Selva (Toronto)


Self-coined as the world’s first immersive, multi-sensory art resto bar, Selva’s accolade is debateable. Indeed, the restaurant is a visually stimulating environment, and I could taste fresh ingredients that might be found in a jungle, but there were other senses missing:

  • What could I smell other than the pungent deep woodsy citrus aroma of the magrud lime that seemed to be part of half of the dishes? Possibly if even a few dishes were served in a cloche encapsulating an aromatic scent or if a powerful broth is poured table-side, it would help emit a smell to add to the sensory experience. At the very least, using diffusers in the non-dining room portions of the restaurant that lets out a “jungle” aroma could check this box.
  • Unless you count the dishes that could be eaten with your hands, there’s not a touch element to Selva.  Maybe they could incorporate this by changing up the cutlery and plates for certain dishes (serving the ceviche on individual leaves, creating savoury cotton candy, or even dehydrating some ingredients so that it becomes an edible handheld vessel). I know, these are all things that are difficult to create, but if you’re going to call yourself multi-sensory…
  • And finally, there weren’t even any sounds that reminded me of being in a jungle, the easiest sense to create. Of course, Selva shouldn’t become a reincarnated Rainforest Café (who is old enough to remember this place?), but even adding noises at the entrance and in the restrooms – the same areas with the diffusing scents - would help.  

This is all to say that Selva is hardly a multi-sensory experience, especially not the first in the world. If anything, my dining experiences at Alinea or even Hutaoli’s Markham location would be way more multi-sensory. Nonetheless, Selva is still a lovely environment to dine in: there’s something about the brightly coloured foliage hanging from the ceiling and beautifully presented dishes that puts you in a good mood. And the gorgeous artwork all over the restaurant’s walls, ceiling, and floor by Clandestinos Art is certainly something to behold. Would it be strange to commission a replica in my dining room?

It pains me to say this, as I deeply respect Chef Nuit and love her other restaurants, but Selva’s menu needs an overhaul. The best dish of night, unanimously agreed upon at our table, was the eggplant dip ($18 plus an extra $6 for the guacamole). It was such a nice thick consistency, but also flavoured in an interesting manner with shrimp paste (?) and chili so there’s an umami spiciness to the meaty vegetable. Even the shredded mint on top was a great touch. On the other hand, the guacamole is run-of-the-mill and could benefit from a twist to make it special, whether it be the addition of finely chopped chilis or Thai herbs. All in all, the dips are beautifully presented with an array of fresh vegetables and warm crispy tortillas. In retrospect, I would have happily had the entire platter to myself as a meal.

Perhaps I’d add on the yellowfin tuna ceviche ($18) as a starter to get the sole smell element once we squeezed the magrud lime and that distinctive aroma engulfed the table. Plus, it’s a decent dish with the delicate soft tuna contrasted with plenty of crunchy ingredients (roasted peanuts, grilled corn, celery, pickled onion) and slices of red serrano chili adding a light spice. If anything, the ceviche could use a bit more salt and oil to balance out all the acidity.

The meal starts to go downhill from here… literally as each successive dish is presented it’s worse than the one before. The grilled sea bream ($36) is still fine: while it could be taken off the grill sooner to keep the flesh moister, the skin had a lovely crispy texture. The lemongrass sandwiched in the middle of the fish was a great start, but surprisingly didn’t really diffuse any flavours into the flesh. Once we added pieces of pickled chayote, onion, and a dash of yellow pepper sauce the flavours improved, but the fish could still benefit from more salt. Who knows, maybe the sea bream was actually seasoned perfectly, and I just couldn’t taste it over all the raw garlic used in the tomato rice. Wow is this garlicky, beware to people who are on dates.

In fact, the tomato rice would go better with the grilled Denver steak ($30), which by itself is forgettable. The thin under-blade cut of beef was overcooked, but thankfully due to the marbling remained tender. It just doesn’t have a lot of flavour: like the fish, it could be seasoned more, and the sriracha-looking condiment was a sweet pepper sauce that doesn’t really add anything to the steak. If the beef was served over a bed of tomato rice perhaps the garlic in the grains would give it a punch of flavour and the beef’s fat and juices mellow out the rice. At the very least, I’d replace the sweet pepper sauce with a more traditional chimichurri, perhaps made from the leaves from the baby radishes and carrots used in the dip platter, a bit of Thai basil, and bird’s eye chili for a Chef Nuit inspired touch.

The corn fritters ($14) were shaped too small so they resembled popcorn corn versus a fritter and could have benefited from being drained longer so it wasn’t as oily. If the batter truly incorporated red curry paste and lime leaf, the ratio of spices to flour needs to increase as it didn’t taste like much. In fact, we really couldn’t even taste the corn.

Yet, the fritters were still better the fried calamari ($18), which I couldn’t stomach more than two pieces. Firstly, the sweet and sour sauce covering the bottom of the plate, rather than being served on the side, meant the sesame batter fell off the calamari leaving us with chunks of syrupy batter and naked squid. The calamari were also cut much too small so without serving spoons it was difficult to pick up with a fork.

In general, I’m surprised a restaurant that creates a family-style menu doesn’t include sharing utensils with their dishes. I finally asked for an extra spoon and fork with the fish, but these were cleared away with the sea bream and it seemed like a pain to ask for new ones with each dish. If you’re serving a sharing menu, especially under COVID conditions, providing tables with proper serving utensils is key. Moreover, swapping out the plates after every few dishes would be even better as by the end of the meal those small plates were messy.

And the worst dish of the night was also the last – talk about not ending with a bang. The shrimp in the tacos ($46 for 6 servings) were over done and rubbery and the amount of salsa, guacamole and red pepper sauce that arrive for six tacos is comical, there was enough for two tacos at best. Especially when paired with corn tortillas, which are such dry wrappers that need a lot of sauce and ingredients to stand up to the rich earthy corn flavour. In retrospect, had I known there was a lack of condiments, I would have asked for the tacos to be served with the lettuce instead.

We all grumbled over the make-your-own factor of the dish… did we seriously just spend $46 for a Chilli’s experience? Maybe this is meant to be the “immersive” factor where you feel like you’re foraging the ingredients to create your own meal, but the dish really doesn’t work in a dark restaurant where we could hardly what’s on the plate – boy did I feel old having to whip out a phone to see all the garnishes. Maybe if our table had more than one tealight in a wax-stained holder (that we had to request) we could have seen better. Selva, if you’re going to keep serving these tacos, please just make them for the table. Give me those pre-made tacos in an accordion metal holder any day.

On top of the lack of sauce and lighting, without any tongs it was impossible to pick up the julienned cabbage, lettuce, chayote, mango, red bell peppers and onion with a fork. We eventually had to abandon the unsanitary mass of forks diving into the same plate and use our hands instead. If you’re afraid of germs or eating with people you’re not close with, skip this dish. On second thought, even if you’re eating with your partner who’d you gladly swap spit with, I’d skip the tacos.

So, what made us stay after dinner for another three hours and close the place down? What Selva has going for it is their great vibe and pleasant service – Alexa came by to check on us frequently and those cocktails just seem to keep flowing. Maybe we should have started with shot and six drinks. Afterwards, all inhibitions would disappear, and I’d dive into each dish like a cave person. Final verdict of Selva: it’s a perfect place for drinks and dip but not for dinner.


Overall mark - 5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 221 Richmond Street West


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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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Juicy Dumpling (Toronto) for delivery

Note: Prices in post are based on regular menu prices and may be higher when using delivery services

I know what you’re thinking… who orders soup-filled dumplings or xiao long baos for delivery? These babies are made to be eat fresh from a steamer and straight into your mouth. If it’s not scaling your tongue, something’s wrong. And you’re right, it’s not the best way to enjoy these delicious morsels of pork, broth, and pastry, but when you’re craving something and Juicy Dumplings flashes across the Uber app, attitudes can be swayed.

Inevitably, once out of the steamer, the wrapper of the steamed pork mini soup dumplings ($2.99 for 6 pieces) will harden. Nevertheless, even with the delayed delivery (this Eglinton cross-town construction traffic is a bane to freshness) the dumplings held up so that I could still pick them up with chopsticks without any breakage. The filling was nicely seasoned, and the dumpling contained plenty of broth; I could only imagine how much better they’d be fresh.

The same dumpling can be ordered pan-fried ($3.99 for 6 pieces) and that extra crust on the bottom, while not pronounced, makes it a little easier to deliver arriving warmer. However, considering the dish commands a 25% premium for this very lightly done crust, I’m not sure this extra step is worth the additional $1.

I’d go with the pan-fried chicken dumplings ($3.99 for 4 pieces) instead, while it also could use more time on the grill, at least the dish is unique. These dumplings are bigger in size, just two are substantial, and the filling is much denser. Still, these weren’t as nicely seasoned, so you really need a dipping sauce to counteract the bland chicken mixture.

If you are a condiment fiend, you’ll probably find the small standard Wing Wing sauce packages that comes one per dish a little lacking, especially when condiments are typically offered free at the table in Shanghainese restaurants. Still, I can understand the need to conserve expensive packaged sauces: Juicy Dumpling’s low prices like mean margins are razor thin. All in all, while these would have been 100% better at the restaurant, I was nonetheless pleasantly surprised how they didn’t suck being delivered. 


Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: Various locations
 Delivery: Uber, Doordash, Skip the Dishes
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Gastro World's Grading System

  • Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never order again
  • 6 - decent for delivery and takeout, but there's better
  • 7 - this is good, for delivery and takeout
  • 8 - great for delivery and takeout, it's almost like you're in a restaurant
  • 9 -  wow, it's like I'm eating at a restaurant
  • 10 - I'd happily order this for delivery or takeout instead of dining in any day!


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Hana Don Japanese Cuisine & Bar (Markham)


There’s something in the hospitality air lately - I have been receiving great service at restaurants I normally wouldn’t expect it from. It started as soon as I entered Hana Don, a lady advised a high-top table was available, but if I was willing to wait a few minutes there would be a more comfortable one she’d seat us at further into the restaurant. 


The friendly and helpful attitude continued throughout the evening and not just from one person but three great ladies: people came by to check on us, offered suggestions on how to best eat dishes, and the restaurant even provided plastic bags for customers to store their masks (we didn’t use them, but I finally had to ask what the cellophane bags were for). They even started us off with complimentary bowls of miso soup. Maybe they were just happy things were opened again and they could see people in-person, I hope the friendly attitude continues as it’s infectious and makes the dining experience so enjoyable.


 


Hana Don sells a huge variety of sushi by the piece, including katsuo a.k.a. bonito or skipjack tuna ($4 per piece), which isn’t a popular item elsewhere. There’s something about the meaty textured fish with the light smoke ring that makes for an interesting bite. At Hana Don it was a little fishier tasting than pieces I’ve had previously, but it also didn’t arrive with a glaze brushed onto the fish - the slightly sweet and salty barrier that balances the bonito flavours. They did try to temper the stronger fish with chopped scallions, it was nonetheless a decent bite to start off the meal.


 


What you’ll find missing from this post is a review of donburi, the focus of Hana Don’s menu. Sadly, it’s not a dish I enjoy. Don’t worry, these are described and reviewed ad nauseum on Yelp and Google so think of this post as helping you decide what other dishes to add on. The grilled black cod with sakiyo sauce ($16) was delicious – the flesh moist and flaky and the skin perfectly crisped. The thicker pieces helped to create a meaty tender portion and I liked that it was cut in two to make it easier to share. The sake miso sauce was nice and light without that blast of sweetness that can sometimes make it taste like you’re eating black cod with honey. Finishing the dish was a tube of pickled ginger, that I almost mistook as a straw, and was great for cleansing the palette.


 


If you’re hungry, go for the beef sukiyaki ($45) a huge pot filled with beef, mushrooms (meaty fresh shiitake, prince oyster mushrooms, and enoki), vegetables (bok choy, napa cabbage, and alfalfa sprouts), grilled tofu, and noodles. While the beef looks really marbled, once it’s cooked through it tastes lean and a bit tough so it’s best to eat the slices quickly. You round out the pot by cracking raw eggs into the sukiyaki broth and blending to create a slightly sweet egg drop soup. In retrospect, this was way too much food for two of us, so we left with full bellies and a doggy bag. They tried to warn us, but it’s such a good addition for a cold winter’s night.  


 


We might have been able to finish everything if we skipped the momo aburi oshizushi ($18) as there were a lot of pieces and each a fair size. Sandwiched between the sticky rice was a creamy tube of avocado and it’s all topped with salmon and a reserved portion of kewpie, which I preferred as when there’s too much mayo the rice becomes oily and heavy. An ingenious addition was the finely chopped cucumber and mango salsa garnish adding a lovely crunch and freshness to something that could be too heavy. 


 


Overall, our 7:30pm reservation allowed us to stay past two hours to leisurely eat and converse, and Hana Don did a good job at ensuring dishes came out in a good succession – we always had something to eat without having everything arrive at once. I hope this streak of amazing service continues as we all stay in the same good mood of being able to be out and eating/working again.

Overall mark - 8.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Markham, Canada
 Address: 9255 Woodbine Avenue
 Website: http://hanadon.ca/


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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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Pho Quinn (Toronto)


Maybe I’ve been conditioned to have low expectations for good service while dining at a pho place. Having mostly visited holes-in-the-wall where getting your order in a timely manner and having someone bring the bill to the table to save you a trip to the cashier is five-star service, I was pleasantly surprised when I was greeted warmly when entering, asked whether I’d like our bean sprouts boiled or raw, and the chopsticks and spoons weren’t already on the table but brought over in a mug of boiling water.  Pho Quinn claims top spot, in terms of service, for a pho restaurant in my chart.

Their positive attributes don’t stop at the hospitality, it extends to the food as well. The pho broth is flavourful and not greasy; the type that you can have a lot of and keeping drinking after the noodles are gone. I’d recommend they cook their noodles a little less since they will continue expanding in the soup, but I’m also a lover of pasta al dante so may not be the typical palette. There was a decent portion of protein in their raw beef, brisket, and tendon pho ($10 for a small) with massive chunks of tendon that were chewy and tender.

Being my first experience with the bún riêu vermicelli soup ($11.50), I’m torn on whether it’s something I’d order again. Maybe if I’m in the mood for a richer bowl of noodles, given its broth is saltier with the shrimp paste flavours shining through. The tofu puffs are a great edition as it helps soak in the soup and their chewiness goes nicely with the tender Vietnamese meatballs - finely minced pork paste that is squeezed into clumps, which break apart easily with each bite.

Aside from that, there’s one shrimp (for the entire bowl of noodles) and pieces of tomato that must have been added raw as it cools down the soup. Aside from the not-hot-enough temperature, I would have liked the soup to be spicy as well; luckily, there’s chili sauce at the table. Lastly, the bún riêu arrives with lai fun noodles, which are silkier than the pho’s rice noodles and goes nicely with the stronger both.

We skipped the spring rolls and tried the deep-fried shrimp bean curd ($7.50) instead. Sandwiched between the flaky bean curd sheets is shrimp paste that adds a chewy meatiness against the light crispy layers.  

With COVID still underway, Pho Quinn’s dining room is ideally set up with tables in individual booths and added plexi-glass at the top to create even greater separation. It made for a comfortable dining experience. The great service continued throughout the meal: they cleared away unneeded plates as we finished dishes, they were attentive with our bill, and even came around to ask how we were enjoying the food. This visit to Pho Quinn may have spoiled me - from now on I’m going to have much greater expectations from others going forward. 

Overall mark - 8.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 2900 Warden Avenue (Bridlewood Mall)


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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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PONPON Artisan Polvoron Cookies

I’ve written about this before, but one of the good things that has come out of COVID are the number of new entrepreneurs that have left their jobs to become a boss and push their talents. During the holidays, I love to support local artisans and find joy when I’m able to introduce a friend or family member to a new company. Hence, when Laine & Lola reached out to see if I’d like to see what they had in store for the holidays, I enthusiastically agreed. They have come a long way from selling the confections through William Sonoma in Yorkdale Mall as a pop-up brand in 2018 – they have earned their own permanent location in Vaughan!

A PONPON is Laine and Lola’s take on the Spanish polvorón cookie that also gained fame in former Spanish colonies like the Philippines. Polvorón descends from the Spanish word polvo meaning dust, which you’d think is a strange for a cookie… until you bite into it. Something that feels and smells like shortbread shatters in your mouth coating it with a blast of buttery sweet crumbs. Yet, it doesn’t simply melt, thanks to the finely ground puffed rice and nuts mixed into the batter, a crunchy texture finishes off the treat.

Their four-piece box format (all $9.99) is great for wrapping up as a casual gift for co-workers or add on as a stocking stuffer. Two flavours will be a part of every box: chocolate and original. The original flavour seems to have gotten sweeter than I remember, or it could be another factor of getting order - I once thought it wasn’t sweet enough but now it’s perfect. Of all the flavours, if you like the butteriness of shortbread this is where you’ll find it. Even the plainer chocolate cookie isn’t as buttery - it’s somehow lighter than the original – that squiggle of melted Lindt chocolate seems to temper the butter.

The other two cookies in the classic assortment are cookies & cream and cappuccino. For those who want a lighter PONPON, the cookies & cream is like the original except lighter on the butter and heavier on the sugar. Both my husband and I agreed the cappuccino is a winner for us – for an otherwise plain looking cookie this really packs a punch. It’s almost like having black coffee with sugar as you’re immediately greeted with an earthy coffee flavour that has a slightly bitter and acid bite to end.

I’m a little surprised that even the chocolate lover’s assortment still contains an original cookie - I would have thought it’d be substituted for something purely chocolate based. Nevertheless, the other two PONPONs that round out the box are a chocolate cookie topped with berries and one created to resemble a smore. Meanwhile, the fiesta assortment is so fun and is great for party favours since the two different PONPONs are adorned with festive rainbow sprinkles and multi-coloured chocolate crisps.

Yet, it really wouldn’t be the holidays without holiday cookies – in this case, cinnamon and peppermint chocolate. Both are delicious: the cinnamon is reminiscent of having a gingerbread person and the peppermint chocolate could be Laine & Lola’s version of an After Eight. Perhaps the holiday cookies were more made recently, but I enjoy their formulation better – there’s less of the puffed rice so there’s only a hint for texture allowing the PONPON to become creamier.

Aside from the PONPONs, Laine & Lola also offers gift baskets. Teaming up with The Pretzel Dough, they created the deluxe chocolate bomb set ($49.99), which includes an assortment of their cookies, uber crispy and surprisingly light chocolate dipped pretzels, a chocolate bar, a candy cane, and a chocolate bomb filled with their polvorón cookie. All this wrapped up in a soup mug that’s convenient for staying cozy in the winter or warming up milk for the chocolate bomb.

Their chocolate bomb ($8.99) goes a step further from the traditional marshmallow and sprinkles to include pieces of their chocolate PONPON as well. Once melted into hot milk, it breaks open and creates an all-in-one cookie with hot chocolate combo. This was my first experience with a chocolate bomb, and it reinforced my first belief of the product – it is great for the Gram but really isn’t the best for drinking.

Once you get the (oat) milk hot and throw the bomb in, the chocolate is so large that by the time it actually breaks apart to release all the hidden marshmallows and cookies, about 30 seconds, it cools down the milk quite substantially. Despite doing a thorough stirring, I was still left with a lot of melted chocolate at the bottom of the cup. The best way to make this – for taste purposes – would be to throw the bomb into the hot milk while it’s still in a pot, keep stirring until everything is melted and then pour into a cup. Give up the Gram and go for taste instead.

Elaine pays homage to her lola (a.k.a. grandmother) in the name of her company. It was Elaine’s lola who introduced her to PONPONs and eventually passed down the recipe to her, which she ended up jazzing up to make so many unique flavours. It’s such a heartwarming story that is a great reminder during the holidays that nothing is more important than spending time with loved ones. Whether it’s baking cookies together or skipping the work and turning to PONPONs instead, we all need less screen time and more IRL experiences.  

Thank you, Laine & Lola, for all these delightful confections. I loved sampling the new flavours and sharing them with friends. Laine & Lola are also providing all GastroWorld readers 25% off sitewide. Just use the promo code GASTROWORLD at checkout. Happy holidays!

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: 2316 Major Mackenzie Drive West
 Website: https://ponpon.ca/


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Jatujak Thai Cuisine (Toronto)


Jatujak Thai Cuisine is quickly becoming a chain of restaurants serving cheap-and-cheerful Thai food in the Toronto suburbs. After seeing so many of their dishes on Instagram and finding positive Google/Yelp reviews to back up the pretty pics, I decided to head north to their outpost located on Steeles a stone’s throw from Scarborough. From the outside, the storefront looks like any other plaza establishment, but once you enter, the dining room is surprisingly spacious and modern.  

Order a lunch special and they’ll arrive in no time – sometimes a worrying sign of premade food that just sits around and is assembled to order. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case with the pad Thai ($8.95). The heap of brown noodles studded with chicken, onions, and bean sprouts didn’t look like much, but once I had a forkful the seemingly too-wet noodles was the perfect consistency and the sweet flavours nicely balanced by the sour and savoury elements. While I couldn’t smell much wok hay when the dish was presented, the pad Thai did have a mellow smoky element that briefly peaks out while being consumed.

I’d skip the chicken green curry ($8.95), it’s run-of-the-mill and a tad sweet for my taste for something that has two chilies listed beside it on the menu. Truth be told, I was probably still a little salty from hearing that the steamed fish curry wasn’t available, something I really had my heart set on.

Jatujak’s beef khao soi ($15.95) could also use a kick of heat to really push the bowl to the next level. Still, it was a tasty dish with the creamy curry broth incorporating a hint of citrus. The combination of silky egg noodles with crispy ones were also on-point with equal amounts of both textures. There were also tons of brisket in the bowl, so this is a great choice for those who really want their protein.

Until my work-from-home schedule ends, and I re-join the downtown rat race, I’m glad to have found Jatujak who will satisfy my Thai cravings until I can taste Chef Nuit’s creations again. I guess their affordable price points, large portions, and ease of getting a table also doesn’t hurt either. If only they had the steamed fish curry – one day, you will get into my belly.


Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 5651 Steeles Ave East


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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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Yuzuki Japanese Restaurant (Toronto)


I must have walked by Yuzuki Japanese Restaurant hundreds of times given its prominent location on Bloor Street, just steps from the interchange subway. From the outside, the gleaming metallic sign doesn’t even list ‘Yuzuki’ on it, instead it prominently features the name ‘Ichiriki’ so it’s a bit confusing to find. It wasn’t until we opened the doors that a printed paper announced we were in the right place, further confirmed when our reservation was found, and we were brought to one of the many wooden tables.  

One dish that elicits excitement when it’s on a Japanese restaurant’s menu is grilled fish jowl (or neck). I know, it sounds a little strange and the rhyme “fish head, fish head, rolly polly fish heads” probably plays through your mind. But there’s such a wonderful succulence from the jowl that’s only matched by fish cheeks, and these are so small that they hardly come in dish form.

Yuzuki’s hamachi kama shio-yaki ($13.50) was brilliantly done, the skin on the fish grilled until crispy with the meat flaking off and moist. There’s that delicious meatiness on the first bite that you just want to savour. Fish jaws can be delightful.

In quick succession the premium sushi set ($57) arrives with 10 pieces of nigri and a negi-toro roll that’s created from fish flown in from Japan. Each piece was deftly prepared and small enough to be consumed in one-bite or savoured with two smaller nibbles. The lightly warmed rice could have been seasoned more but had a nice consistency - not too densely packed yet compressed enough that it held up being handled.

The pieces of hirame, kanpachi, Hamachi, madai, and jin-kinmedai, were all light on the palette choices. Ideally, with 10 pieces the set could have benefited from including a stronger fish like aji or non-fish protein to create a greater contrast in flavours. There was a trio of tuna (oma akami, chu-toro, and o-toro) that’s typical in a premium sushi set. All were good except the o-toro contained a chewy bit, so I didn’t experience that sought after melt-in-your-mouth effect.

Thankfully, the uni and ikura were both fresh and clean tasting. Although, I can see why these are best served with the soy glaze brushed on top. Unlike fish, it’s difficult to turn the pieces over to dip into soy sauce, so it goes rice-side down and really soaks in condiment so that saltiness masks the creamy uni and briny ikura.

Yuzuki may not have a roof-top patio and the glitzy crowds that flock to Kasa Moto, or the showmanship of the teppanyaki tables of Yomato. Rather, the cozy restaurant offers well-executed dishes at an affordable prize. I’m so glad we stumbled upon this hidden gem in Yorkville, even though they really should get the sign fixed.

Overall mark - 8 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 120 Bloor Street East


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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Pizza One (Gravenhurst)


Somehow when a pizza comes from a mom-and-pop shop, it always seems tastier to me. Consequently, Pizza One has caught my eye having driven by on numerous occasions. Finally, one day we were too lazy to cook dinner and went there for takeout instead.

When I see a white-based chicken bruschetta pizza on a menu, I need to get it. It gives me a sense of nostalgia of the slices I used to have at Gino’s Pizza before heading to work at a call centre during high school. While working at a call centre isn’t necessarily the greatest memory, the tasty hot pizza before getting ready for hours of mundane work was such a highlight in the day.

Pizza One’s chicken bruschetta ($16 for a medium) starts with a garlic butter base that’s topped with chunks of chicken, onion, tomato, parmesan, and mozzarella with a sprinkling of Italian seasoning to provide a pop of freshness. Overall, the pie has good flavours (the parmesan adds such a nice salty finish) and the toppings are well spread out allowing each bite to incorporate all the ingredients.

While Pizza One has tons of developed recipes, my husband always goes with his custom pizza ($18.50 for a medium): pepperoni, mushroom, onions, and extra cheese. His wasn’t as impressive as the chicken bruschetta, the pepperoni were larger slices, which meant they needed to be toasted longer as the soggy centre ends up tasting like bologna. With the extra cheese, Pizza One should consider applying less marinara to ensure the crust doesn’t become doughy and soft.

They are not a thin crust pizza, but their crust is still slimmer than what’s typically found at the chains. The chicken bruschetta’s crust was nice and airy, and the bottom lightly toasted until it almost had a Pizza Hut crunch and flavour but without the greasiness and heaviness. I've never had it myself, but my husband claims it's like New Orleans’s pizza crust.

If munching on a plain crust isn’t your thing, Pizza One offers a variety of dipping sauce in regular and spicy formats for $1 with interesting sounding options like Thai pesto. And it’s all made in-house, which is something I’d expect from a mom-and-pop place. It’s all these little touches that makes a pizza taste better than the cookie cutter chains. 

Overall mark - 7 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Gravenhurst, Canada
 Address: 480 Muskoka Road South
 


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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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