Ever wonder what happened to Guu? Rest assured, the chain of
lively izakayas has not succumbed to the competitive Toronto landscape, but has
rather morphed into Kinka. The menu is still comprised of reasonably priced
shared plates, the staff as energetic as ever and the boisterous greetings
haven’t disappeared.
To celebrate the transformation, Kinka invited bloggers to dine on their tasting menu ($33/person
for a minimum of two people). It's ideal for those who are overwhelmed by the abundance of
choices and would rather trust their stomachs to the experts. All the dishes
are available a la carte, hence their individual prices have also been provided
in the post. Overall, the 9-course menu is well thought out with a selection of
hot vs. cold, grilled vs. fried and vegetables vs. proteins choices; are still
meant for sharing.
Normally, I shy away from ordering salads but rather enjoyed
these lighter dishes. The seaweed and tofu salad ($7) certainly incorporated
enough flavours with a citrusy ponzu soy vinaigrette, sweet crunchy marinated
seaweed and slivers of toasted nori. Meanwhile, the creamy sesame sauce on the gomaae ($4), went surprisingly well with
the cold blanched spinach – adding a salty nuttiness to the vegetable without
being overpowering.
It’s unclear whether the tasting menu’s ordering of dishes
remains the same, but I’d suggest splitting the lighter dishes: first serving
the salad and then at the meal’s midpoint presenting the gomaae to help cut through the heavier dishes and revitalize the
palette.
For example, the gomaae
would have been perfect after having a kaki
mayo ($8.50) - a large oyster loaded with mushrooms, spinach, and creamy garlic
mayonnaise also covered with cheese. The oyster was hot and delicious, yet very
rich, so the cool sesame spinach would have been nice to have before
progressing into the meats.
Continuing with thoughts of menu progression, Kinka should
continue serving karaage ($7.80)
earlier in the meal. The plump juicy fried chicken pieces marries so nicely
with a cold drink. On the side is some garlic mayonnaise, but since the chicken
is marinated with soy sauce, I found it flavourful enough to enjoy without the
condiment.
A perennial favourite of mine is the maguro tataki, thinly sliced tuna sashimi that’s lightly seared to
provide contrast and dressed in a vibrant ponzu soy, crunchy garlic chips and
green onions. The refreshing daikon slivers on the bottom shouldn’t be
forgotten having soaked up all the flavours.
Yet, it’s the kinko
bibimbap ($9.30) that I insist on having each visit – a dish that they’d
likely shun in Japan with its Korean cooking methods and westernized cheese. Oh
well, its aromatic seaweed laced caramelized rice smell and gooey creamy
texture is so good that I don’t care.
Grilled dishes being showcased on the tasting menu included karubi ($7.80; beef short ribs) and gindara ($12.80; black cod). The beef short
ribs, although tender and flavourful, lacked the lovely charred grill marks and
smoky essence. In contrast, the black cod was superb – flaky, moist and enough
salty sweet miso. Best of all, the skin was crispy and left that way given the
sauce was served on the plate.
To finish a boozy slice of sake tiramisu ($6) with a crazy
adult kick. There was plenty silky cheese cream and soft cookies, but the
dessert could have benefited from the cookies being soaked in a sweet sauce,
which would help mellow out the sake.
The tiramisu was actually stronger than Kinka’s cocktails!
The cassis peach oolong ($7.20) and nama grapefruit were both easy going drinks
sweetened with fruit liqueurs and grapefruit juice, respectively. The nama does
take some elbow grease as the grapefruit is served fresh and with a juicer.
Compared to Kinka’s other locations, the Bloor one is
comparably tranquil. Especially since we were sat in the tatami room away from
the busy kitchen and most of the shouting. Although the room looks like floor seating,
there’s actually hidden leg areas below thus feels no different from sitting on
a stool. I’ll have to keep this in mind as have always appreciated the
restaurant’s food, but find the constant yelling grating on the nerves.
Finally, I’ve found the perfect location where I can indulge in their bibimbap
while still being able to carry a conversation.
Disclaimer: The above meal was complimentary. But, rest assured, as noted in the mission statement, I will always to provide an honest opinion.
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 559 Bloor Street West
Address: 559 Bloor Street West
Website: http://www.kinkaizakaya.com/
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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