Showing posts with label izakaya. Show all posts
Showing posts with label izakaya. Show all posts

Kinka Izakaya North York (Toronto)

Kinka Izakaya North York

Kinka Izakaya, formerly known as Guu, continues to churn out Japanese shared dishes amongst a jovial environment. At the North York location, the shouting becomes too much: not only occurring when people enter and leave, but also for communicating orders and announcing dishes are ready for pick-up. I’ll admit, I needed a glass of Taiheizan Chogetsu sake ($10) to take the edge off and settle into a mellower mood.


Luckily, Chef Ippei Iwata’s creations makes it worth it to suffer through the screaming. The takowasabi ($4.50), which I first had at sister restaurant Yakatori Kintori, may not look photogenic and somewhat drab, but the flavour couldn’t be further. You may be put off by the jelly like consistency of the marinated octopus, yet before you can decide if you like the dish, a powerful hit of wasabi stem washes over you. It’s shocking, but so delicious.  


Having the kaisou and tofu salad ($7) with the takowasabi would be smart – the cool pieces of tofu helping to mellow out the flavours. The sweet marinated seaweed and citrusy ponzu soy vinaigrette topping the spring mix readjusting the taste buds for the following savoury eats.


Kinka first marinates the chicken used in the karaage ($7.80) so that the meat itself is well flavoured. Coating it in enough flour to form a crust but not too much to become overpowering, the chicken is simple but tasty.


I founded the tontaro ($7.50) too salty (coming from a person who loves salt). The yuzu pepper sauce accompanying the grilled pork cheek skewer was just too well seasoned, which is a shame because the tender pork is devoid of flavours and really requires a condiment.


If you’re a fan of oysters, the kakimayo ($8.50) is the dish to order. Plump, large oysters are filled with mushrooms and spinach in a creamy garlic mayonnaise. It’s baked with cheese and served piping hot, Kinka’s version of an oyster Rockefeller.


The flaky gindara ($12) is one of my favourites: the miso marinated black cod grilled to perfection with a crispy skin but the fish’s meat still moist.


Kinka’s gyu carpaccio ($7.20) is a stunning plate, the seared rings around the beef sashimi so fine and even. Sitting in a ponzu soy and covered with wasabi mayo and garlic chips, it’s also a flavourful and refreshing selection.


With the rise in popularity of aburi offerings, Kinka’s North York location also offers blowtorched salmon oshizushi ($12.80). The pressed sushi incorporating a nice ratio of smoky salmon against rice. Personally, I prefer the typical jalapeno garnishes, but the green onion and ginger topping wasn’t bad either.


The end, the hojicha brulee ($5) had a thin sugar crust, enough to add sweetness but not overpower the faint roasted green tea essence within the crème brulee.



Kinka has been having events assuring eaters that nothing has changed except for the renaming (resulting from the end of a franchising agreement). This was certainly highlighted in my experience – the food just as flavourful, menu options still abundant, and prices equally wallet friendly. Lastly, depending on your opinion, their staff just as energetic … to the detriment of my ear drums.  

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


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 4775 Yonge Street

Follow me on twitter to chat, be notified about new posts and more - https://twitter.com/GastroWorldBlog
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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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KINKA IZAKAYA NORTH YORK Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


Kinka Izakaya Bloor (Toronto)

Kinka Izakaya Bloor

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.

Overall mark - 8 out of 10*
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

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

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
  • - 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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KINKA IZAKAYA BLOOR Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Hanmoto (Toronto)



Hanmoto Toronto


Hanmoto is laid back and chill with a slight hipster vibe (but not too much plaid). The dining room seats less than 30 and is decorated in a mismatched “I’m not going to be impressive” manner, the service is attentive but not over baring (they’re not rushing you out of the small place) and even the cocktails go down easy. 

The Arisaka sour ($12) a light concoction of citrusy yuzu, refreshing cucumber, green tea, gin and soda. While the North Town Hashi ($12) just a tad sweeter from the Asian pear that’s balanced with bitters having an almost Amaretto and brandy taste.


The menu is small; with a table of four you can likely order it entirely. My favourite was the salmon aburi ($10), a mound of sushi rice wrapped in diced salmon and tobiko before being blow torched – the method du jour in Japanese cooking. Scallions and a bit of teriyaki (?) finish off the dish with a basket of crisp nori on the side so you can make your own hand rolls. I liked the lighter use of condiments, which allowed the melting smokiness of the salmon to become the prominent taste.

Aburi salmon

On the other hand, the hamachi tartare ($12) is more about what comes with it (avocado, sweet chili sauce, ponzu, shiso, cilantro, fried garlic slivers and nori) than the neutral fish itself. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing given the dish was delicious and packed with flavours & textures to start off the meal.


Inevitably, all dishes at Hanmoto is rich and flavourful. The dyno wings ($8), a well-publicized offering, takes de-boned chicken wings and stuffs them with a pork dumpling filling. Thankfully, the chef shows some restraint and doesn’t over salt the filling… although I would have liked some vegetables (chives, bok choy or cabbage) to lighten and add contrast. The deep fried wing was hot, crispy, juicy and delicious; smothered in mayo, green onions, cilantro and chili.


After reading Chris Nuttall-Smith’s review, we didn’t bother asking for a knife to split the katsu bun ($7). Honestly Hanmoto, just invest in some knives! It’s unreasonable to expect diners to want an entire bun to themselves and splitting the thing with chopsticks is a messy endeavor.  

Within this katsu the pork chop was replaced with a thick slab of pork belly, which had its marbled areas but plenty of meat as well. Covered with panko and then deep fried, it’s crispy and tender. With a sweet glaze and sitting on top a mound of Thousand Island/tartar sauce dressed iceberg lettuce, the dish combines the Filet o'fish and Big Mac in one. The pan fried coco bread, thinner and smaller than the pork belly, didn’t stand a chance at keeping the sandwich together.

Even Hanmoto’s vegetables would make a dietician blush. The enoki arrives with a pat of miso butter ($7), once melted leaving the crunchy mushrooms in a pool of oil. Some ponzu is added and its sourness does help cut the greasiness, the fresh scallions even more. Personally, I feel the butter and even the ponzu wasn’t required as these detract from the delicate mushroom; it would have been nice to have a lighter diluted miso sauce to add flavour without drowning it.


The salmon face ($12) is exactly as it sounds: a halved salmon head grilled and then covered with mounds of greenery (lettuce kimchi and a scallion slaw). You need to do some digging, but you’ll eventually find the fish.


Of all the dishes, this one is passable unless you love sucking on fish bones. Perhaps I was thinking of the jowl, which is much meatier, but there was little salmon meat in the dish itself. Moreover, since it was cooked to a medium doneness (something I normally like) it did make it hard to remove from the bone – even the prime cheek was hard to take out, turning into a stringy mess. A touch more time on the flames would help.

Their sole dessert is the miso ice cream ($7) made of a rich sweet base of condensed milk. It’s then balanced with white miso and nori dust to add a savoury element to the dessert. The toasted puffed rice spheres was a great addition, adding a satisfying crunch. As a warning, the dish is rather rich so you’ll want to share it.


Overall, Hanmoto creates inventive dishes not normally found at other izakayas and builds lots of tastes and textures into each one. Despite a small menu, there are many tempting options. It would be nice to have the menu expanded to incorporate a couple of simpler dishes. Everything was so heavy that by the latter half of the meal, I was craving something to help balance it out - the kimchi lettuce with the salmon head was a good start and could easily be sold by itself.

There are bigger problems than having too many strong flavours and lavish dishes. After all, a lackluster menu would be even worse. Lucky for Hanmoto, dull tastes is not a challenge they are plagued with.  

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 2 Lakeview Avenue


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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Hanmoto Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Miku (Toronto)

Miku Toronto

Miku proceeded cautiously, quietly opening in early October and without much press until later in the month. It’s a smart move, allowing them to work out the kinks before the onslaught of diners arrive. With the size of their dining area, this will be important as the sheer capacity could easily overwhelm the kitchen.

By our visit during the third week of October, I was impressed by the precision of their service: my reservation was in the system; the table ready and waiting; upon being seated immediately greeted and offered water; and drinks, food & fresh cutlery brought out in succession.

The smoked soy grilled octopus ($19) offered a heavenly aroma from tender meaty tendril of octopus glazed in the slightly sweet sauce. In the middle, a piece of togarashi-dusted chicken skin, which worked with the seafood (perhaps similar to the bacon and scallop combination). Despite the plain looking dish, on the bottom was a delicious wasabi chimichurri that provided enough heat without being overpowering and went well with the octopus and tasty sides (wonderful roasted baby potatoes with a creamy centre and tiny roasted cauliflower florets). 

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Kaisen soba pepperoncino ($28) but it was fantastic. Laced with a chili-garlic soy, the buckwheat noodles were tossed in the flavourful sauce adding a stir fried quality to the dish. A selection of Oceanwise seafood accompanied the noodles: a single prawn and scallop (despite the plural form used on the menu) were a fair size and cooked wonderfully; the calamari rings meaty and delicate; but the clams and mussels a bit overcooked.


Bell peppers, crunchy bok choy, prince mushrooms were also included to add contrast and colour. However, I could have done without the make shift salad on top – the arugula was bearable, adding a peppery freshness to the noodles, but the diced tomatoes rather strange.

Of course, we couldn’t visit without trying the aburi prime ($55 for 10 pieces), a chef’s choice nigiri selection. Aburi is essentially lightly blowtorching the ingredient to help warm and release an extra boost of aroma and flavour. Each piece was then carefully paired with sauces and garnishes to best showcase the ingredient. Understandably, there was no chance in me remembering all the combinations as they were listed out, but since it’s supposed to change depending on ingredient availability, you’ll likely have something different anyways.


It was beautifully presented, thanks to head sushi chef Kazuiki Uchgoshi and his team, with each piece an art form of its own. At first, we had intentions of cutting the sushi to try them all. However, after seeing the intricate placement and knowing all garnishes are required to get the intended taste of the sushi, my husband and I each chose five.

  • The lobster tail was substantial and its sweetness apparent (especially on the thicker end) and well matched with a tangy sun-dried tomato. Since it was cooked rare, it did have a gummy texture I’m not particularly fond of but wasn’t off putting either.
  • Reminding me of an upscale Big Mac, the wagyu was delicious with the well-marbled beef melting on the tongue and topped with a pickled tartar sauce.
  • I also consumed two pieces of rather neutral fish, which were both good. Admittedly, one wasn’t overly memorable, but the other that was paired with prosciutto was yummy, the meat adding a strong saltiness against the delicate fish.
  • The most disappointing piece was the squid, which was somewhat hard and had an awful fishy aftertaste that had me reaching for my shiso mojito ($15).
Overall, the aburi prime was fine but not as impressive as one would think from a dish that is described as “prime”, “omakase” and “premium”. Although it’s been touted that Miku brought the aburi method of cooking to Toronto, in reality it’s been around for years (my first experience during a dinner at Ja Bistro). On the nigiri selection, it was done so lightly that I really couldn’t notice a difference. Moreover, the rice itself could be improved – being warmer and incorporating more vinegar – as we found it rather tasteless if not for the plethora of ingredients on top.

Personally, I found the salmon oshi sushi ($17 for 6 pieces) did a better job at highlighting the aburi method, helping to release the fish’s oils and melting the Miku sauce. Our waiter advised that only seven people at the restaurant are told the ingredients for their namesake sauce, even then each only knowing certain ones so it becomes a team effort to make it. To me, it tastes like a kewpie mayonnaise with butter.

Slices of BC wild sockeye salmon is sandwiched in the pressed sushi and on top, which was an ingenious idea to add a richer flavour as the two layers of salmon permeated throughout. The layer of cracked black pepper between the salmon and sauce also helped add an interesting heat that’s different from the jalapeno.


The Miku roll ($22 for 8 pieces) incorporated tons of tobiko (fish roe) giving it a beautiful vibrant hue. We should have read the menu carefully as this also had the Miku sauce, which after the salmon was too heavy and similar. In this case, the crab, uni and salmon within the maki became lost amongst the smoky torched sauce and flavourful tobiko.


Miku’s green tea opera cake ($13.50) has a bit of everything in it, with the matcha flavour found in the sponge cake, butter cream and ice cream. The cake also included layers of silky dark chocolate ganache, a thick adzuki bean paste and crunchy hazelnut wafers. It was rich and delicious, having an almost Kit Kat essence within the dessert.


Walking into the cavernous white dining room, you wouldn’t think you’re at a Japanese restaurant. That is, until the hostess gets everyone’s attention and the kitchen greets you in unison. It’s a stunning space that marries simplistic Japanese décor with modern European elements, much like some of the items on Miku’s menu. Moreover, it’s great for large groups and a good choice for those who want upscale Japanese without the traditional elements (everyone speaks English and you don’t have to use chopsticks). Another Vancouver exports joins the Toronto scene, welcome to town!

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 10 Bay Street

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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CLOSED: Guu Izakaya North York (Toronto)





Vancouver Empire Guu continues to expand its central Canada presence, with the latest outpost opening in North York. Larger than its downtown sister, there’s greater opportunity for sitting in its 90-seat dining room and 60-seat patio. Reservations are available, making it the most customer friendly location. Even if there is a wait, plenty of bars in the area, so a pint at the Frog can easily keep you occupied.  

As part of their summer menu, Guu was offering tako karu ($10), a cold octopus carpaccio dressed with a refreshing yuzu ponzu (citrus soy) dressing. It’s light and flavourful and the thin jalapeno slices provide an extra bite for those who can handle the spice. Crunchy slivers of daikon is a great make shift salad for soaking up ample amounts of chili vinaigrette.  


Personally, I found it was a better alternative to the maguro tataki ($8.30), which is similarly dressed except uses seared albacore tuna sashimi than octopus. I find the garlic chips too overpowering, the jalapeno is a much better garnish, in my opinion.


The gindara ($12.80) was flavourful having been caramelized with a slightly smoky crust. The typical sweet and savoury miso glaze is eased with a citrus twist, but the fish could be cooked just a tad less to help retain more of the cod’s oily moisture.


For me, the takoyaki ($5.50) was forgettable; nothing to complain of but the soft deep fried octopus studded balls just didn’t stand out. The okonomiyaki ($7.50) is such a similar dish: also sporting a golden crust that’s doused in a tangy tonkatsu and horseradish-like karashi mayo. It even has pieces of diced squid mixed into it. What makes it better, for me, is the thicker batter that incorporates plenty of shredded cabbage, which gives it some textural contrast.


The ebi mayo ($8.80) is a popular appetizer in Japan, a simple dish of deep fried prawns drizzled with thinned mayonnaise. At Guu, the shrimp are plump and arrive freshly fried, with the mayo having a light spiciness to it. The batter is on the doughier side, so tends not to be as crisp.


To ensure you’re not hungry in an hour, some filling starches are a smart choice. The chewy thick noodles in the kimchi udon ($9.30) were slick and well-seasoned, but definitely required more kimchi. The yaki udon seemed popular amongst other guests and contains thinly sliced beef to make it more substantial.


A must-order dish for me at Guu is the kinoko bibimbap ($9.30). Something about the combination of sticky rice, plump mushrooms, cheese and the earthy seaweed teriyaki sauce is so delicious. Served in a sizzling stone bowl, the dish is aromatic. If you’re patient, it even develops a slightly caramelized crust on the bottom that makes the rice even more flavourful.


Guu’s matcha cheesecake ($6.50) has an Uncle Tetsu flare to it but the mixture is richer and creamier. The green tea powder gives the cake a great Japanese taste and aids in giving it flavour without relying solely on sweetness.


If you’re sitting at the bar by the open-concept kitchen, it’ll get HOT! Take it from me – wear layers so you can strip down if required. To help us cool off, we ordered a round of mojito. Both the lychee ($7.80) and ume (plum wine; $7.50) versions were revitalizing with the squeeze of lime and fresh mint.


Compared to the Church location experiences, North York’s service was much better. For one, despite ordering the majority of the items at the same time, the kitchen released the dishes in a timely procession allowing us enough time between dishes so we didn’t feel rushed. The servers checked in throughout the meal to ensure we were attended to and asked whether we were finished before collecting the cutlery.

One thing has not changed – the ear-piercing greetings from the entire team as people enter and leave. Alas, it’s likely become too synonymous with the restaurant that it’d be impossible to stop. The food on this visit was positive, if I can just score a table on the patio away from the screaming, that would make the experience complete. 

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 4775 Yonge Street (Hullmark Centre)

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!

Other Gastro World posts similar to this: