Shinji is a breath of fresh air in the beating heart of Toronto's Financial District.

Among the pricey steakhouses and quick-service slop bowl chains that populate the busy area, Shinji, the latest venture from Toronto's Harlo Entertainment (Kasa Moto, Mimi Chinese, Linny's, among others), is a serene, sophisticated spot drenched in indigo, reminiscent of Japanese denim.

The restaurant is, in concept, a steakhouse, but if you walk in expecting suit-clad servers, white tablecloths, and creamed spinach, you'll quickly be redirected. 

Shinji, instead, is decidedly unbuttoned while still remaining sleek. An open sushi counter where chefs meticulously prepare cuts of salmon, tuna and hamachi runs the length of the south wall, while floor-to-ceiling windows along the north drench the dining room in natural light.

The kitchen is helmed by Harlo Entertainment Culinary Director Jia Zou, a true veteran on the Toronto culinary scene who boasts stints at Auberge du Pommier, Grey Gardens and Miku, among several others.

In Shinji, he's created a true love letter to Japan's culinary exploits, blending dishes, ingredients and flavours that span the country's diverse food traditions. On the menu, you'll find bites reminiscent of neighbourhood Izakayas and high-brow fine-dining establishments alike.

Though Shinji defines itself as a steakhouse — and rightfully so, as it carries a staggering selection of Canadian and Japanese cuts — the non-steak offerings on the menu more than hold their own.

Whether you opt for steak, sushi, or something else to be the centrepiece of your meal, the matcha soba salad ($17) is a non-negotiable.

Springy matcha-infused buckwheat noodles and strips of cucumber are generously tossed in sesame dressing and topped with furikake, radish and crunchy rice cracker pearls. Here in Toronto, we don't often see matcha included in savoury dishes, but this one is a firm argument that it needs to be happening more often.

A riff on the standard meat-and-potatoes offerings at Western steakhouses, the Japanese potato salad ($16) works equally well as a side or, for people who really don't play about their potatoes, a standalone.

Here, a fluffy mound of mashed Yukon Gold potatoes is mixed with sweet Kewpie mayo and chives, and given a crown of salt and vinegar chips for good measure. Forget counting your carbs: this dish will have you diving in for ooooone last bite until you're licking the plate.

If you're daunted by the thought of committing to a full-sized steak or seafood dish, the restaurant's selection of Signature Bites offers an amuse-bouche-sized version of some of their pricier offerings.

The Shinji Surf and Turf ($24) comprises a buttery morsel of black cod dripping in sweet, savoury miso and thin, supple slices of Wagyu with yakiniku sauce. Don't be surprised if it spurs you to order the full-sized versions of each on your next visit.

Seafood fans will delight in knowing that the restaurant holds up equally well on the sushi front.

Nigiri and sushi come with two pieces per order, but you can also order 6- or 12-piece flights of nigiri ($36/$72) or 12- and 20-piece flights of sushi ($60/$95).

It'll be a fight to save room for dessert at Shinji, but the yaki imo sundae is more than enough reason to exercise restraint. 

A harmonious mountain of baked sweet potato puree (don't knock it 'till you try it), vanilla ice cream, miso caramel, miso-candied pecans and meringue is the stuff that salty-sweet dreams are made of, with unexpected whispers of umami that tie the whole meal up in a nice, sweet-potato-scented bow.

Much like the food, the cocktail menu stacks Japanese ingredients to unexpected ends.

The Osaka Ari, for example, is a bright and crushable shiso-forward sip with shiso-infused vodka, Tanqueray gin, watermelon, kombu (seaweed) tincture and a garnish of shishito and furikake.

Shinji is located at 333 Bay St.