CLOSED: Miya Bhai (Toronto)

All pictures are courtesy of Parv.ca

Like many family-run businesses, Miya Bhai is a cozy restaurant. Tucked away on Bathurst, just a quick walk from the station, the store front has discrete signage so look for their brightly coloured tables instead.


The menu consists of dishes based on their mother’s recipes, incorporating all the flavours they love and grew up with, but lightened so customers leave feeling satisfied but not overloaded. Even the sauces used in the dishes are made in house, to ensure the tastes are on par with momma’s creations.


The build-your-own menu allows customers to customize creations to their liking. For first time visitors, the options may seem endless so there is a Signature selection menu where there are pre-built combinations. I tried their best seller, the vegan butter chicken tacos ($11), where the “chicken” was actually marinated tofu  prepared tandoori style, which it ends up getting a lovely flavour and texture that truthfully doesn’t taste like chicken but seemed like paneer.


With crunchy lettuce and kachumber (a refreshing salad made with cucumber, tomato, onions, lemon and chili peppers) the tacos were messy to eat, but all the ingredients mixed with the avocado mayo made for a tasty creation. A light heat lingers slightly on the tongue afterwards, but not overwhelming hot.

After the two huge tacos, you likely won’t need any more food, but for a small add on, the vegan samosa ($2) always hits the spot. A thin pastry is stuffed with well spiced potatoes and vegetables to create a palm sized samosa. I liked that they kept the potatoes in cubes, rather than mashing it, to help add texture to the starter. Just make sure to pour the spicy tamarind sauce into the samosa to avoid having everything fall out.


For something to stave off the spiciness or even as a sweet ending their house made drinks ($3.50 each) are delicious choices. The vegan mango refresh (also offered in a non-vegan format) takes mango, with its pulp, and mixes is it with a creamy non-dairy milk – it’s a very full-flavoured lassi. Meanwhile, the strawberry yoghurt drink is silky and sweet that it almost tastes like a milkshake.

For meat lovers, don’t worry! Miya Bhai also offers a host of non-vegetarian options including beef seekh kabobs, butter chicken, lamb kofta, and tandoori salmon (the beef seekh kabob roll, $11.50, is shown below).  


While the signature selection was a great start, I highly recommend building your own and making a vegan butter chicken biri-rice bowl ($12.50). Having tried a bit of the rice on its own, it’s a flavourful base that’s salty and spicy – even by itself the rice was delicious. Once covered with paneer like tofu, sweet corn, crispy onions, and smothered with cilantro garlic aioli, I can just imagine how delicious it could be!


As the weather turns cold, I crave a bowl of something hearty and filling. At Miya Bhai, thankfully the bowl is also filled with flavours and won’t leave you feeling gluttonous.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10
Disclaimer: The above meal was complimentary. Rest assured, as noted in my mission statement, I will always provide an honest opinion.


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 938 Bathurst Street


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____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


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Ste. Anne’s Spa for afternoon tea (Grafton)


After a day of pampering at Ste. Anne’s, what better way is there to end the day (assuming you’re not staying overnight) than indulging in afternoon tea with your guests? An extra meal squeezed in between lunch and dinner; time to sit back and sip tea while going over the highlights. 

Given we already had a hefty lunch, we didn’t think we could get through all the tiers, but somehow we managed. Who knew an hour hike around the property would spur up such an appetite? 

Their tea selection consists of a page of options. The English Breakfast, which I had during lunch, was nice and strong and gave me the caffeine jolt I needed. But, for afternoon tea, it seemed better to stick with something light and mellow, the green tea was the ideal option. 

The traditional tiered plate arrived to share and contained enough food to leave us satisfied (and not requiring dinner that evening) but still in small bites so we could get through trying everything.

Within the top tier was a tamari glazed steamed carrot bun, which almost tastes like Chinese BBQ pork buns except stuffed with squash and has a sweet and silky texture. This was very tasty. So was the tourtière topped with savoury caramelized onion jam … two bites of goodness. Only the cream cheese and cucumber sandwich, a staple of the afternoon tea, was forgettable – possibly because everything else was so good.  


In the middle, a tier of cheese (havarti and gouda?) with crostini, crudites, and grapes. It’s an interesting addition and nicely transitions the savoury bites to sweet.


But, the one thing that makes afternoon tea are the scones. At Ste. Anne’s, theirs are filled with raisins (something I could do without). Yet, in the spirit of tea, once I slathered enough Devonshire cream and jam onto it, it was fine. Interestingly, Ste. Anne’s also offers two Devonshire creams with two levels of sweetness.


What surprised me the most was the final sweet tier and how enjoyable they were. These are generally the items I’ll take a bite of and put down, at most finish one– at Ste. Anne’s, I indulged in everything: 

  • Macarons can sometimes be too brittle or sweet, but at Ste. Anne's it was like eating an airy biscuit that envelopes your mouth in an almond flavour that thankfully didn't resemble fake extract. 
  • Meanwhile, the sesame butter cookie was deliciously nutty and chewy. Oh, how I wanted more!Alas, by the time we made our way to Ste. Anne's bakery down the road, I was met with disappointment. 
  • Lastly, and most surprisingly, the walnut cocoa truffle, which was creamy and incorporates a rich cocoa taste without the overpowering sugary blast – all truffles should taste like this.
Given Ste. Anne’s is a spa, afternoon tea was served in a bright sunny room very casually. You don’t need to wear a hat and heels (in fact, robes are not only allowed, but encouraged) and feel free to laugh and be noisy. After all, the day trip is all about relaxing and recharging. Oh, and of course, refueling at the end of the day.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10

How To Find Them
 Location: Grafton, Canada
 Address: 1009 Massey Rd

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


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Ste. Anne’s Spa for lunch (Grafton)


It’s remarkable how you can build up an appetite at Ste. Anne’s Spa. Especially since all I did that morning was relax in the hot tub, take a short stroll in the gardens, clear my pores in the eucalyptus steam room, and soothed the kinks in my back in the massage chair. Yet, somehow, I was ravenous by noon.


I’ll admit, there was some apprehension... hearing their menu was delicious but healthy, I braced myself for quinoa salads and broiled fish. Luckily, while they do have options that are lighter, they also offer some hearty dishes as well. In general, they just give you a lot of choice; so much so that I couldn’t choose between the beef tataki salad and the potato and scallion cakes to start. As a testament to their hospitality, our waitress brought both.

The beef tataki salad was filled with crunchy fresh vegetables - radish slices, edamame, spring peas, and crunchy smashed cucumbers – so the lightly seared beef slices, while present, weren’t the star of the dish. All the ingredients were nicely tied together dressed in a delicious ginger vinaigrette with tamari glaze drizzled on the plate for an extra savoury element.


Meanwhile, the potato & scallion cakes were a letdown. The crispy French style crepes were in reality savoury pancakes, which tasted like they were made from Aunt Jemima mix with scallions thrown in. Having pictured the starter to be similar to latkes or rosti, it was very disappointing that the potatoes seemed missing from the equation. At least the tangy relish accompanying the pancakes were delicious and gave them some flavour.


It was probably for the best that I didn’t finish the pancakes anyways - the Ste. Anne’s beef burger was a towering creation that demanded an appetite! The thick patty was cooked through but still juicy and dressed with aged cheddar and the customary fresh toppings. I could hardly squish the fluffy brioche Kaiser down to fit in my mouth. Overall, a very tasty burger and the horseradish chive aioli a lovely condiment in lieu of sugary ketchup.


Despite it being a hearty burger, I can see why people describe Ste. Anne’s food as “healthy”. Firstly, the burger doesn’t come with fries, in fact there’s nothing fried on the menu. Instead, side options consists of soup or salad and even the Caesar dressing is light and vinaigrette based.

Any menu item with “Ste. Anne” in the name is worth trying as there’s something special about the dish. The Ste. Anne burger gets its moniker given they raise the cattle – something I realized after lunch. Wandering their property, to make my ways to the stables, I saw the herd grazing on grass and making their way down from the rolling hills towards the water fountain. Looking into their large eyes, as they lapped up the water, made me instantly feel guilty about how much I loved the burger.

The butter tart is also called the “Ste. Anne” butter tart and is created on site at their bakery. It was my kind of desseert: a thin crispy crust filled with a gooey filling that’s sweet, but not in a teeth hurting manner. In lieu of brown sugar they use a flavourful maple syrup, which gives it an added depth. 


If you like these, you can head to the bakery to buy ones to take home – but go early as they were less than a dozen plain ones left when we visited at 5pm. And what a shame it’d be if you didn’t have something to bring home to love ones. It’s the least they’d expect after a day of relaxation. 

Overall mark - 8 out of 10

How To Find Them
 Location: Grafton, Canada
 Address: 1009 Massey Rd

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


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CLOSED: Regulars Bar (Toronto)


The former Blowfish has undergone a transformation: from a restaurant offering sushi to an establishment with a casual vibe and a menu so varied you’ll find something to try. On Friday, their social hour specials makes it difficult to resist the offer of $1 an oz wine. In this case, the house red (Caleo Primitivo) is better than the white (Scarpetta Pinot Grigio) as cheap white wine really needs to be frigidly cold.

A selection of snacks, normally $6, decreases by a loonie so you can start off with a nibble for only $5. As the avocado bruschetta was presented, we tried our best to look past the presentation of what looks like a green pile of dung on a rice crisp. Sadly, it doesn’t taste better than it looks.


The Jamaican patty is a much better option, stuffed with a generous portion of Red Stripe braised oxtail in a flaky crust. While it’s already flavourful on its own, add some of the neon scotch bonnet pepper jelly sauce and it gets even better. Just be careful, although it looks like sweet and sour sauce, it really has a kick!


In terms of mains, the poke wrap ($18) could be better described as make-your-own tacos. Except, the three toasted flour wraps are not nearly enough for the sheer amount of soy marinated salmon spiked with pickled mushrooms and jicama & edamame slaw. While there are a ton of great flavours, tanginess from the pickled mushrooms and sweetness from the sesame seaweed salad, the dish is too watery and difficult to eat. On a high point, the shoestring fries that arrive with the “wrap” are fantastic.


The teriyaki salmon soba ($19) is similar to the poke wrap, using many of the same ingredients except the salmon is cooked and in lieu of the seaweed salad there’s ginger and soy tossed Asian vegetables instead. The soba noodles were too mushy, but at least the fish was just cooked through and the overall dish easier to eat.


All the lackluster food aside, Regulars does have a great vibe: spacious soaring ceilings and a palette of cash lying in the corner under a sign boldly declaring that “Money doesn’t buy happiness.” 


My eyes couldn’t help but be drawn to all the neon fixtures along the walls, in particular the “Fuck social media, I’m dope in real life”. Perhaps, that’s already their response to this post. They’re so cool they just don’t care.

Overall mark - 6 out of 10

How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 668 King Street West


Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


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Prime on Avenue (Toronto)


Kosher steakhouses are rare in Toronto. So, when the legendary Barberian opened Prime of Avenue, a Cor certified kosher eatery, along the suburb stretch of uptown Toronto, it’s large gleaming black sign and swanky interior certainly caught my attention. Just be mindful of their operating hours: in keeping with Shabbat customs, Prime is closed on Friday and Saturday, days that are generally busy days for other restaurants.

Their page of appetizers enticed; indeed, diners can easily mix-and-match these smaller plates to make a full meal. The pulled brisket tacos ($26) are ideal if you’re in the mood for beef but in smaller portions. Two flour shells were stuffed with chunks of flavourful and tender brisket, pico de gallo, guacamole and pickled onions. Pieces of smoked potato chips, placed on a top, were an excellent addition enhancing the otherwise soft savoury tacos with some crunch.


Although the eggplant ($20) sounded like a lighter dish, the roasted eggplant was roasted with so much oil that it became so crispy you’d swear it’s deep fried. Regardless, if you don’t mind the oiliness, the starter has fantastic flavours: the creamy eggplant layered with nutty tahini, crunchy pine nuts, and sweet pomegranate. These were all roasted together so the tahini was warm and the flavours melted into the eggplant.


With such a strong start to the meal, the execution of our main, a cote de boeuf ($85), was a letdown. At first glance, the huge 22oz bone-in rib steak looked impressive, with beautiful sear marks and a nicely caramelized surface. It was also a wise decision to share the main, as the actual bone was not overly thick so we were left with a substantial portion of beef. However, upon cutting through the “medium rare” steak, it’d be better classified as a poorly done blue. While the outer ring was seared and cooked through, the centre was very rare, to the point that it was difficult to cut through and I could smell and taste the rareness. Note to Prime: the metallic taste of half-cooked beef is awful and the slightly off smell is even worse.


Rarely do I return dishes to the kitchen, but in this instance it was inedible. Steak is only good when it’s prepared correctly, so I politely asked for it to be re-fired. In about 10 minutes it was returned and nicely re-plated. At that point, it was an actual medium rare steak. Sadly, even with it cooked correctly, it wasn’t great. The steak was barely seasoned and lacked flavour. Perhaps it’s because Prime provides sauce on the side and I should have told them I wouldn’t actually be using any of it. My personal preference is to keep it simple with a nice piece of meat – salt and pepper is all you need to avoid covering up the meat’s natural flavours. It was especially disappointing since Barberian is known for their great rub. Surely, this can be shared with Prime?   

Moreover, the 28 days aged Black Angus tasted pretty young - if that's the proper way to describe aged meats – and didn’t have that depth of flavour you’d expect from the cut. While it was still good, it was nowhere close to the Barberian fame; if I closed my eyes, I’d swear I’d be eating at the Keg.

Steaks do arrive with a small portion of bone marrow, which also needed more seasoning but was thankfully cooked through. It went nicely smeared on a piece of toasted baguette that comes with their complimentary bread and pickle starter, such a staple at traditional steakhouses. In an effort to reduce food waste, Prime should consider decreasing the portion size of the platter and simply ask diners if they’d like a re-fill if it’s been picked clean.


The sides ($10 each) were good, especially the onion rings, which were nice and chunky with a lovely crispy coating. The sautéed green beans, spinach, and swiss chard with scallions puree was a great combination and cooked nicely so the vegetables retained their freshness. Our table had mixed thoughts on the French fries. Generally, they’d be better if the potatoes were cut thinner and then double fried (as they weren’t overly crispy and tasted almost baked).


While Prime on Avenue doesn't tout itself as a steakhouse, its connection to Barberian can’t stop me from judging it as one. It makes the average cote de boeuf seem worse, which is such a shame as everything else was actually very tasty. Nonetheless, the restaurant is a welcomed addition to Avenue and I’ll likely return to try their burger, salmon, or perhaps a collection of appetizers. But, the steak, no thanks.  

Overall mark - 6.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 1960 Avenue Road

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


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Noodle & More (Toronto)


Walk around Toronto and you’ll find tons of small restaurants that aren’t opened by “celebrity” chefs or widely covered in mainstream and social media. I’m intrigued about these establishments. Often the owner is also the chef and generally this is where you can taste real authentic non-fussy cuisine.

Since the restaurant is called Noodle & More, it’d be unwise to visit and not order noodles. We’re advised their stewed beef hand-ripped noodles ($13.99) is one of the most popular dishes. The broth is beef and soy sauce based with a light spicy note in the background, flavourful enough that you didn’t need to add anything else. While the diced beef were rather small pieces, they were well braised and tender. Yet, the standout was the hand-ripped noodles arriving as thick ribbons, almost like knife cut noodles but longer and slightly thinner. Surprisingly, they could withstand sitting in the soup for a decent period of time without getting too soft and doughy.


Unfortunately, I couldn’t say the same for the fried noodles with beef ($11.49), which was too soggy for me. The noodles were simply too thin compared to the sauce. Moreover, the dish needed something crunchier to contrast against the soft noodles; while there were bean sprouts and green onions, these were also cooked too long so didn’t add a textual contrast.


Combining the fried noodles with some of the stir fried vegetables with garlic ($9.99) helped. These were cooked nicely, the vegetables retaining a vibrant colour and crunch. It was also a surprisingly sizeable portion, which with all the other carbs helped balance the meal.

As the pan fried chicken, cabbage and mushroom dumplings ($10.49) arrived at the table, memories of making paper snowflakes in kindergarten flashed through my mind. Except, at Noodle & More the snowflake web is created from caramelized dumpling juices. By itself, the dumplings’ filling needed more seasoning, but once you dip them into the tableside condiments, it gets better.


Aside from the hand pulled noodles, the dumplings are also made in-house, which you can witness by the window. In fact, their sister restaurant (located on Dundas West) is known for these creations. It’s called … wait for it … Dumpling & More!


The savoury Chinese crepe ($6.50) needs to be eaten quickly or the crispy wonton cracker in the centre gets stale. From the areas that retained the crunch, it goes nicely against the thin egg omlette and lettuce, bits of green onion and cilantro add a freshness to the wrap. Hoisin sauce was smeared on the crepe for a bit of sweetness, but would be nice if more was provided on the side so eaters can add to taste.


For something really flavour, the malatang ($12.45) is great, if you’re in the mood for a spicy dish. A variety of vegetables are combined with tofu, black fungus and Spam in a bowl of chili laced broth. It’s not nearly as spicy as what you can find elsewhere, the heat mostly coming from chili oil rather than the Sichuan pepper that numbs and scorches. For me, it was the perfect level of spiciness as anything more would be inedible. The dish would be even better if there’s the option of adding noodles.


Truthfully, I’d probably never would have stopped by Noodle & More if it weren’t for the Eatibl app, which allows a user to book a reservation online. While this doesn’t sound revolutionary, but what makes an Eatibl reservation different is that depending on the time of the reservation, diners get a discount. For example, at Noodle & More, a 4pm seating means you’d benefit from a 20% discount, while other times 10-15% off the final bill. A great option for those who have non-standard routines (i.e. students) or are not picky about when they eat.


Otherwise, it’s just a great excuse to check out some of the little known Toronto restaurants. There’s tons to discover, some event at a steep discount.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10
Disclaimer: The above meal was complimentary. Rest assured, as noted in my mission statement, I will always provide an honest opinion.


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 402 Bloor Street West

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


Is That It? I Want More!

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12 Tables (Toronto)


Google classifies 12 Tables as an Italian restaurant, which to be fair makes up the majority of the dishes on their menu. However, in speaking to the owner, she noted the restaurant is actually European; in fact, they chose to use a generic name (12 Tables) so they can showcase many nationalities. The husband and wife duo has experience with the culinary industry - back in Poland they owned six restaurants, each offering a different type of cuisine. After arriving in Canada, they decided to focus on one restaurant but still prepare an array of dishes.

Despite 12 Tables’ informal atmosphere, dinners start with an amuse bouche and end with a lemon sorbet to cleanse the palette between the mains and dessert. The amuse bouche changes, on one visit a tasty bite of roasted beet with a creamy avocado mascarpone dressing and another a piece of seared beef. Both arrive with warm soft bread that they bake daily in-house. All this makes for a labour intensive day, no wonder they’re only opened for dinner!


Save some bread if you order the beef tartare ($19) as it doesn’t arrive with crostini. Even with the bread, the dish takes getting used to as the soft tartare against soft bread isn’t the greatest combination (even with a slight crunch from the raw onions). Aside from having something crunchy to spread it on, I’d also prefer the beef cut into bigger pieces so it doesn’t resemble pulverized meat. Regardless, the flavours were spot on and the onions a great addition.


For a crowd, the signature antipasto for two ($27) is a good option with a changing assortment of cured meats, cheeses, and vegetables. The salty cured meat and cheeses are good, but what really stood out were the hunks of grilled eggplant slathered in a garlic dill sauce, juicy sticks of marinated beets, and the large pieces of pickled artichoke. In fact, I wish they offered a vegetarian version of the antipasto platter as the vegetables were definitely the highlight.


12 Tables calls out on their menu, the fact the carbonara ($19) contains no cream. I can understand why, with all the aged cheese, bacon, and parmesan, it tastes like a really rich creamy pasta. Personally, I would have liked more black pepper to help balance the flavours and a splash of stock to thin out the sauce. But, I guess most people who order carbonara craves a dish that’s sinful and hearty, this definitely fits the bill. 


On the other hand, the arrabiata ($19) is the complete opposite. The dish is filled with al dente penne tossed with a thick tomato sauce that has such a delicious angry bite. Given it’s a smaller portion and lighter, you’ll want to add on a heartier appetizer if you get this as a main. The baked eggplant ($16) is a great choice. Two big thick slices of grilled eggplant sandwiching gorgonzola cheese studded with grape tomatoes and smothered with tomato sauce. All together it’s a creamy combination and the lighter blue cheese, which normally isn’t an ingredient I enjoy, pairs well with the earthy eggplant and tangy sauce. Although, if I had the option to substitute the gorgonzola for mozzarella or ricotta, I’d still make the switch.


Yet, my favourite pasta has got to be the frutti di mare ($27) and will be my go-to order during weekends. The linguine is done perfectly and tossed in a chunky tomato and onion sauce filled with seafood: three large prawns, a plump scallop, a passable section of crab leg, calamari rings, clams, and tons of mussels! Best yet the seafood was not overdone and cooked with the sauce to really infuse it with the seafood essence. 


Most of the starters and mains we tried still leaned heavily towards an Italian heritage. Their desserts is where it expands into different European territories, with a small but varied selection: strawberry pavlova, chocolate soufflé, a tart, and gelato. Excited for the soufflé ($12) what actually arrives would generally be considered a molten lava cake. While it was a very good rendition of the dessert – hot, rich, and filled with chocolate flavour without being sugary – the molten centre isn’t the same as an airy soufflé.


They’re a great neighbourhood restaurant, the service outstandingly friendly. My husband, who worked in Europe for a couple of years, noted it did remind him of the restaurants he visited while travelling around. At the end of the meal, they even offered us a shot of lemoncello or Zoladkowa Gorzka (an herby orange liqueur), a digestive to start the digestion process.


I urge the chef to expand the menu to include more non-Italian dishes, something from Poland would be great! Until then, I’ll be returning to enjoy the seafood pasta, with a shot of Zoladkowa Gorzka, which ends the meal with a warm fuzzy feeling.


Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 1552 Avenue Road

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
____________________________
Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


Is That It? I Want More!

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Fat Choi @ Soos (Toronto)


On Monday and Tuesdays, Soos temporarily hands over their kitchen to Fat Choi and the menu morphs into a vegetarian’s paradise. While Soos’ menu is based on Malaysian street food, Fat Choi expands across the world, drawing inspiration from Malaysia, India, China, Indonesia, and Japan (to name a few) – anything that’s tasty and vegetarian.

I would have never ordered the cold tofu ($9) without prompting from a friend… why would I want something cold, especially if it’s tofu? But, as I bit into the silky soy bean block, swimming in a salty Szechuan hot chili oil and topped with onion frizzles, green onions, garlic, and peanuts, I wonder what inventive thinker came up with such a delicious take on tofu. This isn't your regular boring soy bean dish.


Make sure you’ve finished your conversation before biting into the satay wrap ($11)… once you start you just have to keep eating it as it’s impossible to put down and if you wait too long, the filling will start sliding out. The seitan adds a meaty texture against the delicate Bibb lettuce and the crunchy pickled vegetables; it’s then drenched in a diluted peanut sauce that starts out slightly sweet but ends with a spicy bite.


Even before finishing the okonomiyaki ($13) we were already contemplating if another order was needed. The light thin chewy batter with the crispy edges is slathered with flavourful shallots and spicy kewpie. On its own it would have been too heavy, but Fat Choi balanced the dish off with raw crisp red cabbage and Brussels sprouts to create a slaw topping on the savoury pancake. A dish that seems so simple but is surprisingly delicious.


In general, all the flatbread-like dishes were tasty. The stuffed roti ($15) consisted of two pan fried flaky roti sandwiching a spiced chickpea, onion, and potato mixture. A curry garlic sauce comes with the hearty roti, which is thinned and the spice level restrained.


Make sure you get the nasi goreng ($16), this Indonesian fried rice was oh so flavourful. To make it vegan, a tofu crumble is added that still gives the fried rice an eggy texture, while bits of okra and bell peppers provide a crunchy texture throughout the rice. I love the black pepper bite to the rice… and the smell, oh the smell.


The no mapo no tofu ($17) is an interesting dish incorporating the sweet, beany, spicy sauce you’d expect from the traditional mapo tofu. However, the name of no mapo and no tofu calls out the fact that the dish contains no pork and no tofu. Instead, it’s replaced with creamy eggplant with flecks of pickled vegetables, the sauce cooked so long together that it becomes thick and caramelized; all sticky and sweet with the rice. Served in clay pot, this would be even better if the rice was lightly toasted so the bottom so that it develops a golden crispy crust – I can just imagine how epic it’d be if the mapo sauce is enhanced with crispy rice.


We finished off with the daily nood, that evening a curried laksa ($18 for a large bowl or $11 for individual portions). The smaller bowl is a great option as you really need to dig in and have spoonfuls of the coconut and curry broth to really augment the experience, although the soup should be a hotter temperature. Pieces of smoked tofu gives an interesting heartiness to the noodles in place of meat. In the past, I’ve had laksa with rice or egg noodles; at Fat Choi, they use a combination of the thicker miki noodle and a thin vermicelli, the mix reminiscent of a bowl of Fukien noodles at Kim Po.


People ask if I miss having meat during weekdays. Truthfully, we have such amazing plant-based options in Toronto that no, I can happily forgo animal protein Monday to Thursdays, with some exceptions. Fat Choi is an example of one of these restaurants. When the vegetarian dishes are this good, who needs meat? 

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 94 Ossington Avenue

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Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
  • 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
  • 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
  • 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
  • 10 - absolute perfection!


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