hat was to be an ‘urban crash pad,’ has taken a left turn and has been unleashed as a boutique with a wildly original look and feel. Unburdened by the hotel’s odd new-meets-old imperative and the loud design fusion of Rorschach ink blots and replicated old-bar furniture intermingled with delicate hanging art, and a dramatic stairway that separates restaurant from bar, the hotel restaurant is a toy-shop delirium.

Getting to the dining area is not for the timid though; you and your party will push your way through the lounge area - solo, you won’t be guided - where you’ll be ogled at and appropriately rated by the crowd. And when you get there, you still won't be freed from the lounge area; it’s really one large rumpus room with diners, sushi barflies and party kids each in their respective areas.

For appetizers, our busy server told us that the foie gras (Drake Terrine) served with a pungent black currant tea, is a top draw for diners. However, the host (running over to spread the Drake joy) says to go the sushi route. We go all imaginable routes. Soon, sushi plates, shrimp, and a random selection of menu items are whipped around the table.

Advisors were wrong; an order of shrimp - seared and served with tofu and citrus-dressed green salad - was an absolute winner. As for Sushi Chef Michi Tanaka's sushi, the organic salmon roll was actually two-bite sized babies, and the Portobello mushroom roll, marinated with truffle oil and dried tomato, oddly enough, had more bite than the salmon roll.

Among the top entrée choices was a seared salmon. A six-ounce, pan-seared fillet is topped with a delectable blend of honey mushrooms, and side of potatoes. With the rich, full-bodied flavour and the pronounced saltiness of added oysters, this is an excellent option.