Shinji reimagines Japanese steakhouse with indigo denim aesthetic in Toronto
Shinji, a modern Japanese steakhouse by Harlo Entertainment, opens in Toronto's Bay Adelaide Centre. Designed by Odami studio, the restaurant uses denim as a conceptual lens, balancing humility and refinement. Founders Arancha González Bernardo and Michael Fohring transformed an existing ramp into a key experience, with custom indigo limewash walls and navy felt baffles. A pink neon surprise in the washroom corridor nods to Japan's nightlife. Executive chef Jia Zou, formerly of Miku and Kasa Moto, offers an à la carte menu centered on a grill, featuring Japanese wagyu from A3 to A5 sourced from Iwate, Miyazaki, Hokkaido, Kagoshima, and true Kobe beef from Hyogo. Fish, shiso flower, and kinome leaf arrive from Japan weekly. The Shinji surf and turf—black cod and sliced wagyu in yakiniku sauce—captures the restaurant's dual identity. Located at 333 Bay St, Toronto.
Key facts
- Shinji is located in the West Tower at Bay Adelaide Centre, a 1920s heritage building in Toronto's Financial District.
- Harlo Entertainment, behind Mimi Chinese and Sunny's Chinese, operates Shinji.
- Odami studio designed the interior, using denim as a metaphor for craft over spectacle.
- Custom indigo limewash coats walls and ceiling, applied by hand.
- Navy felt baffles dampen noise and echo denim texture.
- A pink neon light in the washroom corridor references Japan's neon nightlife.
- Executive chef Jia Zou previously worked at Miku and Kasa Moto.
- Wagyu is sourced from Iwate, Miyazaki, Hokkaido, Kagoshima, and Hyogo prefectures.
Entities
Artists
- Aranca González Bernardo
- Michael Fohring
- Jia Zou
Institutions
- Harlo Entertainment
- Mimi Chinese
- Sunny's Chinese
- Odami
- Miku
- Kasa Moto
- Wallpaper*
Locations
- Toronto
- Canada
- Bay Adelaide Centre
- West Tower
- Financial District
- 333 Bay St
- Toronto ON M5H 2R2
- Iwate
- Miyazaki
- Hokkaido
- Kagoshima
- Hyogo
- Japan