Back in 2019, before physical distancing and self isolation was our norm, Stephen and I celebrated his birthday at Momofuku Kojin. I have to admit I really miss dining out. Even though we scaled back our eating out habits last year, trying new restaurants was still something I looked forward to when we did. One silver lining (and I am on the lookout for those daily) of having a long blog queue is being able to relive those delicious meals of days past.

Atmosphere: Located on the top floor of the Momofuku restaurant, Kojin takes over the space where Shoto and Daisho used to reside. While the menu is more relaxed, the dining area felt more masculine with lots of dark wood, leather and metal. I always enjoy sitting at the bar or chef’s table when available. At Kojin, bar seats meant we had a great view of the wood-fired grill that touched a part of every dish. Complimentary coat check was provided and at 5pm, not many tables were occupied.

Service: Sitting at the bar, our order was taken by the server and drinks but we were mainly taken care of by the chefs. After answering a few questions about the menu, we picked our dishes and our server recommended how they could be coursed out. The chef introduced each dish as it was served, which I always love, with a description of the ingredients and accoutrements. Our server continued to check in on us throughout the meal, refilling empty water glasses, keeping us well taken care of without hovering.

Food: To start, we ordered a Corn Flatbread with seasonal roasted vegetables. The dish looked simple but blew me away with the rich flavours of the smoky roasted vegetables and pillowy texture of the flatbread. Every bite was perfectly seasoned, creamy and just addictive. I’d go back to Kojin just to order “The Board”, Flatbread with all the possible accompaniment. This was so good and set a high bar for the remainder of the meal.

For sides, we order the Atlantic Salmon Crudo with shishito and charred kirby cucumber, Gouda Mashed Potatoes and Fire Roasted Squash & Apple. Of the three I liked the salmon crudo the best. It was sour, spicy and the salmon was a great quality. I found the squash and red onion in the salad a little raw. For some reason I was expecting the squash to be more cooked, this was definitely more of a raw salad. The vinaigrette was on the sour side, which I liked but Stephen did not and the golden raisins added sweetness, I’m just not a big fan of raisins. The Gouda Mashed Potatoes was lighter than the name suggested and the best part of the dish was hands down the toasted cheesy crust.

Our favourite “side” was actually the complimentary dish of fire roasted beets that were very sweet, had a ton of natural flavour, smokey and a firm but soft texture. We wished it was available as a full side on the menu. Funny enough, when I checked Kojin’s menu while writing this post, there is a Fire Roasted Beets appetizer listed!

The 14 oz Boneless Ribeye was our main, served with marrow butter, fire roasted shishito and fire roasted beans. The steak was cooked to a beautiful medium rare with a great crust. We’re heavier handed with salt at home when cooking steaks so the seasoning was light to my tastebuds. I did enjoy the sauces that were served alongside and the butter, oh my the butter. Our shishito was one of the spicy ones that was spicy even for me.

Overall dinner at Kojin was a nice treat. There were plenty of great dishes that we ordered and plenty more on the menu I’d like to try.

The restaurant scene in Toronto has always been hectic with dozens of doors opening and closing each month. In the competitive landscape, many new spots don’t hit their one year birthday. I usually try to visit restaurants only once they’ve hit the 6 months mark, giving them the opportunity to smooth out any service wrinkles and fine tune their menu. Many of the newly opened restaurants have caught my eye including Canis, Grey Gardens and Doma. So far, I’ve been able to visit Doma, a French inspired Korean restaurant located in Little Italy.

Atmosphere: Doma’s aesthetic was clean and minimalist. The white dining room was filled with square wood tables and seats alternated between wood and black metal ones. Both the plates and utensils were simple, unadorned and and modern. I felt a touch underdressed, having come straight from work, compared to other diners who were in more “date night” attire. The restaurant was quiet, perfect for conversation and not too busy on the Thursday night.

Service: My friend and I had reservations for 5:30pm, when Doma opened. When we arrived a few minutes early, service wasn’t ready just yet and we wandered around around the neighbourhood for a bit before returning 10 minutes later. We were seated quickly and a server by to take our drink orders. Once we had some time with the menu, our server returned to ask if we had any questions before we placed our order. Service was professional and efficient with dishes arriving at a good pace in courses. I couldn’t quite place why, but during few of our interactions with the servers, they felt a touch aloof.

Food: Doma’s menu was compact and changes monthly, keeping only 2-3 of the previous month’s most popular dishes. To taste the full menu was $65 per person, a great deal. For the two of us, we decided to share 3 dishes, Tuigim (deep-fried summer vegetables), Grilled Octopus and Uhsun Mandoo (a seafood dumpling). All three dishes were very good and varied in how much Korean and French influence was present.

Before our main dishes arrived, an Amuse Bouche was served, which was a sip of cold gazpacho, sweet, tart and seasoned with lots of herbs. The first dish to arrive was the Tuigim that came with dollops of three sauces. I really enjoyed how fresh the vegetables were, the light crispy batter and the variety of sauces. Each vegetable was cooked to a great texture and there wasn’t any hint of oiliness. Next up was the Grilled Octopus surrounded by a next of julienned vegetables and a Korean mustard dressing. I felt a lot of Korean flavours in this dish in the cabbage, dressing and seasoning on the charred octopus. The octopus itself was tender and had a nice char. I also liked the different textures of the salad and the sweet, sour flavours.

The last dish of the night was the Uhsun Mandoo, served with daily fish, scallop, prawn, spring pea puree, soy chili beurre blanc and radicchio. I have such mixed feelings about this dish. On one hand, this was one of the best radicchios I’ve ever had. The soy chili beurre blanc balanced the bitterness of the vegetable and made each bite sweet and interesting. The seafood was fresh, but none of the components really stood out or wowed. I was a bite disappointed in the mandoo, which was a very Western interpretation and reminded me much more of ravioli. The flavours of the filling and texture of the wrapper was good, but not what I was expecting. I was also surprised at the lack of spice or any fermented ingredients.

Overall, dinner at Doma was solid, but I was expecting more of the Korean side to shine through than it did.

Game of Cheese is a new restaurant in Markham from the mind of Chef Frank, head chef at Kaka All You Can Eat, featuring a menu of fusion dishes that stars, of course, cheese. When I first heard about the concept, I wasn’t sure what kind of cuisine to expect. Cheese boards? Fondues? Cheesecake? Luckily, I was invited to discover the menu for myself, which turned out to be a fusion of Japanese, French and Italian flavours.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Dinner began with a tall parfait each for Stephen and I. His had passionfruit, mine had mango and both were creamy and topped with a scoop of refreshing, incredibly tasty sorbet. I was so surprised with how much natural flavour was packed into the housemade dessert. Add in the textures of jelly, cream and fruit slush, this parfait was really good.

From the food menu, we started with an order of Baked mussels with cheese and mentaiko mayo. The melted cheese was gooey and the mayo had a generous amount of mentaiko adding lots of umami and seafood flavour to the meaty mussel. A touch of furikake added even more seasoning, making the dish addictive slurp after slurp.

Aside from appetizers, the other two main sections of the menu were pastas and pizzas. Stephen and I couldn’t resist the Black Truffle Carbonara Tagliatelle with smoked pancetta, plenty of parmesan cheese and tons of truffle. Topping the plate of creamy pasta was a poached egg with the perfect runny yolk. With so much earthy flavour from the truffle in the dish, I felt like the chunks of button mushrooms in the sauce weren’t needed and distracted a bit from the pasta. Priced at under $20, the plate was such a good value and made with good quality ingredients. For anyone who’s never tasted black truffle before, the Black Truffle Carbonara Tagliatelle would be a great initiation. For our pizza, Stephen and I tried the Seafood Pizza, which was loaded with salmon, scallops, and crab on a yuzu cream sauce base, and topped with wasabi mayo and tobiko. I found the pizza had a lot of potential but was actually overloaded with toppings and sauce. I really enjoyed the flavours but could have done without the salmon and perhaps only one sauce. Looking at the Game of Cheese menu on their website today, I couldn’t find this exact pizza listed. One thing I really respect is when a restaurant takes feedback from their diners seriously and continues to evolve their menu. Game of the Cheese is still a fairly new restaurant and it’s great to see Chef Frank refine and fine tune his dishes.

The dessert section was less cheesy but had a wide variety of items. I loved the Layered Creme Fraiche Panna Cotta with sake jelly, cherry blossom and a lychee raspberry compote. So so good. Getting a spoonful with each layer was sweet and tart, creamy and jelly. Topping all the layers was a scoop of Chef Frank’s delicious sorbet. This dessert may only be a seasonal item, I would say if it’s on the menu, get it! We also tried the Oreo Green Tea Cheesecake, which had a dense texture and a strong matcha flavour. If Chef Frank ever decided to open a dessert cafe, I’ll be there when the doors open!

Light Cafe was one of those restaurants that looked stunning on the screen. With a vibrant live wall, whimsical drinks and colourful desserts, the menu defined Instagrammable. Since we don’t eat only with our eyes, I had high hopes that my tastebuds would be equally delighted, and for the most part they were. Light Cafe proved that they were more than just visuals with fresh ingredients and creative combinations.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

To start, our group ordered a couple of drinks including the Berry Iced Tea, a Grapefruit Italian Soda, Tiramisu Latte and we couldn’t resist the Cotton Candy Coffee. Light Cafe also offered a selection of smoothies, espresso drinks, and loose leaf teas. I sipped on the bubbly Italian soda myself and liked how many slices of fresh fruit my glass came with. Similarly, the Berry Iced Tea was topped with lots of apple slices, sliced grapes and blackberries. I really liked the Tiramisu Latte, but it was unsweetened and a little hard to add sugar without getting cocoa powder everywhere. As for the Cotton Candy Coffee, a drink designed for Boomerang, the presentation of the drink was adorable. Two small milk bottles filled, each with milk and coffee, were served with a glass mug topped with a fluffy cloud of cotton candy. Pouring the coffee and milk through the cotton candy into the mug melted it and sweetened the drink at the same time. Fun and whimsical. Personally, I like my coffee a little sweeter than the level of sweetness provided from just the cotton candy.

As for food, we tasted at least one item from each section of the menu. For myself, I ordered the Lobster Bisque ($6.50 for a single bowl) and really liked the savoury, creamy soup. The warm cup was served in a copper measuring cup and was very comfortable on the chilly day. Continuing the lobster trend, I also ordered the Lobster Roll. At $15.50 for two buns this was pricey for a sandwich but pretty good for the amount of lobster on the plate. The cold chunks of lobster, tossed with a creamy dressing, was served on two toasted hot dog buns, perfect. I still dream about the hot butter lobster rolls from Boston, one day I hope to find one in Toronto.

The next few dishes were shared at the table. The Truffle Mushroom Croissant was visually interesting with the mushroom heads spilling out and had a generous drizzle of truffle oil, adding even more earthiness to each bite. If you like mushrooms, this would be the sandwich to order. With the Smoked Duck Breast Salad, the duck was incredibly flavourful and well seasoned, but only 5 slices were included. The salad itself was fresh with greens, a few chunks of citrus, tomatoes, cauliflower and radish. When ordering a salad, diners can choose from 4 different dressings. I picked the sesame, which was creamy and fragrant. Both the Yuzu and Mustard Soy dressings also sounded interesting.

I only took a few bites of the next two plates, the Creamy Shrimp Mini Pizza and the Smoked Salmon and Caviar Baked Potato. Between the two, I preferred the baked potato. Both dishes were weak in comparison to the other items I tried that night. The texture of the mini pizza was more like a flatbread and difficult to cut through.

When it came to dessert we tried three different waffle flavours, the Strawberry Waffle, Charcoal Black Sesame Waffle and Mango Waffle. The strawberry and mango waffles were more traditional, topped with whipped cream, fresh fruit and ice cream. I liked the idea of the flavour shot inserted in the scoop of strawberry ice cream, but it was hard to drizzle out. Both waffles were crispy and a great base for the topping. The black sesame waffle was cut into individual hearts and used actual (food safe) charcoal in the batter to achieve the dark, black colour. A little pitcher of black sesame sauce was served alongside.

Overall Light Cafe would be a great place for any type of meal, from a full dinner, to coffee, to dessert.

It feels like over the past few years, many of the restaurants in The Annex have turned over. One of the more recent arrivals is Flaming Bull, a new restaurant featuring Taiwanese fusion cuisine. I was invited to enjoy a romantic evening at the stylish restaurant and experience an intimate dining experience with shareable dishes, live music and plenty of candlelight. With The Hubs traveling, my special someone for the evening was a fellow blogger, the perfect date to pose for photos and willing to wait before eating.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Flaming Bull’s decor was a combination of traditional Asian aesthetic and modern minimalism. Dark wood furniture, surrounded by dark walls were separated by tall geometric dividers, which created cozy, private tables. Before the 10 course feast began, we had the chance to try 5 of Flaming Bull’s colourful signature cocktails. This included a spiked bubble tea which looked deceptively non-alcoholic and 4 fruity creations. My favourite was the Peach Perfect with rum, peach juice, fresh peach slices, blueberry and soda. All of the peach ingredients used were incredibly fragrant, which translated to the flavour of the drink. Throughout dinner, our table maintained a continuous flow of cocktails.

Dinner began with a appetizer platter of traditional Taiwanese snacks like dried bean curd and sliced braised beef shank. I liked the familiar flavours and seasoning in the dish like five spice and anise. In general, I far prefered the menu items that were more traditional over the fusion dishes. Some of the entrees were playful and ambitious, but I wasn’t sold on their taste and value. A good example of this was the Shake and Shake salad. Iceberg lettuce was served in a large beaker and various toppings and dressing was served alongside in test tubes. Guests could pick which toppings to add to their salad, how much dressing they wanted, and then shake it all together. A fun concept, but without being able to choose the selection of toppings, the $8 salad felt like a gimmick.

One fusion dish that I did enjoy was the Cheese Mapo Tofu, a block of silken tofu covered with Sichuan pepper, green onion, soy sauce, Sichuan broad beans and melted cheese. This was a brilliant combination. The creamy cheese was a perfect match for the numbing Sichuan pepper and touch of spice. We also tried a Taiwanese Style Poutine, which was good.

My favourite dishes of the night were the noodles. A bowl of Sichuan Style Beef Noodles was served with Beef Shank, torched tableside, in a beef stock with Sichuan style broad bean paste. The noodles were chewy and the beef was AAA quality. I really enjoyed how flavourful the clear broth was and the strong asian seasoning. Next up was the Spicy Beef Tossed noodle, that was delicious. Again, the texture of the noodle was bang on and the flavours hit home. I would happily order this dish again.

From my first meal at Han Ba Tang in 2014 to today, the restaurant remains one of my favourite spots in North York. I especially like visiting with a big group of friends to snack on tacos, kimchi fries while sipping on their delicious infused soju cocktails. The restaurant is often full and quite popular as a post dinner stop, but Han Ba Tang’s food menu is quite hefty. To draw customers more to their kitchen selection, the restaurant recently started offering a dinner food menu, available daily from 5pm-8:30pm.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

I had the opportunity to try out items from the new dinner menu with some friends, washed down with a pitcher of refreshing, tropical, white sangria. Service at Han Ba Tang was lovely with the owner, Chae, chatting with us and telling us about her inspiration for each of the new dishes. One thing I love about Han Ba Tang is how the menu is always evolving. Chae is constantly coming up with new specials, set menus, seasonal dishes, basically all sorts of ways to keep her customers happy and well fed. Our dinner that night consisted of 7 courses, dessert and a couple of cocktails.

Ramen Noodle Salad – Cold ramen noodles with fresh vegetables, a nice starter that’s also filling.
Vegetarian Waow Bun – A variety of grilled mushrooms in a sweet, soy based sauce, served on a soft fluffy bao.
Torched Mackerel – Served with two sauces, a spicy mustard and a sweet citrus. The mackerel was tender and flavourful.
Grilled Octopus – A generous portion of grilled octopus served on a bed of Tong Ho.
Pork Belly and Cuttlefish Tabletop – Cooked at the table with a center compartment and an outer ring for melted cheese and corn. The pork belly and cuttlefish in the center had a sweet, spicy sauce and lots of onions, perfect with a drink.
Mackerel Fried Rice – Savoury fried rice with a chunk of grilled mackerel, to be all mixed up before digging in.
Cold Rice Noodle – Thin strands of rice noodles in a lightly sour, cold broth with a hint of heat.

In general, I liked that many of the new dinner items at Han Ba Tang were cold and refreshing, perfect for hot summer nights. Savoury dishes were rich in flavour, especially the mackerel that’s carefully deboned by HBT’s talented chef. My favourite picks were the Waow Bun, Mackerel Fried Rice and the Cold Rice Noodle.

Photos of Petit Potato’s Golden Toast took over my Instagram feed when the restaurant first opened. I drooled over the tower of ice cream, toast and fresh fruit. Even friends from out of town messaged me about the dessert, asking to be brought there when they visited Toronto. I was super excited to be invited to the media dinner at Petit Potato, where bloggers and Instagrammers were treated to a family style meal that included 3 different desserts, one of which was the fabled French Honey Golden Toast.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Petit Potato comes from the owners of Congee Queen and can satisfy all sorts of cravings with a menu filled with Taiwanese and Japanese casual eats like omurice, teppan rice and lots of dessert. In fact, there were an equal number of menu pages devoted to food and dessert. The large variety of dishes available makes Petit Potato a great choice for groups with different tastes. Diners can order snacks with bubble tea or a full multi-course meal. Decor features like wood grain tables and artificial grass created a modern and natural feel. The dining area had a mix of cozy booths and square tables, that could be pieced together to accommodate large groups.

Throughout dinner, I sipped on a glass of Honey Crysthanamum and Rose Tea, that was mildly sweet with a strong floral flavour. Petit Potato’s also has an expansive drink selection that included bubble tea, herbal tea and fresh fruit juices.

I had the chance to try a multitude of dishes that highlighted some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes.
Eel Omurice – A mound of fried rice, covered by a blanket of egg and topped with a big chunk of grilled eel.
Chicken Wings with Yuzu Sauce – Dry fried wings in a sticky, sweet yuzu sauce. I loved the combination of sweet, sour and savoury in this dish, but not everyone at my table was a fan.
Deep Fried Chicken Cartilage – The pieces of chicken were thinly breaded and not at all oily.
Shrimp and Crabmeat Salad – A refreshing salad full of crisp, raw ingredients, sweet shrimp and flavoured crab sticks.
Ramen – I was impressed with the milky broth and really liked the thin, charred slices of rolled chashu.
Teppan Rice with Slice Beef – Served on a sizzling plate with sides of aromatics and sauces, to be added and mixed at the table.
Teppan Pasta with Smoked Duck Breast – Creamy sauce and thick slices of duck breast, the texture of the pasta was excellent.

That was just food. There was still three desserts, which included the centerpiece, a mountain of Honey Toast, ice cream and fruit. Each table was served a different flavour or toast and ours was treated to mango. Thick slices of toast was hollowed out and the crusts were stacked to create the tower. The hollowed out toast was cut into squares, which had a crunchy exterior and a soft interior, and filled the mountain. These toast squares were perfect for dipping in ice cream and fruit sauce. Priced at only $12.99 – $14.99, this dessert was an amazing deal, indulgent and a true showstopper.

The other two desserts we tried were the Mango Pancake and House Special Super Sago with Mango Ice Cream. Both dishes centered around fragrant, ripe mango and were delicious. It was a real struggle to decide which dessert to eat more of, I wanted all of them.

While I was in elementary school my mom packed me a sandwich for lunch everyday, but never managed to master them. I told her I liked mustard and salami sandwiches, my mom took that feedback and added mustard to every sandwich, including tuna and egg ones. Then if we were out of mustard for salami, she’d substitute with ketchup, because ketchup was still a sauce and I liked sauces. While my mom’s idea of innovation led to odd flavour pairings, Teara Lab’s creativity translated to unique and delicious fusion sandwiches. If only they were around 15 years ago to inspire my mom.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

I was invited to the soft opening on Teara Lab, a new fast casual restaurant specializing in Japanese fusion sandwiches located across the street from the UofT St. George campus. The innovative sandwich creations come from the head chef of KaKa All You Can Eat, currently one of the most popular Japanese restaurants in Markham. The shop has been fully renovated from it’s previous incarnation with pristine white walls and modern panel molding. Black iron cafe style chairs and marble topped tables added to the elegant feel of the space.

A couple of other bloggers and I decided to split our orders, so we could try a quarter of each sandwich.

• Red Wine Braised Short Rib Sandwich – Served on a thick hotdog bun, the short rib was tender with a lingering red wine flavour. This sandwich had tomatoes, lettuce, mayonnaise and was topped with crispy onions, havarti cheese and sprinkled with seaweed powder. Of the four sandwiches I tried, this was the most savoury and filling one.
• Tonkatsu Pork Burger – A deep fried pork cutlet served on a burger bun with honey dijon mustard, shredded cabbage, tomato and cucumber. I found the breading on the tonkatsu lost its crunch under the sauce and other ingredients. While the pork was tender, the seasoning was mild.
• Teriyaki Chicken Burger – Chunks of baked dark meat served on a burger bun with lettuce, tomato, bacon and wasabi mayo. I loved the wasabi mayo that added heat and creaminess. I also liked that dark meat was used, instead of white, which I prefer and find tastier.
• Soy Glazed Pork Belly Sandwich – A thick slab of glazed pork belly was served between slices of white bread with layers of kimchi, avocado and nori. I loved this sandwich. Since the sandwich was built in layers, each bite had a variety of textures. There was heat fro and acidity from the kimchi, creaminess from the avocado and a hint of umami from the seaweed. The pork belly itself was sweet, savoury and had the fat rendered well.

Each sandwich could be ordered as a combo with a side and drink. Currently the sides available were seasoned fries (with seaweed powder) or yam fries. The drink selection is broader and more Asian inspired with fruit teas, milk teas, slushes, creamas and ramune.

Tito Ron’s began in 2015 as a pop-up for Chef Tristen to share her love of lumpia, a filipino spring roll, with Toronto. Run by Chef Tristan and her fiance Michael, Tito Ron’s combines Caribbean flavours with traditional Filipino comfort food. After a year at food festivals and their recent successful Kickstarter campaign, Tristen and Michael have found a permanent home in Kensington market to continue developing their recipes and sharing the delicious results. I was invited Tito Ron’s new digs for an intimate lumpia tasting.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Tito Ron’s has moved into the shared space of 214 Augusta Ave, where many other Kensington Market favourites had their start like Seven Lives. The space was cosy with a handful of seats near the back. A chalkboard sign listed the daily menu behind the custom, hand-painted counter. Michael hosted and introduced us to each dish, while Tristen put together each tasty bite. In general, all of the lumpia were crispy with thin wrappers and not too oily. I did prefer the sweet fillings over the savoury ones.

Jerk Chicken Adobo Lumpia – Filling of chicken thighs marinated in jerk seasoning, cooked in a Filipino adobo sauce, served with house hot sauce and achara (pickled pineapple slaw). I would say this was the safest choice on the menu with milder flavours. For me, I enjoyed the lumpia with an added dollop of hot sauce.

Channa Lumpia – Vegetarian friendly filling of chickpea mixed with Caribbean curry, served topped with sweet tamarind bbq sauce and achara. The tamarind flavour in the sauce was strong and went well with the seasoned chickpeas.

Tocino – Sliced pork shoulder, marinated with a combination of pineapple juice and soy sauce to create a wonderful balance of sweet and salty. The pork shoulder was then fried and served as sliders on a Caribbean Tennis Roll. Delicious. The tocino can also be ordered on rice.

Lechon Kawali – Tito Ron’s version of Lechon includes double frying the pork belly skin to maximizes crispiness. Pictured below is a half portion of the Lechon (we had lots of samples to get through).

Purple Plantain Lumpia – Filled with Ube Halaya (a Filipino dessert made with purple yam) and topped with mango condensed milk and plantain chip butter crumble. The filling was sweet, earth and similar to taro. While the topping was a handful to say, it was crunchy, buttery with a hint of the plantain taste. I was reminded of a caramel brittle. While the tropical ingredients were hard to discern, it was amazing.

Sweet Potato Pudding Lumpia – Filled with sweet potato and topped with a spiced coconut caramel drizzle and plantain chip butter crumble. Again, the topping was complex, but similarly mouthwatering. I liked how the lumpia itself wasn’t too sweet, creating a great base for the topping.
In addition to the food, I loved the fresh cantaloup juice, served with a frozen cantaloupe ice cube. Tristen continues to expand and refine Tito Ron’s menu and I can’t wait to see what else she comes up with. Filipino food is still one cuisine that’s beginning to come to life in Toronto and as an eater, I’m eager to learn more about it.

Toronto loves food trends and the latest arrival, from southern US, is the seafood boil. Popular in states like Louisiana and Georgia, where fresh seafood is plentiful, seafood boils generally consist of shellfish cooked by boiling or baking. Meant to be a communal and social event, seafood boils are best enjoyed with family, friends and hands-on. The Boil Bar aims to recreate the experience in a restaurant setting with an Asian influence. Their first location opened in Scarborough, and two more downtown addresses are already in the works. I was invited to check out their unique version of a seafood boil, which included a truly Asian twist, bubble tea.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

With lobster traps, fish nets and painted crabs on the wall, the decor at The Boil Bar was whole heartedly nautical. Sitting in one corner of the dining room was a Presotea stand, serving up a menu of their classic drinks. I tried the milk tea with their signature panda pearls (black and white) and the honey and aloe vera tea. All drinks were customizable for sugar and ice level. I found the milk tea creamy and the honey tea very light, a better fit for the seafood feast.

To start, we sampled takoyaki (listed as octopus balls on the menu) and raw Fanny Bay oysters supplied from Diana’s Seafood. Other snacks include spicy chicken feet, fries and garlic bread. I thought the takoyaki was ok, missing a crunchy exterior, but not bad. The oysters were delicious, shucked cleanly and served was tobasco sauce, seafood sauce and lemon wedges.

Mains are ordered using a 3 step process. First the shellfish is chosen, priced by the pound, second the flavour and third the level of spice. Fresh seafood is delivered to the restaurant daily 30 minutes before doors open at 4pm. I tried four mains and in general, found the sauces light in seasoning. A touch more spice would have helped. The Garlic and House sauces were the most distinct and had the strongest flavour.
1. Crawfish (Seasonal) with Cajun Sauce, Mild Spicy – unique experience, fresh and tender
2. Mussels ($18.95/lb) with Garlic Sauce, a Bit Spicy – meaty, a good value, not live
3. King Crab ($29.95/lb) Leg with Lemon Pepper Sauce, a Bit Spicy – pre cracked, one pound would be good for two people, lemon pepper was provided in a separate container
4. Clams ($18.95/lb) with House Sauce, Mild Spicy – fresh, many of the clams fell out of the shells
All of the seafood bags also included chunks of sweet corn on the cob and slices of red sausage. The corn was delicious, and I would have loved a bag of…just corn.

For the best value, I’d recommend ordering the crawfish, mussels and dungeness crab. Each table was supplied with a bucket for shells, plastic gloves and a roll of paper towels. Servers circulated the room swapping out full buckets and handing out extra plastic gloves as needed. With my small hands, the one size gloves didn’t fit perfectly, and the oil did leak through, so be prepared for a messy night (don’t wear white). The meal did generate a lot of waste.

I also got to taste the Baked Lobster ($29.95), a full lobster with a generous, creamy, baked mayonnaise topping. Claws were already cracked for easy access and the tail was easy to scoop out. This was really good. The Boil Bar also offers customizable Sizzling Plates ($12.99) to help round out meals.

Overall, dinner at The Boil Bar was fun, interactive and featured fresh, seafood cooked in a unique style. Based on the per pound pricing, the bill could add up quickly if a table was ordering only lobster and crab legs. However with a wide selection of tasty, well-priced side dishes and sizzling plates, a filling meal can be enjoyed without breaking the bank. I look forward to more locations popping up and enjoying the building seafood boil wave.