Kushimaru

Small little place hidden on Edward St. and Bay St. feels real cozy inside with limited seating for around 30 people. The decor inside is easy to the eyes with manga style wallpapers throughout, the seats are actually re-purposed steel drums which is kind of neat to go along with their semi industrial look. They seem to be the very few Japanese restaurants that specialize in Kushi style cuisine which instead of grilling the skewers they are rather deep fried. They offer a variety of different skewers from veggies to seafood. I myself prefer the grilled skewers over the deep fried versions. they also serve Udon, chicken or pork Katsu, and curries. The miso soup was quite tasty and has radish inside and the cabbage salad was good as well. The meats were tender and juicy and veggies were cooked proper not soft and mushy. The home made sauces for dipping was awesome, the green tea salt was my favorite maybe because the skewers didn't have flavour. service was good maybe because we were the only table.

When it comes to fried food I think of oily and heavy. Kushimaru is neither. I have eaten here twice so far, and both visits were an absolute delight. Every skewer is fried to a beautiful golden brown and not overly breaded. A thin crispy exterior greets you as you bite into each skewer, without leaving a heavy feeling in the stomach after the meal. Personal favourites for the skewers -Unagi. Crisp exterior, melts in your mouth flavour explosion -Bacon with Leek. The fatty flavour of the pork belly gets cut by the leek -Oyster. Still retains a lot of the moisture trapped inside... be careful when eating -Oreo and Banana. These are two different skewers but always need to have these at the end of the meal. Will definitely be going here many more times! -edit- December 17, 2018 The menu has expanded quite a bit. They are have opened up a small sushi bar and added variety of non-fried dishes on the side. A few of them: Salmon tataki, seared with ponzu sauce Braised abalone, cooked over five hours Kale soba, with a sweet chili oil and dashi The place surprises me each time I come back.

The skewers were crispy and delicious!! The miso soup had more than just your usual seaweed and green onion, which made it that much tastier. Although Kushimaru is known for their deep fried skewers, I have to say that their karaage is the best thing on their menu. Don’t get me wrong though, their deep fried cheese is super yummy too. The staff is extremely pleasant and helpful!! The servers are all happy to answer any questions you might have about the menu. This is 100% the place to go if you’re in the mood for deep fried foods~

Loved this place. Very friendly and prompt service with great suggestions. I especially loved the torched salmon bomb, so good! Their fried skewers are super good as well and goes well with their table sauces and it's fairly reasonable in pricing.

This japanese restaurant offers a variety of skewer options with some set meals at a great value. They also have a takeout option which is a great price as well. The seating arrangement is like any other ramen shop which a nice ambient feel and really nice artwork. The staff was super friendly and helpful and the food came quick. I highly recommend everyone to go try it out.

Chicken karage wing were tender on the inside and crunchy on the out side, drew was flavorful and delicious. The sashimi plate was of good quality and wonderfully presented. This Osaka fare was perfectly complimented with a few tokkuris of Gekkeikan warm Sake. Nothing better than warm Sake and good food on a cold Toronto night. The location has a comfortable vibe with consistant customer service. Prices are within medium to high range, which reflects the high quantity offerings. Great place to while away the hours with freinds eating and getting your Sake buzz on.

I love deep fried food! Kushimaru has a huge variety of it. All the deep fried, breaded meats skewers, chicken, beef, pork are very juicy inside. The deep fried cheese is a can't miss. And the green tea salt is an interesting take but I did not really taste any green tea flavour. I'll agree with the other reviewers the skewers are a bit pricey but it's worth trying.

Food is ok, just deep fried stuff. The soft shell crab that I ordered was fried too long or they used old oil. Not an authentic Japanese restaurant. Though they shout a few standard sentences in Japanese welcome, thank you for coming, etc, I heard them speak Cantonese Chinese. Toilet is clean. Interior is alright. Good for a quick bite.

This is my go to spot for Japanese food and amazing hospitality. Food is prepared with so much care and the staff are all super friendly. They really pay attention to their customers and always adding new things to their menu. Everything is delicious! Don't miss out on the drinks as well. Great spot for lunch and dinner or just a few drinks after work.

Food is quite pricy. Each skewer costs between 2-3.5 dollars. A small bowl of beef I was getting, which only has 3 pieces of beef brisket, it costs me 10 dollars. The food tastes ok, I would probably not go again.