Sushi Shige has transformed how Halifax thinks about sushi

Since opening Sushi Shige in 2002, Shigeru Fukuyama, also known as Chef Shige, and his wife Aya Otara, have transformed how Haligonians think about, and experience the art and flavours of Sushi. Chef Shige was both born and formally trained in Japan and brings the most authentic Japanese sushi experience right here to the north end of Halifax and enjoys sharing that passion with everyone. Shige moved from Tokyo, where he had been training to become an Itamae, a chef in a Japanese kitchen, to Toronto in 1992, where he met his wife. After a trip out east, they decided to pack up and move out here, and have called Halifax home ever since.

Sushi Shige’s focus is on traditional pairings and top quality product sourcing. If the fish is not up to standard, Shige just won't serve it that week—it’s as simple as that! The pride in their work can be felt throughout your entire dining experience: from your choice of o-choko (sake cup) to the detail of the cuts of fish and garnishes. Whether you’re ordering take out or dining in, you will be presented with a beautiful array of sushi and sashimi.

This is one of the many reasons why Shige’s long standing patrons continuously return and place their sushi experience in his hands. He will tell you himself that most of his long-time customers order the Omakase, which translates to “I’ll leave it in your hands.” Chef Shige creates a custom experience for you, selecting the pieces of sushi and serving plate by plate. Make sure to give them at least twenty four hours notice, so you can order your Omakase Dinner. It’s one of his favorite kinds of orders to prepare!

Our mouths are definitely lonely today so we ordered enough to go around the table. We love starting off our meal with a crisp and refreshing bowl of kaiso and wakame salad covered in homemade sesame dressing. Then we move onto the nigiri and maki part of the feast, starting off with hamachi AKA yellow tail and butterfish nigiri—these are two of our favourite types of nigiri and sashimi because they are flavourful and velvety on your tastebuds. We always choose maki that are distinct in ingredients and how they are presented, so our main go-to’s are the negi tuna (tuna and green onion), futo maki (often called the “BIG” roll because it’s stuffed with unagi (eel), cucumber, pickled radish, cooked mushroom, sweet squash, fried egg and surimi), the dragon roll (shrimp tempura with eel on top) and the crowd pleaser to finish it off is the spider roll (deep fried soft-shelled crab with lettuce and sweet bbq sauce). The spider roll is a favourite because it MELTS in your mouth and is crunchy, creamy and sweet. To complete the meal you always need a side dish of fresh chopped wasabi. If you haven’t tried it before, now’s the time. It will change your life.

Order from Chef Shige when your next sushi craving comes around, you will not be disappointed.