Robo Sushi is located at 865 York Mills, just west of Don Mills Road, in the previous location of Spoon and Fork… there is at least one "Spoon & Fork" decoration still present belying its past. I asked and this isn't a renaming; the ownership has changed and is unconnected with the previous. Robo Sushi has two small domestic robots serving some of the food, and also one for leading the diners to their table. There are also two animated electronic greeters at the entrance. Free Wi-Fi is available, ginger is not dyed pink, and reusable chopsticks are used. AYCD pop is available for $1.95. Soy sauce at table was very fresh, and it's all green-lid low-sodium and was not salty. Robo Sushi opened recently so there were plenty of patrons to the point of fullness at weekend lunch, but we did not have to wait.
Green salad was very good with light house wasabi dressing. Mishy loved the wakame salad, saying that it was not too sweet and very good. Miso soup was quite good with enough dashie. Wonton soup was delicious and excellent in a very savory broth. Beef udon soup was very good, with plenty of flavor and happily also not too large of a portion, as other places do often. Sadly, the hot and sour soup was a definite low point and the only thing I did not care for; it had some very strange flavors in it and the remainder were not balanced and I found it very difficult to finish. Potato salad was excellent; we both noted this is an item that most AYCEs do not have.
We both loved the chicken skewers; they were delicious, smokey, savory and not dried out. Bulgogi was very good with plenty of flavor and onion. Mishy described the chicken teriyaki as beautiful; it was indeed very good and not rubbery. Steak Teriyaki was also excellent with very good sauce. Mushroom teriyaki was made with butter mushrooms and was delicious and unique. General Tao chicken was good. Dim sim option pork shiu mai was good, along with char siu beef bun, which Mishy also enjoyed, and shrimp dumplings. Sweet and sour and mango chicken were both very good as they were mostly chicken with hardly any breading and the sauce was excellent. Shrimp tempura was light and flaky, mushroom tempura was also very good, and the tempura dipping sauce was excellent.
Salmon rose nigiri was very good, with very fresh salmon and enough tobiko. Salmon nigiri was also very good, very fresh although the salmon was slightly thin but this does not matter. Red snapper nigiri was almost certainly tilapia but was very good nonetheless, as was white tuna which was almost certainly escolar but was also very good. Tomago nigiri was very good with a generous piece of egg. Tobiko and spicy crab sushi was very good. They are wrapped in wakame. Green Dragon Roll was good and happily did not have any eel in it, although the sauce could have been a little more flavorful.
For dessert, red bean, mango and chocolate ice cream were fresh and good. Fried milk was very good and this is not something I usually have. Sesame ball was very good with a delicious filling. Mocha mousse cake was the same type used at many places. Mishy and I both loved the banana tempura with its chocolate sauce on the side. Pronto pannacotta was delicious with a strawberry half. Tiramisu, mango yogurt and mango pudding were all very good. Service was very fast, friendly and excellent, especially when Mishy accidentally spilled a pop which required several wait staff to clean up, and they were cheerful throughout the ordeal. Weekend lunch was $20.99 which is reasonable especially considering the location. Online reviews were not very favourable, which we attribute to early issues when the establishment first opened and the menu was being worked out, but other than the unfortunately bad hot and sour soup, we enjoyed everything and had a very good lunch (Mishy was quite impressed.)Rating: 8-8.5/10
