Recently during our monthy (sorta monthly…depending on our crazy schedules) cousin dinner we were chatting about Japan and all the delicious foods there. It was fun to reminisce about all the amazing cuisines we had there and it made me crave them over again. Luckily for us we were invited to Shokunin to try their amazing new summer menu which showcases their super fresh sushi and skewers amongst other dishes.
Atmosphere: An eclectic Tokyo style eatery with a bumping vibe.
Price Range: Mid $10s - $20+
Food & Drinks: We started the night off with some buttery Chamame, which are edamame beans lightly salted and buttered. It’s a nice way to kick off the meal! Next we were presented with their Daily Sashimi selection which included salmon, tuna, yellowfin, mackerel roe and more. It is truly some of the freshest sashimi I’ve had in town especially coupled with the freshly grated wasabi, always a treat.
If the sashimi wasn’t already an amazing showcase of the freshness of the fish, we were treated to their sushi selection starting with the Charcoal seared Hamachi belly where they actually sear the inner fat of the Hamachi over charcoal, the Gindara farmed sablefish with fish sauce mayo, House cured alberta trout roe and my favorite the Hay Smoked Mackerel made with house smoked local hay which you can really taste in the fish. All of them were extremely flavourful and fresh with the tweaks elevating each piece of fish to its fullest flavour profile. Truly amazing.
Next we got to try some of their izakaya dishes starting with the Miso broxburn tomatoes, only available in the summer because of the quality of the tomatoes that chef wants to showcase is only available during those months. The added miso brings out the sweetness of the tomatoes even more and I really enjoyed the flavour combination.
Another dish was the Mushrooms with Asparagus, sounds like a simple dish but it’s far from. Morel mushrooms are lightly charred and paired with a light creamy hollandaise sauce and crunchy asparagus for a delightful dish. The Tuna Tataki was a nice play on the typical beef tataki dish, but with a refreshing twist. Instead of beef, tuna is the star of this dish elevated with a tangy dressing.
To cleanse our palettes, we were presented with an assortment of Pickled vegetables such as daikon, eggplant and some kimchi potatoes. It was a nice break in our meal and I can see ordering these in the future as a nice side dish to our meal. Surprisingly I really enjoyed was the Corn fritters which had a nice sweetness to them from the corn and the honey dressing. One of the highlights that night were the Crispy Chicken Skin Chips. Who doesn’t love some deep fried chicken skin? They’re exactly as advertised, crispy, perfectly seasoned and tasty.
Of course we had to have the Skewers when at Shokunin, known for their use of the authentic Binchotan charcoal from Japan to cook their skewers. It gives off a light charcoal flavour to all the meats without overwhelming the flavours. The offerings that night were chicken thigh, chicken neck, chicken ass (yes it is exactly what you think it is), beef tongue, bacon wrapped tomatoes and chicken hearts. Some of my favorites were the beef tongue and chicken neck. They didn’t have the tendon, but when they do definitely order it because the charcoal caramelizes the tendon and it’s just spectacular.
As if that wasn’t enough, we were also treated to the melt in your mouth Wagyu steak with swiss chard, mushrooms with bone marrow. If you haven’t had wagyu you’re missing out. The special marbling in the meat provides an amazing unctuousness that just can’t be beat. Its essentially our version of Kobe beef. It was the perfect way to end an amazing meal, but that wasn’t it. In Japan they typically end the meal with some miso soup to help your digestion and I found that a couple sips of the soup did with all the food we just consumed. Although I’m not complaining because it was one of the best Japanese meals I’ve had outside of Japan in a while.
My Pick(s): Daily Sashimi, Nigiri Sushi Selection, Mushrooms with Asparagus, Wagyu Steak
Overall: All our courses were accompanied by amazing wines or sake. They offer a wonderful selection of sake so be sure to talk to the in house sake expert for more info. Now I know if I’m ever craving anything from Japan I can make a stop in to Shokunin to fulfill my cravings. Especially after all that reminiscing I can definitely see myself make a stop in sooner rather than later.
Shokunin
2016 4 St SW
Calgary, AB
(403) 229-3444
Website: shokuninyyc.ca
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