Collage (Tokyo)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Address: 1-9-1 Higashi-Shinbashi, Minato (inside the Conrad Hotel on the 28th floor)
Website: http://www.conradtokyo.co.jp/collage
Type of Meal: Dinner

Located on the 28th floor of the Conrad Hotel, Collage offers soaring windows with an amazing view of Tokyo. Occupying the space of a former Gordon Ramsay restaurant, it also serves French creations but with a Japanese twist on account of Chef Shinya Maeda’s inspirations.

The interior dining space is a conservative mix of dark wood and cream linens with large but simplistic light fixtures. After settling into our plush chairs we decided on the “saison” tasting menu (¥15,000), the only one I’ve had that offers a bread pairing with each main dish.  I apologize as didn’t realize this happens until the third dish so didn’t take any pictures of the bread. As a carb lover I was in heaven - pretzel bread with the ballotine and tortellini, a fluffy squash water bread with the tilefish and a cocoa bun with the duck! What an interesting concept that I encourage other restaurants to adopt.

To begin a hot crunchy cheese croquette adorned with a cold dollop of smooth tangy ricotta. I love the beautiful dill imprinted into it and foreshadows the dishes to come – each carefully built to be a beautiful presentation.


Having had quite a bit of mackerel while visiting Japan, I wasn’t surprised to see a seared mackerel sashimi presented next. Disappointingly, it had a very fishy taste that could only be masked when eaten with the pickled peas (?) at the bottom. Luckily, it was a very small piece so with a couple of bites it was done.


After finishing the meal I’ve come to realize Chef Maeda likes to add a crunchy element to his dishes. Normally, I’m quite happy about this as the contrasting texture can work very well. But, as with all things, sometime it works and sometimes things should just be left alone. The king crab ballontine is an example of where I felt it didn’t work. Imagine… a succulent piece of crab wrapped in a delicate braised leek but then ruined with various crunchy bits that really add nothing to the dish. All the delicious natural sweetness of the crab and freshness in the leek gets lost when simplicity might have been better.  


Luckily, the tortellini was an improvement and affirms why Collage earned a Michelin star to begin with. The braised shredded lamb inside was spot on and wonderfully tender and flavourful. Although the pasta was a touch hard, after letting it sit in the au jus for a bit the dough soften up. But, it was the humble eggplant in the middle topped with crème fraiche that tied everything together so well, really brightening up what could have been a heavy dish.  


Up next was the cône de pin (translates into pinecone) tilefish, where the fish scales were crisped up to resemble a pinecone. The fish was cooked splendidly, flaking apart and tender, contrasting nicely with the crunchy fish scales. A thick red pepper bouillabaisse-like sauce added a great flavour to everything. The crunchy element in this dish was dried pieces of chorizo which I didn’t particularly like; but, at least it was on the side of the plate so could easily be left off depending on your preference.


The following dish had a lot of elements to it, all highlighting an ingredient I love – duck! Firstly, a perfectly cooked skinless duck breast topped with some undecipherable crunchy bits. In between were miniature duck confit tornado rolls, a rich take on spring rolls with a more gamey flavour. All this rests on a light and smooth foie gras sauce which went well with the meat. Some grains of barley sat around the dish as well soaking up all the delicious duck juices. Only the turnip sauce threw me off as I found some bites bitter and off putting.


Before dessert, a palate cleanser of sweet raspberry or pomegranate sorbet with pieces of a champagne (?) ice. It was nice and refreshing, especially after the heavier duck dish.


The first dessert was a beautifully risen chocolate soufflé and side of chestnut ice cream rolled in walnuts. The cake was perfectly fluffy with the edge toasted to let cocoa flavours out. Meanwhile, the ice cream was very cold and took a long time to melt enough so that my spoon could cut through it; personally, I prefer this as would rather the dessert not turn to mush as soon as the ice cream is placed into the soufflé. But, the best part was the chocolate pop rocks on the bottom of the ice cream which crackled as they melted in your mouth. I absolutely loved this dessert.       


In my view, I would have been perfectly happy ending on the soufflé high.  Surprisingly, another dessert arrived, this time a fruitier nougat parfait. Simply put, it was a creamy custard log covered with crunchy graham cracker bits. On top were some dots of bitter orange reduction which with the sweet custard wasn’t too bad. Beside the “nougat” was a delicious smooth cinnamon ice cream with thin meringue bits to contrast. All in all, a good dessert but nothing compared to the soufflé.   


Although the food wasn’t spectacular, it was nonetheless delicious and satisfying. I love the chic environment and traditional linen and silver service you’d expect from a French restaurant. Collage is a great venue for a long meal (ours lasted two and a half hours) with some special guests. Of course, its convenient location and spectacular views could also warrant a visit as well.  

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10

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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!

CLOSED: Monk Kitchen (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 348 Adelaide St West (inside the Templar Hotel)
Type of Meal: Dinner 
My advice… go to Monk Kitchen soon before it becomes impossible to get a reservation. And yes, with the quality of cooking they offer, it’s inevitable that in time they will be highly sought after.  Tucked in the basement of the Templar Hotel, it’s a hidden contemporary oasis of pristine white and shiny stainless steel accents. As a warning, as you’re walking up Adelaide Street, pay attention to the numbering as the only signage for Templar is a small embossed crest on the bottom of a column.  But, it’s hard to miss if you know to look for a gleaming white counter with a few chairs off to the side. On the somewhat dark street of Adelaide the stark change in décor is certainly noticeable.

Having arrived 15 minutes early, we started off with a drink in their lounge, upstairs on the main floor. Brendie, the mixologist, described a tasty Pimm’s cocktail ($14) so naturally I went with that. Made with gin and mango juice there was also a refreshing hint of ginger, a great starter while waiting in the modern quiet lounge.


Being a huge fan of chef’s tables, I automatically asked to be seated in one of the six seats within the kitchen. Monk also has a dining room area holding about twenty additional patrons so these seats are easier to nab.

Monk Kitchen has no menu, rather Chef Roberto Fracchioni comes by to ask about allergies/limitations and then the food begins. Without a set menu, there’s no indication of what and how many courses will appear, but then that’s what really adds to the experience – that anticipation and excitement of each dish to come.

First up, a cold shrimp salad where the shrimp were marinated in a savoury sauce with just a slight heat to it. The salad portion consists of leafy Asian greens (Chinese broccoli, bok choy and tung ho (?)), which were crispy and flavourful and unlike the stir fried or blanched ones I've had. We were advised they were steamed in a lobster shell bath which is what allows the leaves to retain its flavour and gives it that slight augmented fragrance. A wedge of creamy grilled avocado, bits of tempura and a yuzu dressing finish off the plate. 


As soon as the lobster risotto was laid before me I knew I was in for a treat. Just the incredible shellfish aroma wafting off of it was amazing, making it hard to remember – snap picture first then eat! The rice was cooked perfectly with just a slight bite to it without being hard. Finely diced bell peppers mixed throughout the lobster bisque sauce added a bit of crunch and freshness to the flavourful rice. The consistency was spot on - enough liquid to form a creamy sauce but not so watery that’d you’d need a spoon to eat it. On top a simply cooked piece of lobster that was tender & flavourful and some fried muted capers rounded it off.


When we told Chef Roberto how great it was, he humbly shrugged stating that you can’t go wrong with lobster. But, alas sometimes even with lobster things can go horribly wrong. While replaying our conversation with the second chef (unfortunately, forgot to ask for his name and can’t find it on their website) he laughed and stated he’s from out east - they don’t mess up lobster. It’s these conversations that immediately put a diner at ease; I felt comfortable asking questions and conversing with them. Having done a couple of other meals kitchen side, at Shoto and Chantecler, none offered this down to earth friendliness that Monk Kitchen excels at.  

It’s as if Chef Roberto knew me, as up next was duck – lobster and duck in the same meal, I was in heaven already. The duck breast was seared and cooked to an impeccable medium, paired with a sweet and sour fig sauce. The fruity fig added just the right amount of sweetness without being overwhelming. With each bite, you get a bit of the tender juicy meat, rendered duck fat, crisp skin and the sauce that mellows everything out. There was even a dried fig chip that when broken into small pieces and mixed with the sauce and duck juices starts to rehydrate and comes delicious & chewy.   


Roasted carrots & parsnips and kale leaves tossed with pickled mustard accompany the duck. The pickling is very light but really helps soften up the kale and left little balls of mustard seeds which provided such a pleasant texture. 

Before the last savoury dish, an intermezzo of pomegranate granita topped with fresh juicy pomegranate seeds was served. It was refreshingly sweet with a hint of sour to wash away the heavier duck. 


The last savoury dish was truffle breaded veal. The Chef informs us the truffles are imported from Italy and used in all the parts of breading - pieces in the flour, truffle oil in the egg mixture and more shavings in the bread crumbs. Without a doubt, you can taste the distinctive truffle flavour with each bite but because the oil was used in moderation it wasn't overwhelming. Given the veal is such a neutral tasting meat, almost like pork but leaner, it could have been completely lost in the truffle but wasn't. It went especially well with the cauliflower purée, which deepened the earthiness inherent in the truffle. I was also pleasantly surprised that the cauliflower purée still tasted like its main ingredient; too often so much butter and cream is added to it that any cauliflower flavour is lost and the smear on the plate could really be anything. 


We opted for the wine pairing with the meal. At first, we weren’t going to do it as I typically find there’s too much wine and you end up being so far behind and tipsy by the end. But, Brendie was great and offered us a half wine pairing ($30/person) where we’d get 1.5 ounces with each dish, just enough in my opinion. The pairing consisted of two whites and two reds, I’m not wine expert so I won’t begin to try and rate these, but ended off with a delicious cocktail. It was vodka based with muddled strawberries, elderflower syrup and soda water and was so refreshing that it wakes you back up after all the food.  


To end, we each received a dessert plate made up of five items. It's difficult to determine a favourite as each offered a distinct taste so there’s something for everyone. All were fresh, moist and full of flavour; thankfully they were small pieces so you didn’t feel guilty finishing everything. Starting from the left a pear tart that was nicely poached and paired well with the crumbly buttery tart, a velvety espresso chocolate ganache with a rich dark chocolate flavour, smooth French toast cheesecake with blueberry sauce and hints of maple syrup and perhaps cinnamon, a delicious chewy walnut pecan tart (I simply loved the moist nutty cake) and lastly an After Eight cake consisting of layered vanilla sponge cake and chocolate topped with mint frosting, a great refreshing end.




I can’t say enough good things about the service at Monk Kitchen, everyone was friendly and checking in to make sure things was going well. The entire evening went spotlessly and the overall experience great. Given I couldn’t find anything about prices online, I was a tad worried at what the magnificent meal would end up costing; at $75 per person for five deliciously pulled together courses and an intermezzo, I felt was well worth it. Monk Kitchen is my new favourite restaurant in Toronto, I can’t wait to return. Just please don’t become too popular that I won’t be able to get back in!

Overall mark - 9.5 out of 10
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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!




Sukyabashi Jiro Roppongi 銀座 すきやばし次郎 (Tokyo)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Address: 6-12-2 Roppongi, Minato (in Roppongi Hills Resident B)
Website: http://www.sushi-jiro.jp/eng-index.html
Type of Meal: Lunch

After watching the 2011 documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi, I was determined to visit Sukiyabashi Jiro and try the beautiful creations that kept slow motioning through the screen. I knew I had to do it soon given Jiro Ono was already pushing 90 (he currently holds the Guinness World Record for world’s oldest sushi chef). So, when we visited Tokyo over the holidays we tried to do the impossible – get a reservation.

Now, you may be thinking, “just pick up the phone!” Unfortunately, it’s not that easy given reservations are only accepted in Japanese. Plus, with only ten seats, the odds of getting a spot are very slim. Alas, we weren’t able to get into Jiro’s flagship Ginza location. During our visit, it was especially difficult as the Tsukiji fish market was closing and moving to a new location; so with no fresh fish, Jiro would be closed as well. Essentially, there were only three days we could get a reservation and they all filled up.

Luckily, we scored a table at Takashi’s (Jiro’s younger son) Roppongi location, a good enough consolation. Since he also trained under his father, it’s said the techniques and ingredients mirror the main store; although, the Roppongi location was only awarded two Michelin stars versus Ginza’s three.


Once we entered, the first to arrive, we were brought to tables beside the counter and presented with a cup of green tea. After another pair arrived, we were all seated at the counter and given a hotel towel and tiny dish of blanched greens (I believe it’s the flowery part of Chinese broccoli or gai lan), which was simply flavoured with some salt and perhaps yuzu.


Some rules of thumb I learnt while preparing for the meal; after all, I wasn’t going to embarrass myself in front of Takashi! The plate on the counter should not be lifted, rather use chopsticks or your fingers to pick up the pieces after the Chef leaves them. Secondly, it’s impolite to bite a sushi in half so eat it whole - the only ones I couldn’t do this for were the shrimp as they were simply way too long. And lastly, there’s no need to dip the nigiri sushi into soy sauce or wasabi, it will arrive with the appropriate condiments, just trust the chef. Coincidentally, since I had already watched the documentary, I knew these suggestions but is always good to have a refresher.

To begin, the apprentice asked if we wanted to have sashimi (without rice) or nigiri (with rice) first. The automatic answer is “whatever the chef suggests” so sashimi it was. Luckily, at the Roppongi location, Takashi’s apprentice studied in Australia so was able to explain in English what we were eating.

Up first was a platter with hirame (flounder) and akagai (ark shell clam). The flounder is very delicate so I started with it first to warm up my palate - crisp and clean tasting the hirame was a good start. On the other hand, the akagai seemed much scarier looking. But, when biting into it, I was pleasantly surprised and found it crispy (like biting through light cartilage) and also quite light tasting. Some shallot shavings were served with it and added a nice herby onion taste.

 

Following were two pieces of saba (mackerel). Despite being raw, it almost has a seared taste and the flesh softer than other fishes. Interestingly, it was the only fish that was butterflied.  Regrettably, everyone only spoke in low murmurs and at the beginning Takashi appeared so serious that I didn’t want to ask any questions. Near the end he opened up and started having a conversation with us (translated through his apprentice) and even offered to join us for a picture. So, it appears he takes a while to gauge how you’d like to interact with him. If only I knew sooner so I would have asked why mackerel is the only fish that’s butterflied; perhaps to let more of the soy sauce seep into the middle of the fish?

 

Afterwards, two pieces of shako (mantis shrimp).  It didn’t appear to be raw but also not fully cooked. In the end, there really wasn’t any distinct taste but the sweet glaze on top was tasty.


That was the last of the sashimi and we soon moved onto my preferred pieces – nigiri sushi. Up first, hirame (flounder) again, which was interesting as you could contrast how the taste changes. With the rice I found the fish became stronger tasting as perhaps the warmth begins to melt the fish fat a bit.

 

Before moving onto all the other sushi let me describe Jiro’s rice. If you’ve watched the documentary you will know it’s supplied by one person who will only sell this particular rice to Jiro, as the supplier claims they are the only restaurant that understands how to prepare it. It’s a creamier consistency yet retains its distinct shape. Moreover, Jiro adds more vinegar with the rice so each bite is full of flavour yet not overwhelming.

But, what makes it outstanding is the warmth, about body temperature, on account of each piece being carefully moulded by Takashi for a precise amount of time before being served. It’s that slight heat that opens up the flavour of the seafood on top and when placed in the mouth doesn’t shock it. Rather, my tongue instantly started savouring the flavours of the seafood and vinegary rice.

Next, a piece of ika (squid) which was almost as tender as some of the fishes, but still had a slight bite to it.


Following a sayori (needlefish) which was one of my favourites of the day; I particularly enjoyed the clean crispness … it’s hard to describe but I found it almost refreshing.


A dreaded piece of “giant” scallop came next. I was scared it’d be gummy, but of course Jiro isn’t your run of the mill restaurant. Rather, their scallop was thinly sliced, scored and ended up being tender and not gluey at all. Jiro’s apprentice was nice enough to bring out the scallop to show us how large it actually was.


Then came the start of the tunas, the acclaimed fish of the sushi world. Admittedly, I felt slightly guilty given these gigantic fish are endangered from the overfishing. But, when at Jiro’s I had to try it to see what the fuss was all about. Firstly, was akami (lean tuna) with a brilliant red colour and whose texture is more akin to what is served in Toronto. It was fairly delicate but had an extra flavour to it – it was only later that a blogger explains Jiro marinates their tuna in soy sauce.


A slight upgrade in fat content came next with a piece of chutoro (medium tuna), which was very tender and fuller flavoured on account of the increased fattiness.

 

In reality, the otoro (fatty tuna) wasn’t served until just before the tamago. However, in the interest of keeping the progression going I’ll describe it next. Otoro is indeed the closest thing to melting fish and it simply disintegrated into my mouth leaving a wonderful fish flavour. I’m so glad Takashi served it in roll form so I could try it three times – remember sushi must be eaten in one bite! 


All in all, I have to admit the tuna is good. But, I feel a similar consistency can be achieved by heating up the fish a bit (such as the blowtorching technique used by JaBistro). Of course it isn’t the same, but if it means not killing off a species of fish perhaps we as humans need to be more open minded to it.

Next, was a spotty looking kohada (shad gizzard) a smaller fish in the sardine family. Although still good, it wasn’t once of my favourites as it definitely had a stronger fish taste from all the skin served with it.

 

Another clam was served afterwards, this time mirugai (giant clam), but this one lighter tasting and even more crunchy than the akagai. I enjoyed the change in texture after all the more tender fishes served previously.

 

Subsequently, a piece of aji (horse mackerel), which although looks bloody was actually a light manageable fish. Unlike the saba, aji is more delicate and has a fleshier texture.


Following a brimming akura (salmon roe) that I tend to like but my husband was apprehensive about. Indeed, they can generally be very fishy tasting but Jiro’s was quite enjoyable and not too intensely flavoured. The apprentice explained that they wash and rinse it many times and marinade it with sake so the roe mellows out and actually soften rather than bursts in your mouth.


My favourite piece was served next, kuruma ebi (Japanese imperial prawn). Right before it’s used the shrimp is quickly boiled and then removed from the shell so that it’s served hot retaining its sweetness. This was one of the most flavourful shrimp I’ve ever had.


Normally, uni (sea urchin) is sort of disgusting with its soft texture and fishy taste. So, when a huge glob of it was placed in front of me I almost let out a small sigh. But, the uni ended up being so creamy and light tasting it’s like a thick savoury mousse coating the taste buds. When I shared my fears with the apprentice he laughed and agreed that usually it’s one of the pieces people dread if they haven’t had good uni. Of course, Jiro only gets the freshest ones and make sure it’s properly prepared beforehand so fishiness is never a problem.


Afterwards, a delicate grilled unagi (eel) which was fantastic, also extremely tender but still having that distinct eel taste. I wish I could have had a bigger piece. 


To end, the famed tamago (sweet egg omelette), a dish that all apprentices spend forever perfecting before they can finally graduate onto fish. Fluffy and sweet the tamago ended the meal on a high and acted as a dessert.


Lunch for both of us along with two large beers, taxes and gratuity totaled ¥50,400, slightly less than the Ginza location. Indeed, it’s still expensive and you need to be careful as despite the high price tag both locations only accept cash. But, it’s a once in a life time experience and certainly the best sashimi and sushi I’ve eaten. So, if you’re able to afford it and visiting Tokyo, watch the documentary and then try the actual restaurant. Even if you can’t get into Jiro Ono’s place, the Roppongi location is worth a try and still delicious. Plus, the experience wasn’t as rushed (Jiro Ginza’s entire meal lasts about 20 minutes). We ended up being at the restaurant for over an hour and found the pace just right; long enough to savour each piece and watch Takashi and his apprentice in action but still short enough to make sitting in a stool comfortable.  

 Intrigued to try out the sushi masterpiece yourself but don't want to worry about scoring a reservation? Check out Voyagin, where they will organize the reservation on your behalf. Disclaimer: this is an affiliate link, support Gastro World!

Overall mark - 9.5 out of 10


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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!

Mitaseimenjo 三田製麺所 (Tokyo)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Address: 3-11-5 Roppongi, Minato
Website: http://mita-seimen.com/
Type of Meal: Dinner

Whether you visit for an inexpensive lunch/dinner or like Tokyoites stop by after a night of drinking, Mitaseimenjo offers the unique tsukemen (dipping noodles) that I haven’t found anywhere else.


The menu is simple with one type of noodle in small, medium, large or extra-large (small to large are all ¥700 while extra-large is ¥800).  For the soup base you can make it spicy by adding another ¥50.

During my visit I went with the medium spicy (¥750). Not realizing that the dipping sauce already had ingredients inside, I also ordered the “Mita’s special combination” (¥300) that consists of a slice of roast pork, a soft boiled egg, boiled bamboo shoots and two pieces of nori. In reality, you don’t need the combination as within the soup are already diced pieces of tender pork, bamboo shoots and a piece of nori.  In fact, I found the pork in the noodles tastier having been braised in the flavourful sauce for hours.


Eating it is simple, take a bit of the hot chewy noodles (you can also ask for them cold) and dip it into the curry and gravy mixture. The thick sauce sticks onto the springy noodles so each bite is perfectly flavoured. The texture of the noodles is exactly to my liking – freshly made so it’s soft but cooked quickly so it still has a supple bite to it. I’d say its consistency is a blend between an udon and ramen (similar to hand pulled noodles) and the thickness of North American udon.      

My husband and I also shared an order of gyozas (¥300). They were you average run on the mill pot stickers … cooked from frozen so wasn’t anything spectacular.  The noodles are definitely the highlight and even the medium size was so large I couldn’t finish it.


Although we visited the Roppongi location, Mitaseimenjo is a chain throughout Japan so there are lots of opportunities to stop by. Hopefully, they will open a Toronto location soon and I’m sure there will be long lineups if it ever happens.

Overall mark - 8 out of 10

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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!

Kushinobo 串の坊 (Tokyo)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Address: 3-15-17 Shinjuku (in the Isetan Kaikan building 8th floor)
Website: www.kushinobo.com
Type of Meal: Lunch
When you think of fried Japanese food, tempura is likely the first thing that comes to mind. During my visit to Japan, my husband and I happened to stumble across Kushinobo and was introduced to kushikatsu or kushiage - in essence deep fried skewers. Originating from Osaka, a variety of ingredients is breaded in panko, skewered and then deep fried for bit-sized morsels of goodness.


Numerous sauces are available including ketchup, mustard, kushiage sauce (a sweet Worcestershire blend), salt, lemon juice, sesame sauce and ponzu (a citrusy soy sauce). All the condiments sit on the table so you’re able to add as little or much as you want. Luckily for us, the waitress at Kushinobo came by and pointed to each space on the dish to tell us what sauce goes where. The finished product is below and can be copied as a cheat sheet.


We settled on their lunch special (¥1,575) offering eight skewers with an appetizer (in this case a small dish of very fishy sardines that I couldn’t stomach), a pot of raw veggies and a choice of grains:
  • Steamed rice and miso;
  • Hot tea over rice with salted sea kelp and pickles; and
  • Rice and raw egg and pickles.
Wanting to try something different but not desiring raw egg, I went with the hot tea over rice. Dishes of salted sea kelp, puffed grains and sesame seeds were brought over to allow me to top the rice. A small kettle of tea accompanied it and when mixed with the condiments turned it into a hot savoury soup. With a few scoops of pickled vegetables (inside jars on the table) the rice mixture was quite hearty and delicious. In fact, I wouldn’t have mind having a larger bowl of rice and tea with some grilled chicken.


Our first set of skewers consisted of a shiitake mushroom topped with tartar sauce (unexpectedly delicious as I wouldn’t think mushroom and tartar combines well), pumpkin (decent but nothing exciting) and cubes of pork with scallions in between (the scallions allowed the pork to retain its juiciness but the meat was rather bland).  


The seafood skewers were more up my alley. My favourite of the meal was the squid wrapped around a basil leaf which was tender and had just a bit of freshness to it. Beside it the fish paste smeared on green pepper was also a nice combination.


It wouldn’t be a meal without a fried shrimp which was fresh and decent but not nearly as sweet as all the other shrimp I had up to this point in Japan.


To end, a kabob of chicken cubes with celery (I liked it) and a root jelly with a sweet bean paste. The second picture is the inside of the jelly; I have no idea what exactly it is but remembered it also being in the hearty bowl of kenchin udon from Kamakura Gozan Bekkan. If someone knows what this is called please email me or post in the comments below. Really it doesn’t taste like much but a thick gelatin and hint of taro?


In general, kushiage seems less oily then tempura but is a bit harder on account of the panko coating. The plethora of sauces is nice as it offers a lot of choice but does tend to overpower the ingredients themselves. Thus, I found the ones that have a herb accompanying it were more appetizing. However, kushiage does lend itself to snack on with some drinks. So, perhaps it wasn’t the best choice for lunch but accompanying a beer or cocktail would be perfect.


Overall mark - 7 out of 10

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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!

Guu Izakaya (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, November 16, 2014 by
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 398 Church Street
Website: http://guu-izakaya.com/toronto
Type of Meal: Dinner

Guu Izakaya still hasn’t lost its appeal. Having visited two years earlier and waiting over an hour for a table (we grabbed a drink at a nearby watering hole) the wait seemed gruelling to make it worthwhile.  But, after two years and arriving earlier at 6pm, the hype is still strong – we waited 20 minutes to get a table.

Perhaps I’m older (after all, I’ve aged two years), but Guu seems to have gotten even louder! Previously, the shouting happened when someone enters or leaves.  Now, some drink orders are screamed out as well so there’s rarely a moment you can hear the person in front of you.  Of course, this strange tradition (which having visited Japan doesn’t actually happen that often) is their trademark so it’s expected. But, even good things are overwhelming when there’s too much of it so I seriously urge managers to consider toning it down; after a while it really starts grating on your nerves. Some suggestions, how about polling visitors as they enter to see if they prefer shouts or not or offering customers a choice to wait a little longer for a table in the section off to the side where it seems slightly more blissful?

Let’s get to the thing that helped me survive the night – alcohol.  To start a beer mojito ($5.80) concocted with Sapporo, lime and mint leaves. After muddling the lime and mint leaves a bit ourselves, the light beer becomes quite refreshing with the citrus and mint.


Needing something harder (by this time my ears are ringing), for the next drink I upped it to the otokomae ($7) a much stronger cocktail combining sake, tequila and Cointreau. Perhaps it’s due to my love for vodka waters, but this drink appeals to me; not sweet at all with just some lime to mellow things out.  


Having learned from our last visit, we decided to order the food in two batches to avoid getting too many dishes all at once.  The salmon tataki ($6.80) was quickly seared so there’s a hint of smokiness to the salmon as the oils heat up.  A vinaigrette lightly coats the fish adding a nice freshness with pungent kicks from the green onion & garlic chips and heat from the wasabi mayo. The garlic is a bit overpowering; maybe if it were crushed into smaller pieces and less was added the delicious fish wouldn’t be covered over as much. I did like the thinly grated radish on the bottom soaking up the ponzu, wrapping some of this in the salmon and then eating it is rather refreshing.


Seeing gindara ($11.80) or roasted black cod on the menu we couldn’t not order this favourite. Guu’s was decent with the fish nicely cooked and relatively flakey. Its sauce is lighter having diluted the miso with some water and white wine (though to be honest couldn’t really taste the alcohol). Even though it wasn’t as melt-in-your-mouth as Yuzu No Hana and Blowfish (my top picks), for the price it was a good offering.


The karubi ($6.80) or grilled short ribs was the most disappointing dish of the evening.  It was so tough that we actually had to hold onto it while we tore a piece off.  Likely it’s due to the leaner cut being used, which is good, but this means the meat needs to be marinated to become edible. The simple sprinkling of salt and pepper is not sufficient to tenderize the meat and leaves it bland – you really had to dip it in the oil and scoop up the green onions to get a hint of anything.


Having only eaten okonomiyaki ($6.80) at Guu, I’ll admit there’s nothing for me to compare it to. But, the pancake is thicker than I would have imagined. Yet it’s still light on account of the bits of chopped cabbage mixed into the batter making it moist and breaks apart.  Overall, the dish has a lot of flavours from the sauces slathered on it – sweetness from the tonkatsu sauce (tastes like a mix between teriyaki and HP sauce) and the heat from the karashi (mustard). Topping everything are katsuobushi (bonito flakes) which move around with the heat and always an entertaining sight as long as you’re not squeamish; it adds a rich seafood essence to the dish.  I only wish there were a few pieces of seafood in it (there may have bit a piece of squid) to give the okonomiyaki a bit of texture.


Surprisingly, my highlight dish of the night isn’t even Japanese – the kinoko cheese bibimbap ($8.80). Although it may not look the best, this dark rice concoction is filled with fragrant seaweed pieces and a sweet glaze. Cheese is mixed throughout to give it a gooey texture and if left long enough against the hot stone bowl a delicious toasty crust develops on the bottom. Button mushrooms are mixed throughout that don’t really add or detract from the dish, but the star (in my opinion) is the seaweed.


To end we craved something sweet so ordered the almond tofu ($3.50), especially since the menu describes it as “the world’s smoothest”. Not being an almond tofu connoisseur, I can’t determine the truth to that statement but feel it’s smoothness is due to blending the tofu with almond jello … the dessert couldn`t have been fully made with tofu as it was too structured.  Either way, it was pleasant and light, with a hint of richness from the whipped cream on top.


Service is always helpful and cheerful but Guu does have some small things that could be improved on. During our visit, three instances occurred that if avoided would have made the experience that much better:


  • It’s already bad enough when customers have to sit at communal tables - although with the case of informal restaurants like izakayas, I can understand the need for them so am more accepting. However, the situation is annoying when the host sits you, then the waitress asks you to move over, only to have the host ask you to move back again. If we had been given our own table the constant shifting would have never occurred. Guu therefore needs to task someone with the responsibility for seating people (this should be the host) to avoid shuffling patrons around.

  • Before plates and especially eating utensils are taken away, staff should at least ask customers if everything has arrived.  In our instance, a gentleman proceeded to clear everything from our table without asking. I mentioned we were still waiting for a dish and therefore he had to reset everything. A simple question such as, “How was everything. Are you still waiting on any dishes or would like to order more?” could have easily stopped unnecessary work effort.

  • Lastly, right after we ordered desserts, our waitress immediately brought the bill along with the almond tofu. No one bother to ask us if we wanted anything else and assumed we were done. Quite frankly, my friend and I could have gone for one last cocktail before leaving.  Had this been a ramen shop, bringing the bill straight away may have made sense. But, Guu is an izakaya which is an establishment where people gather for drinks and small plates. Not to mention, now the restaurant lost the opportunity to sell one of its higher margin products.


All in all, Guu’s worth a visit if you’ve never been.  However, I’d suggest going with a maximum of four people (otherwise it becomes difficult to get a seat or hear each other) and either go early or much later. Be prepared for shouting from the moment you enter the restaurant and no it really won’t let up. Quickly order a drink and get it in your system as it will really help to mellow you out and make the noise bearable - after my second drink I almost didn’t mind it anymore as it became more like loud background noise.  Who knows, maybe after my third I would have even started chiming in! Alas, we’ll never know … if only the bill didn’t come prematurely.

Overall mark - 7 out of 10
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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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