ODDSEOUL

The stretch of Ossington between Dundas and Queen is home to a lot of great restaurants. After drinks at a media event, my friend and I knew that we would find a great second dinner in the area. Walking and chatting away, we walked right by Oddseoul on the first pass. There’s minimal storefront signage and you really need to know what you’re looking for to spot the restaurant.

Atmosphere: Dropping by on a Tuesday night, the restaurant was full but quiet. We couldn’t get a table but two spots at the bar was perfect for us that night. Background music played but it was at a nice volume that didn’t drown out conversation. I liked the industrial/urban decor with neon lights, exposed brick wall, natural wood shelves and a backlit marquee with the menu. I could easily see how busy and vibrant the space could get on a busy night. As for the super Asian dishware, I’m on the fence. I find it cute but at the same time a little kitschy. I think I mostly like it(?).

Service: Once we were seated with menus, the bartender took care of us and was efficient and professional. It was a very relaxed evening and the service was casual and friendly to match. Each plate arrived quickly and I liked the mackerel being finished with the blowtorch table side.

Food: Technically our meal at Oddseoul that night was second dinner, but we still wanted everything on the menu. Based on just the name alone, the items were all appealing. The food menu is made up of dishes that are perfect for sharing over drinks and adds a Korean flare to pub favourites like poutine, coleslaw and cheesesteak.

We limited ourselves to four dishes and ordered the Torched Mackerel, “The Loosey” sandwich, Spicy Scallion and Avocado Slaw and Kimchi and Pork Belly Fried Rice. The sliced, cured mackerel was served on a wood plank and our server torched the fish right before it was set down. Pickled ginger and fresh chopped scallions were served along with a ponzu dipping sauce. This dish is a favourite of mine and Oddseoul does a great job with it.

I loved “The Loosey” sandwich. It’s almost like a breakfast burger with all the fixings, smothered in kimchi hollandaise sauce and served on toasted challah bread. So creamy, so much flavour in the sauce, tender and juicy patty, crispy bread, crunchy lettuce and I loved the sweetness of the challah. Really this is a must order. The slaw was more of a salad and was generously dressed. I liked the spiciness and the sprinkled sesame seeds. It was refreshing and a nice addition of fresh greens to the meal. With the fried rice, the amount of food we ordered was just more than enough. The rice was cooked well, each grain was whole and there was a nice amount of chopped pork belly and green onions incorporated. I love my fried eggs so I was happy with the topping along with the sliced seaweed, which added another flavour to the dish.