plates food), and #3 is $19.99 (everything on the menu including sashimi).
Menu: Their menu offers the standardize sushi, sashimi and other noodles, grilled, fried options, and desserts. The price that you pay also includes pop drinks. I'd have to say that they do offer a decent selection of sushi and sashimi on the menu. The place uses the old paper system where you'd check off the items (and the amount) that you want, and then you'd give it to one of the staff members.
Food: I have been to Sashimi Island on many occasions for dinner; usually whenever I am downtown and craving for some AYCE. I find that their food quality has been quite consistent throughout all of my visits, and I liked that the portions are well-rationed. Although there are a few misses; I liked a majority of the food that are offered here. Both of the salads (green/seaweed) were both refreshing starters and I liked the tanginess of the sauce used for the green salad. Both of the miso soup and edamame taste no different than from what you'd expect from an AYCE place. They offer a wide assortment of cooked foods which I really enjoyed. Some of my favorites were the fried scallops, beef teriyaki, fried calamari, beef ribs, and sushi pizza (salmon).
Two of my favorite cooked items were probably the calamari and beef (spicy) udon. The calamari arrived with five pieces for each order and it was lightly battered with not a lot of grease. The udon here is probably one of my favorites of all of the AYCE that I have tried in the GTA. The soup base was flavorful and the udon noodles had a nice chewy texture. Their chicken teriyaki was pretty decent but it wasn't amongst the stuff that I'd re-ordered. I liked that their shrimp tempura wasn't consumed in a batter of oil and the sauce was good. Lastly, they do offer a good variety of sushi, and maki rolls, and a few choices of sashimi. On some of my earlier visits; the sushi had quite a bit of rice in the maki rolls. However, as of late, the rice to fish ratio has been pretty good and the rice was seasoned nicely. The sashimi were thickly cut, but the fish had a good texture to them.
Service: I find that good service at AYCE can be sporadic sometimes. The reason why I like this establishment is due to its friendly and fast service. The green tea refilled was frequent and the servers have always been pleasant and quick to clear the empty dishes.
Atmosphere/Decor: The interior and décor hasn't changed much despite the multiple changes of owners. I don't really see anything wrong with it as I have always liked the simplicity of the interior, and how its wooden booths provide privacy for diners.
Price: The last time that I went to eat with my bf and friends (late 2013); Sashimi Island had a three-tier pricing point. The prices are as followed; #1 is $13.99 (sushi rolls), #2 is $16.99 (sushi rolls and appetizers/hot plates food), and #3 is $19.99 (everything on the menu including sashimi).
Menu: Their menu offers the standardize sushi, sashimi and other noodles, grilled, fried options, and desserts. The price that you pay also includes pop drinks. I'd have to say that they do offer a decent selection of sushi and sashimi on the menu. The place uses the old paper system where you'd check off the items (and the amount) that you want, and then you'd give it to one of the staff members.
Food: I have been to Sashimi Island on many occasions for dinner; usually whenever I am downtown and craving for some AYCE. I find that their food quality has been quite consistent throughout all of my visits, and I liked that the portions are well-rationed. Although there are a few misses; I liked a majority of the food that are offered here. Both of the salads (green/seaweed) were both refreshing starters and I liked the tanginess of the sauce used for the green salad. Both of the miso soup and edamame taste no different than from what you'd expect from an AYCE place. They offer a wide assortment of cooked foods which I really enjoyed. Some of my favorites were the fried scallops, beef teriyaki, fried calamari, beef ribs, and sushi pizza (salmon).
Two of my favorite cooked items were probably the calamari and beef (spicy) udon. The calamari arrived with five pieces for each order and it was lightly battered with not a lot of grease. The udon here is probably one of my favorites of all of the AYCE that I have tried in the GTA. The soup base was flavorful and the udon noodles had a nice chewy texture. Their chicken teriyaki was pretty decent but it wasn't amongst the stuff that I'd re-ordered. I liked that their shrimp tempura wasn't consumed in a batter of oil and the sauce was good. Lastly, they do offer a good variety of sushi, and maki rolls, and a few choices of sashimi. On some of my earlier visits; the sushi had quite a bit of rice in the maki rolls. However, as of late, the rice to fish ratio has been pretty good and the rice was seasoned nicely. The sashimi were thickly cut, but the fish had a good texture to them.
Service: I find that good service at AYCE can be sporadic sometimes. The reason why I like this establishment is due to its friendly and fast service. The green tea refilled was frequent and the servers have always been pleasant and quick to clear the empty dishes.
Note: The photos of the food were taken from my multiple visits. I love to eat but I can't eat this much food in one seating (wished I could though hehe).
This photograph of the desserts was taken on my very first visit. The restaurant no longer offers crème brûlée as a dessert choice. However, all of the ice-cream flavors (vanilla, chocolate, red bean, mango, and green tea) are still available.
Overall, this is a pretty solid AYCE on College Street. I have always had an enjoyable dining experience here, and will likely keep coming back.
RATINGS
Quality of Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Overall Dining Experience: 4/5
Price: $$
Address: 635 College St, Toronto, ON M6G 1B4
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