The top new sushi restaurants in Toronto this year embraced aburi and oshizushi styles with gusto. With few exceptions, these establishments also distanced themselves from AYCE dining styles - it's a welcome and refreshing change that values quality and craftsmanship over quantity.

Here are my picks for the top sushi restaurants to open in Toronto during 2015.

Miku
This upscale Japanese restaurant from Vancouver set up shop on Toronto's waterfront this year introducing a menu of binchotan-torched aburi sushi and pressed oshizushi selections. Order a la carte, or opt for kaiseki menus featuring a progression of courses.

KaKa
This all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant in Markham sets itself apart with its selection of aburi-style sushi including gems like the beef tataki garnished with black truffle and torched salmon painted with sweet tangy sauce.

Shoushin
This midtown Japanese restaurant boasts a sushi bar constructed from highly prized hinoki wood that's usually reserved for temples and shrines. Omakase menus here are offered at various price points.

Kasa Moto
The sushi bar at this Yorkville restaurant deals in premium sashimi like fatty tuna, uni, and lobster. The maki gets creative with offerings like the crab and proscuitto roll paired with monkfish, liver, nori sauce and green onions.

Boku
This sushi restaurant in the Distillery District offers both omakase and a la carte menus. Highlights include hand torched nigiri available two pieces at a time or in flights, as well as signature rolls like the Boku Maki featuring scallops, avocado and ume wrapped with albacore tuna that's finished with torch and glazed in unagi sauce.

Le Modern Japanese
This Markham restaurant prides itself on serving a unique collection of sushi. Original creations include the Pirate Roll that pairs uni, snow crab and salmon with cucumber and tobiko, plus oshizushi style featuring pressed salmon, cured saba, avocado and prawns.

Yutaka
This Japanese restaurant near University and Dundas presents beautifully prepared sushi sets along with other highlights like oyster shooters and maki-mono featuring fatty tuna and scallions.

Saku Sushi
This new sushi restaurant on Queen West offers an array of reasonably priced sushi sets and rolls like the namesake Saku maki - a roll made of tuna, scallop, coriander, cucumber and jalapeno.

Kabuki Sushi Lounge
The sushi lounge offers modern maki-mono like Chipotle Lobster Rolls and a Honey Katsu Crunch Roll featuring fried chicken rolled with cucumber, avocado, honey mustard aioli, bacon bits and torched cheese.

Shio
The menu at this sashimi and izakaya-style spot in Little Italy features sets of blowtorched sushi and an array of hot and cold small plates. Order a chef's selection of raw seafood and dishes like tuna tartare salad, tempura popcorn and grilled meat skewers.

Photo of Miku.