In late June we received an email from one of our readers recommending we make a trip to Stittsville to try a new sushi place that was getting people in the area talking.

“We had sushi here last night and it was amazing,” wrote Mary Ann. “Maybe the best I've ever had.”

I was all ears. I checked out Maki Sushi + Poke’s website and noticed there are two locations, one in Kingston and another in Ottawa. Assuming this meant it was a franchise, I wrote back to Mary Ann and said that we’re prioritizing writing about non-franchises for the time being. I received a prompt response telling me the second location is owned by the same family. “As it happens, I actually had another absolutely delicious meal at Maki Sushi last night and I inquired if they were a franchise,” Mary Anne wrote in a follow up email. “They own both and they are not a franchise.”

As we were in the area on Monday evening, we decided to head over to restaurant for some takeout sushi.

We got to the restaurant just in time for closing and were greeted by David, the son of the couple that started the Kingston location six years ago. Along with his sister, he helps his parents run the joint, which opened in the Stittsville just last November.

“It’s been nice to have people from the neighbourhood come by,” said David. “We like to keep the menu pretty small; we like to keep the quality rather than diversifying.”

I’m a big fan of smaller menus, so this seemed promising. I took David’s recommendation and ordered the dynamite and ocean rainbow maki specials, which came to a total of around $30, eight pieces apiece.

Once settled in at home, we dug into the sushi, devouring it while taking in an episode of Anthony Bourdain’s travel show. We liked the mango and teriyaki sauce that gave the ocean rainbow maki rolls a zesty flavour. David had mentioned the family splurges on getting fresh ingredients from Farm Boy and it showed.

While we enjoyed the ocean rainbow, the dynamite maki special was the real showstopper. The very first bite ended in silent nods while pointing to our plates in unison. A dollop of cream cheese and spicy mayo made for a saucy centre that provided an excellent contrast to the crunchy shrimp. This was perfection in a plate and we immediately regretted not ordering a second serving.

The family that runs Maki Sushi + Poke immigrated from Korea around 15 years ago. While they have taken inspiration from both Korean and Japanese cuisine, their food is a remarkable fusion that is among the very best of North American-style sushi you can find in the city. While it may not be what sushi traditionalists are seeking, I’ve never been one to think that relentless pursuit of authenticity should be the sole factor in sniffing out a good restaurant.

And Maki Sushi + Poke is not a good restaurant. It is an incredible one.