Real Life Reviews: Aji Sai Sushi

After game night last week my friend and I were quite hungry. As is becoming a thing for us after game night, we went for sushi. My friend recommended Aji Sai, as she had been there before and it was close.

At 178 Ontario street Aji Sai is quite close to the downtown transfer point. It has an unassuming facade that can be easily walked by. But once you're inside that changes. You enter into a large room with the sushi making station in the center. The light sets a very mellow tone, while the decor is modern with brick. The place is warm, even seated beside the door as we were, and the mixed nationality music had very good acoustics through the place.

The servers and food were both prompt, though that may have partly been being some of the last customers of the night. We both got the all you can eat deal, which cost about $24 after taxes. Considering our last sushi adventure, this was a savings. We were given each a bowl of miso soup which was a great palette cleanser. It was just the right temperature to drink, and wasn't too thick or milky.

We started with a Sex on the Beach roll. It was pleasantly sweet, but the sauce dribbled on it had a bite. It benefited from the sweet ginger garnish, and was wrapped in pink nori- a very pleasing ascetic.

The salmon sushi and sashimi didn't really do it for me, as I found the salmon to be a bit watery and bland. However the Takoyaki was a pleasant surprise in being a chewy sweet fried dumpling, with a hint of ginger.

The Volcano roll was smooth and chewy, and had an overbearing taste of cucumber. Meanwhile the BBQ Short Rib roll was much too American flavoured, and unsettlingly warm, if not unpleasant. I quite enjoyed the tuna sushi for its melt in your mouth smoothness and umami sweetness.

I tried two more sashimis, both butterfish and mackerel, and neither were quite my style. The butterfish was quite fishy tasting, and burst in your mouth with a watery wetness, and left a lemony aftertaste. Much to the opposite the mackerel was almost too dry and flaky with a strong level of salt and a peppery aftertaste.

The Red Dragon roll was good, but I found it to be the less satisfying younger brother of my favourite of the night, the Black Dragon roll. The Black Dragon roll was topped with ultra smooth and buttery eel, while the tempura shrimp added just the right amount of crunch.

For dessert we had a melange of mango. A bowl of mango ice cream that had a truly satisfying milkiness to it that it must be homemade. And a Mango Milky. Now this was nothing like the milkshake I was expecting. Instead it was a two layered shot glass of thin milk pudding and a mango puree creating a sweet and intense mango flavour. Now that's a shot I can get behind!

I found the portion sizes to be a wee bit small, but enjoyed that I could then select more things to try. The restrooms were impeccably clean and private, but they were exceptionally small.

All in all I quite enjoyed the experience and wouldn't mind returning. Even a good while later as I write this I am still full from my meal, and don't regret the expense. Perhaps give it a go the next time you're nearby.

Real Life Reviews: The Common Market

The Common Market is a mid-sized coffee shop in downtown Kingston, located at 136 Ontario Street. It has a slice of a waterfront view between two apartment buildings. The front of the building is unimposing and easy to miss if you weren't looking for it. The awning boasts Espresso, Cafe, Baked Goods, Gourmet Meals to Go, Produce and Fine Foods. And it certainly lives up to its awning.

Inside you are greeted with a warm farmer's market style. Fresh produce and bread are found in produce crates and baskets. Chalkboards advertise fare. The people are friendly and inviting, greeting you as soon as you walk through the door. Pantries sit open to combine with open freezers to offer dry and cold foods to go.

I was disappointed to learn that the ready to eat foods were limited to the sausages in the freezer chests and the baked goods, all of the gourmet pastas and other meal ideas were to go frozen foods. However the quality of the food available greatly makes up for it.

Scones, biscotti, cookies and tarts supplement your average coffee fare. Espresso, mocha lattes and cappuccino as well as a selection of fresh brewed coffees. All of which are advertised as locally roasted, organic and fair trade.

Now, if you're like me and you hate coffee, don't back away just yet. There are teas and hot chocolate on order as well. In the summer they also have iced coffees and Italian sodas on offer. Not to mention the selection of organic beverages for sale in the refrigerated chests.

The refrigerated section in the back of the store offers a selection grocery store like items. From cereal to local cheeses and meats one could easily stock the main portion of their kitchen from this shop alone.

Prices do not seem astronomical for someone used to Starbucks, but for a Timmie's lover you might have to swallow a little shock. But it is really true that you get what you pay for in quality.

The atmosphere is the real selling point of this otherwise out of the way coffee shop. Warm, inviting and clean it feels like walking into the past, where everyone is a neighbor. The stone brick walls and warm wood accents really play on the desire for an old general store ambiance. Big windows open the place up for plenty of natural light, while still maintaining the warm yellowy flavour.

All in all I would recommend The Common Market to people looking for a warm refuge on a cold day, or a blast from the friendly past. Those looking to be more conscious of where their food is coming from, and those with a little extra spending money. A bit of a hike from the downtown transfer point (but right on the #3 bus route) The Common Market is a dream come true for the trendy coffee chic of Kingston's downtown region.