It seems like Stephen and I just got married yesterday (he may disagree haha), and yet here we are at the 5 year mark. Half a decade, 11 countries visited, 2 cars, 1 condo, 1 house, 1 cat farewell and 1 amazing Alivia. I almost feel like a real adult. This year’s celebrations are still unknown (wine and Animal Crossing?), but last year’s dinner at Yukashi was one to remember. I never planned to have over a year of backlogged blog posts, but they sure do come in handy during a pandemic.

Atmosphere: Yukashi is a small Japanese restaurant located in Davisville specializing in Omakase. The dining room had a handful of tables and 8 counter seats with a view to the open kitchen, Chef Daisuke Izutsu masterful cooking and arteful plating. Stephen and I didn’t talk much during our 3 hour meal because we were too busy watching each plate come to life. I always love being able to interact (ie. silently watch) with chefs and the experience at Yukashi was delightful, especially with how intricate and beautifully plated the main courses were. Decor in the dining room was simple with wood details. Floating shelves in the kitchen displayed the restaurant’s collection of unique serving platters. Dinner was peaceful at a relaxed slow pace, perfect for any celebration or special occasion.

Service: Sitting at the chef’s table we were served directly by Chef Izutsu. Each course was introduced in detail and it was a pleasure watching Chef Izutsu work. Next to us was a solo diner and a family of four with two middle school aged kids celebrating their dad’s birthday. Chef Izutsu asked the young boy to help him grate fresh wasabi and jokingly checked in on his process before our first course arrived. If available, I would highly recommend getting a seat at the bar.

Food: Chef Izutsu has been cooking in Toronto for almost 2 decades from his first restaurant Kaiseki Sakura to pioneering izakaya culture at Don Don to Chef de Cuisine at Kasa Moto in Yorkville. He opened Yukashi in 2018 with a simple omakase menu, 4 ($75) or 9 ($150) courses, and a special Yukashi option ($300) with limited availability. A la carte is also available featuring dishes served in the omakase meals.

Stephen and I both chose the 9 course dinner. He was driving and I’m not a lightweight, so no sake pairing for us but I did get a glass to sip on. The menu laid out each course with simple titles like “meat dish” and “tempura dish”, hiding the complexity of ingredients and unexpected combinations of flavours to come. We truly were in Chef Izutsu’s hands and they served a parade of inventive dishes with foundations in classic Japanese flavours and cooking techniques.

Our meal started with deep fried black sesame tofu with a light fish sauce and topped with yuzu zest and wasabi. The dish was pleasantly sweet, nutty and with a variety of textures. Next was a chawanmushi (steamed egg) with clam dumpling green tea sauce and salted sakura. An interesting dish but not the strongest of the night. Next was the sashimi course, and one of my favourites. Gorgeously plated bites of fish on a round marble platter with an assortment of garnishes for each diner to explore and experiment with. The fish served was toro, smoked yellowtail and red snapper. That smoked yellowtail was so bomb, i’m salivating reliving that rich smoky flavour. Stephen and I seriously contemplated how to replicate the smoking process at home. One of my favourite dishes at Don Don Izakaya is their smoked fish as well.

This was followed by pure bliss, a very delectable bite of foie gras, uni and wagyu torched tableside. Half a shiso leaf was served alongside to help tame the richness. This was Stephen’s favourite course of the nine and we still had 4 more to go. The harvest platter was stunning and assembled with an assortment of seasonal vegetables and seafood. It was daunting to figure out where to start. Some elements jumped off the platter, but my favourite part was actually the sauces, distinct and well seasoned.

The meat dish was slices of duck breast with a soft egg yolk served on sakura rice. Another decadent dish and better on paper than in the bowl. I found this one a little heavy on the salt. At this point, we had been too spoiled by the previous courses. Tempura was next, two pieces of a maki roll in a light, flakey batter with a piece of deep fried fish skin. A nice bite and the right portion size.

My second favourite course of the night was the rice course, just rice with ikura and seaweed in a dashi broth. Simple, but so comforting with the right amount of umami and warmth, the perfect way to wrap up a meal. This is the kind of bowl I crave often. For dessert we each had a slice of muskmelon. From rind to centre, the melon had a perfectly consistent ripe texture, was bursting with juice and so sweet. Arguably the best melon I’ve ever had and can now fully understand why they cost hundreds of dollars.

Overall dinner at Yukashi was a wonderful, intimate way to celebrate our anniversary. We were spoiled and surprised with delicious ingredients of the best quality. The meal delighted every sense with charm and a sense of playfulness.

Back in May one of my good friends visited from out of town and stayed in the Yonge/Lawrence area. Alivia was three months old and still happy to sleep through my lunch dates. I was excited to find out that Maker Pizza had opened their midtown location, which was a perfect strolling distance from my friend’s accommodations. The new pizza shop had dine-in seats and offered take-out, perfect in case I needed to make a speedy exit.

We visited during lunch time and the restaurant was busy. There were high school students, other moms, and a steady traffic of pizzas going out for delivery. This meant that while it was quick to place our order, the wait to receive our pizzas took some time. Tables were bar height and self serve. My friend and I were able to find seats facing each other and Alivia’s stroller fit next to us in between two tables. Now that Alivia eats with us, I would not bring her to eat-in at Maker with the high tables, backless bar stools and lack of high chairs. Toddlers and older children would have no issues.

For three people, we split two full size pizzas, the Tropic Thunder and Napoli Dynamite. Unfortunately I forgot to ask for their special sesame crust when ordering, next time! Both our pizzas had red sauce and an abundance of toppings. In hindsight, picking one pizza with fewer toppings (like Dr Pepperoni) would have been a safer choice.

Both pizzas had an amazing crust, crispy and thin but held up the sauce and toppings. I didn’t leave any behind. Between the two, both of my friends prefered the Napoli Dynamite with Italian sausage, olives, roasted red peppers and pickled jalapenos. Cheese, sauce and toppings were plentiful and the savoury sausage paired with salty olives was a delicious combination. The pickled jalapenos added a hint of spice and acidity.

Pineapple on pizza is a controversial topic, either loved or much hated. I for one have always been on the love side and a good Hawaiian pizza takes me to my happy place. Pineapple and all the pickled goodness (red onions and jalapenos) was how Tropic Thunder caught my eye. I somehow missed that there was no meat. I enjoyed the unique combination of toppings, which was sweeter that I expected but I did miss a savoury component. Next time, also read through the full list of ingredients.

Overall my first bite of Maker Pizza was pretty good. Splitting two large pizzas between three people was a good portion size for us. The bill was obviously more expensive than our usual pizza chain order, but worth the occasional splurge,

Little Sister is a midtown restaurant that opened in 2014 with a tapas menu inspired by Indonesian cuisine. The restaurant is the sister establishment of Quince (now Noorden), located just three blocks away, which is one of my favourite lunch spots in the neighbourhood. Although I work within a 10 minute walk from Little Sister, I had yet to visit until last month. Little Sister is open only for dinner and I rarely stick around the area after 5pm. After enjoying a meal at the restaurant, I may be changing my habits.

Atmosphere: Walking into the restaurant, the first word that came to mind was “hip”. Decor reminded me of places I ate at in Bali, lighting was dim and music was loud. My friend made a reservation for 5:45pm because she noticed that there were none available after 6pm. The restaurant does save half of their seats for walk-ins, but even on a weeknight, the restaurant was pretty much full the entire time we were there. It was a bit hard to talk over the music, but not to the point where we needed to yell. It was hard not to listen to the conversation next to us with the close proximity.

Service: Over our meal, we interacted with our server, who took our order and checked in on us. She was friendly and attentive. Once she noticed us taking photos, she pointed the restaurant’s social media handles that were written in chalk behind us. When dishes were ready from the semi-open kitchen, another server brought them to our table with a quick description that was hard to hear.

Food: For two people, we weren’t totally sure how many dishes to order. The menu had a lot of words we didn’t recognize and few that I did from my trip to Bali. Needless to say, we had a lot of questions. I also did end up ordering fried rice instead of coconut rice due to my poor memory. Oops.

The menu was divided into 3 sections, skewers and sides, snacks and traditional. From the selection of skewers, we decided to try the Satay Ayam, chicken with peanut sauce, a fairly safe choice. One order came with 4 skewers of tender chicken and a generous blanket of sauce that had a strong peanut flavour and lime fragrance. Next we tried the side of Fried Cauliflower Salad that was topped with a dark savoury sauce, green onion and puffed rice. I loved this dish. There were strong flavours (fish sauce? Oyster sauce?), lots of crunchy textures and a touch of sweetness.

From the Snack section, I ordered the Babi Guling, remembering the crispy pork skin from Bali. When the dish arrived though, there was more of a pulled pork with the lettuce wraps. I was confused, but wasn’t sure if I had ordered wrong. The pork was well seasoned, but a touch chewy and dry. Our other Traditional dish was the Udang Kari, a shrimp curry. When I ordered, based on the price of $16, that it was a be a healthy portion. The bowl was on the smaller side and did not come with any rice. There were 6 plump shrimp that were sweet and cooked to just done. The curry itself was thick and spicy. We ordered a Nasi Goreng (fried rice) on the side, which meant our curry and rice totaled $22.50. Not too bad when shared and for seafood, but compared to the value of the rest of the menu I was surprised at the portion size.

Overall, dinner at Little Sister was fun and delicious. I really enjoyed how authentic the flavors of the dishes were with a bit of fusion flare. I’d recommend trying out the restaurant with a few friends on a first visit in order to taste more of the menu.

I’ve been on a dimsum kick the last month. This has included several great meals uptown and one unforgettable lunch midtown. Yes midtown. In a neighbourhood known better for fried chicken and brunch, Kwan has brought delectable, authentic dim sum dishes to Yonge and St. Clair. Midtown is seriously lacking options for good Chinese food, if Kwan is the beginning of a new influx, I for one can’t wait.

Atmosphere: Sitting comfortably between mid to upscale, Kwan was a stunning, elegant restaurant. Each wall was decorated with geometric display shelves, lit with spotlights. The shelf at the reception was filled with tea boxes, the one behind the bar had bottles and at the back of the main dining room, a beautiful redwood shelf with intricately carved corners displayed porcelain vases. I loved how the bar was decorated like an apothecary table with round drawer pulls. Kwan would be a great venue for a date, special occasion or treating-myself-to-a-nice-lunch-during-the-week.

Service: In addition to the lovely space, Kwan offered great service. Our server was patient, friendly and efficient. One of the girls I was meeting for lunch had stopped by Uncle Tetsu before hand and we dug into a cheesecake right after the meal. Our server was super accommodating, offering us clean plates and cutlery when we were happy to simply re-use our chopsticks and eat out of the box (classy). He was also apologetic about our food taking some time to arrive, when honestly we didn’t even notice. I felt like he was truly invested in how much we enjoyed our time at the restaurant.

Food: Two points to get out of the way before diving into the details. One, the food was amazing. Two, it was more expensive than Markham. Personally, I think there is room for dim sum to be a fine dining experience. In Hong Kong, dim sum restaurants come in a wide range of price points and there isn’t a direct correlation between money spent and how delicious the meal is. Yes I will always love cheap dim sum, but I also appreciate excellent service, intricate details and elevated classics, which Kwan delivered in spades. I also noticed that for the dish size, the pricing wasn’t high ($3 for small, $4 for medium, $5 for large) but many dishes that would usually be counted as small, were medium or large at Kwan.

Now to the nitty gritty. Lunch started with two baskets of steamed dumplings, har gow and scallop with shrimp, water chestnut, egg yolk and cabbage. Both of the dumplings had a flavourful filling and were piping hot. The skins weren’t 100% translucent, but they were a chewy consistency and didn’t stick to anything. Next were steamed tripe and chicken feet. The tripe was tender and on par with many dim sum restaurants. The chicken feet were awesome. Sweet, savoury and the skin melted off the bone. Kwan had one of the best chicken feet I’ve had before in the GTA.

Moving away from steamed dishes, we tried the fried calamari and pan grilled turnip cake next. I liked the strip of seaweed wrapped around the turnip cake, which added a different texture and bit of umami to each piece. The calamari was fried perfectly, not oily and served in a “bird’s nest”.

Of all the dishes, the steamed rice roll with tofu and pea sprouts was the most untraditional and one of the best. Sheets of rice roll was wrapped around salted, deep fried tofu and fresh pea sprouts. All of the ingredients tasted fresh, as if just made from scratch and had lots of natural flavour. I really need to try the other filling options.

We ended lunch with a steamer of Steamed Golden Lava Buns (aka Leaky Sand Buns). While the filling could have been more fluid, the bun was soft, fluffy and the taste was on point. Again, I need to go back and try all of the other desserts.

There is an abundance of Japanese restaurants near Yonge and Eglinton. When I do head south for lunch, I’m usually drawn in by one of my regular haunts before making it to Sushi Supreme. In the five years I’ve worked in the neighbourhood, this was only my second visit. Based on the quality of sushi, I’m willing to make the trek more often in the future.

Atmosphere: When I stopped by for lunch with some co-workers, the restaurant was half full and the patio was still in use. Many of the diners were also in business casual attire. Decor was minimal and the tables were fairly spaced. Sushi Supreme felt like a neighbourhood spot to grab a quick dinner or take out after work.

Service: Our server was harried. While the restaurant wasn’t busy, he was the only one taking orders, refilling water, getting bills, delivering dishes and answered the phone for takeout. If this was a time-management game, he’d be winning. As is, while our table had no issues with his multi-tasking, the table beside us was antsy about settling up.

Food: The lunch deals at Sushi Supreme are a great value at under $10 and includes the typical teriyaki bento boxes and sushi plates. Complimentary green tea and miso soup was brought to the table once we ordered. One of my coworkers went with a sushi combination that included a hand roll, 5 pieces of nigiri and 6 maki. Oddly, the hand roll used a sesame soy wrapper instead of seaweed. There was no indication on the menu description of the ingredient change but my co-worker didn’t have any issues with it. My other coworker ordered the Green Dragon roll that came with two pieces of salmon nigiri. The roll was packed generously with shrimp tempura, had a thin layer of rice and plentiful avocado.

I went with a Chirashi bowl and the fish was very fresh, one of the better displays of sashimi in the neighbourhood. My bill came to just over $15 after tax and tip, a little expensive for lunch but reasonable for the 12 pieces of sashimi (+2 crab and +2 tamago). While the selection was standard salmon, tuna, yellowtail and shrimp, all of the pieces were thinly sliced and delicious. The texture was great and the tamago had just the right sweetness. Underneath all the fish, the sushi rice was also well prepared, at room temperature and I could make out each individual grain.

Touhenboku opened their second Toronto location near Yonge and Eglinton this summer. Tomo’s second home is similar in size to their Queen St. location with a dinner menu upgrade that includes izakaya dishes. My visit however, was during lunch and only their ramen menu was offered. Based on how well Tomo puts together a karaage don, a follow-up visit to try out their izakaya menu is much needed.

Atmosphere: The interior decor was heavy on weathered wood and exposed brick with crystal chandeliers that were a bit out of place. I felt like I was eating at a street booth with very expensive light fixtures. During lunch, the restaurant was filled with nearby office workers, myself included, grabbing a quick lunch. I could easily see a satisfying lunch taking only 30 minutes.

Service: Our server was shy, but friendly and super efficient. From being seated to getting our bill, my party could easily have wrapped up in half an hour if we didn’t linger over our bowls and dessert. As we ordered, the server prompted us through each option, customizing our ramen. The bowls of noodles arrived hot at the perfect temperature to slurp right away.

Food: Similar to the original location, the broth at Touhenboku’s Yonge St address is also chicken based. On my visit to Touhenboku’s first location, while I liked the karaage don, I didn’t love the black ramen I ordered that tasted bitter from the roasted garlic. This visit, I went with the red ramen, spicy broth, seasoned with sea salt, thin noodles and pork belly topping. I was much happier with this choice. My favourite part of the ramen this time was the broth, which was not too salty, rich and savoury. The thin slices of rolled pork belly were fatty and well seasoned. I would have loved just one more slice. Tomo’s marinated soft boiled egg was perfect and included as a default topping with seaweed and green onions. Based on this visit, Touhenboku will be moving up on my list of Top Ramen Shops in Toronto.

After we received our bill, the owner offered us a complimentary dessert. The three of us decided to split a slice of the house-made Mille Crepes. Each layer of crepe was thin, sweet and the whipping cream layers were light and airy. I would recommend saving some room for dessert.

Mysteriously Yours has been entertaining diners with interactive murder mysteries since 1987. Producers Lili and Brian Caws toured their show throughout North America before settling into their current home on Yonge St., just north of Davisville. The duo have a repertoire of over 50 mysteries and the show at the theatre changes every few months.

Speakeasy! A roaring 20’s Murder Mystery is their latest production, set in a New York City nightclub on the opening night of ‘East Side Marion’s’ brand new musical. I was recently invited to enjoy a night of entertainment with a guest.

Disclaimer: All drinks and dishes were provided free of charge by the restaurant. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Dinner
Atmosphere: The dining area was set up with tables grouped together allowing diners to meet new faces, mingle with each other and work together to solve the mystery. During the meal, the actors worked the tables and every character stopped by to introduce themselves. The actors were interactive and the crowd lapped it up. Conversation buzzed throughout dinner. There were lots of people celebrating milestones that night including a bachelorette party.

Service: The sign in process to each guest was lengthy. Although doors opened at 6:30pm, by the time everyone had picked up their name tag and sat down, it was closer to 7:00pm. Our table was one of the later ones to be completely seated, which meant our orders were taken very late. The server took our entire order, choice of appetizer, entree and dessert at once along with drinks. There was a clear inconsistency between when tables received their food and it was so busy, I had a hard time tracking down our server to place another drink order.

Food: Starting our meal was a breadbasket of various flatbreads and rolls. I loved the hummus that was served alongside the butter and the selection was great. For my meal, I chose the soup of the day, baked salmon and brownie for dessert. My friend went with the caesar salad, mushroom risotto and pecan rum tart. Of all the dishes, the highlight for me was the salmon itself. The fish was cooked beautifully, just pink, flakey and the aioli sauce was rich and creamy. Everything else was ok. My daiquiri was slushy and the house white wine was very easy to drink.

The Show
For me, the drawing point at Mysteriously Yours would be the show. Each of the actors were engaging, fully in character and delivered their punch lines on cue. I laughed more than I expected and the script was very “punny”. You can get as involved in the mystery as you want, or sit back and enjoy the show. I did the latter, so when it was time to cast our ballots for who had done it…I took a wild guess while my friend got it spot on.

Overall the night was entertaining and I had a good time. The story was well-written and each character was given the time to shine with a fully fleshed out backstory. Clues were sprinkled throughout the play and any of the suspects could’ve been the killer. Once the murder was solved though by Detective Sam Spade, it all made sense. I also loved when the actress playing East Side Marion stretched her vocal cords.

I’ve been visiting Tabule for lunch since I started working in the Yonge and Eglinton area almost 5 years ago. They’re one of my favourite stops offering tasty and healthy lunch options at a great price. I usually try to arrive a couple of minutes before noon to beat the lunch time rush. There are two main dining areas that can easily seat large groups. The service is always professional but there have been a few meals when it’s on the slower side. Even after all my visits, I still enjoy watching the servers pour water from the special glass pitchers that creates a long stream of water to your glass.

Their lunch menu features a selection of salads and protein options served either in a pita or with a side of rice and salad. With each of the pita or grill plates, a bowl of Tabule’s lentil soup that has no cream or butter can be added to the meal for $3. I’ve tried most of the menu items and always return to the kefta grill plate. The charboiled lamb and beef meatballs are juicy and flavourful. I love the side salad, dressed simply with lemon juice and mint. The rice is seasoned and topped with fried onions. Altogether the plate is a satisfying lunch, especially if paired with a cup of Moroccan mint tea. I would also recommend the salmon, lamb chops, falafel and chicken salad.

Tabule has a second location at 810 Queen St East. Both restaurants feature a live belly dancing performance on Saturdays at 7:30pm and 9:30pm during the dinner service.

La Poutine Week is a new food event to hit Toronto this year with participating restaurants offering their take on poutine for $10 a plate. Browsing through the menu of poutines, I was happy to see Holy Chuck taking part. They’ve been on my list to try for too long and an acceptable TTC lunch trip from work. This was the perfect excuse to round up friends for a field trip lunch.

Atmosphere: Located at Yonge and St. Clair, Holy Chuck is the spot that’s accessible from midtown or downtown to grab a good burger. Seating is available inside for groups of up to 4, a bar of single seats are set up along the window front and there’s plentiful standing space left to wait for takeout orders. Customer turnover was quick and we were able to move from two two seater tables to a four seater before finishing our meal. The space is brightly lit and functional.

Service: The restaurant is a self serve format. You place your order, give a name, wait for it to called and look for an open table. Napkins, plastic utensils and condiments are provided for customers to grab as needed. Even with the minimal service, I was impressed at how quickly trays were taken away, tables wiped down and condiments returned. The menu prices are on the higher end for a burger and it can add up if you’re ordering sides and a drink. Generally though, the bill should be under $20/person assuming a burger, fries and pop.

Food: Holy Chuck’s menu can be an overwhelming amount of choice. There are just so many variations of meats, toppings, buns and in all different combinations. That’s just the burgers, there’s also milkshakes and poutine. Since this was my first visit, I decided to go classic and ordered the standard “Holy Chuck” burger, a double cheeseburger with bacon and caramelized onions. First bite in and I needed more napkins, it was a juicy, fatty burger. The patty was lightly packed, cooked to a perfect medium and well seasoned. Really a great patty. I liked the crunch from the generous pieces of bacon and the sweetness from the caramelized onions. The cheese was still solid on the edges but nicely melted in the centre and the white bun just soaked up the grease. The burger is greasy but I could’ve happily eaten a second one on the spot. If not for the platter of poutine.

For La Poutine Week, Holy Chuck’s fries were topped with pulled veal cheek, veal cheek gravy, brie cheese and a roasted bone marrow. My favourite part of the dish was the bone marrow, buttery, salty and a rich roasted flavour. Next, I liked the veal cheek that was tender and not too sweet. I would’ve loved to see a little more cheese and gravy with a thicker cut french fry. As a side, thin fries are crispy and great, but in a poutine, I like my fries to have enough substance to soak up the gravy and carry the cheese. The portion size is large and could easily be shared and filling for 3-4 people.

Next time, The Farmer’s Threesome and Foie Gras Poutine are really calling to me.

The weather in Toronto this winter has been best suited for hibernating. It took an enticing invitation from Kushi Sake Bar for me to venture out into the cold. Kushi Sake Bar is a Japanese izakaya that opened 6 months ago on Eglinton, between Avenue and Yonge. They’ve recently updated their menu with special winter items and have been inviting bloggers to sample the new dishes. I was happy to be included and was super excited to try out the latest izakaya addition.

Disclaimer: All drinks and dishes were provided free of charge by the restaurant. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Atmosphere: Dark walls, warm lighting and dark wood furniture make the dining area feel intimate and cozy. Sake bottles line the sushi bar and decorate the long bar like table across the centre of the space. Booths are located along both walls with tall separators offering privacy to each table. The BF and I stopped by early on a Thursday night when the restaurant was still quiet. By 8pm, the space began to fill up. A private Zashiki room is also available in the back of the restaurant for large parties (up to 40 people) with space under the table to sit normally, not having to kneel. This would be a great venue for a large groups or private party.

Service: Our server was very friendly and polite, bowing each time she left our booth and explaining each dish as it arrived. Food arrived quickly and we were well taken care of. I would say English is probably not the first language for most of the wait staff and there is a slight language barrier. There are daily specials such as ½ price sashimi on Wednesdays and set course menus available.

Food: One of the main reasons I was excited about our visit to Kushi Sake Bar were all the positive reviews I had read. It really seemed like a hidden gem. Kushi has over 40 sakes available, including my favourite yuzu flavoured sake, You’s Time. We were served a decanter of hot sake, perfect for the evening. Normally I like my sake cold but this one was smooth and super easy to drink.

The meal started with an avocado salad that had a generous serving of dressing that was a little on the sour side. Half of the avocado slices were ripe and creamy but the other half were still a little too fresh. I really liked the ebi mayo. They were very lightly battered and smothered in a great tangy sauce, which tasted almost like thousand island dressing. A plate of pan fried gyozas were next. I liked the pea and alfalfa sprout topping and the gyozas were tasty. Some of the batter crust was soggy though and could’ve been crispier. This was followed by a lobster tartar that was more like lobster salad. The meat of the lobster was cooked and mixed liberally with Japanese mayo, an ok dish.  I generally like my lobster less garnished.

Moving on now to the grilled/fried dishes. We started with four charcoal grilled skewers, bacon wrapped asparagus, a fish, pork belly and chicken tail. I’m not sure what part of the chicken is the tail, but that was my favourite skewer, fatty and crispy while the BF liked the bacon wrapped asparagus. I thought the pork belly was too lean and not charred enough. The fish was ok, not too fishy and grilled well. Our server then brought over a plate of squid karaage and cheese okonomiyaki. Only the tails of the squid were used, lightly battered and fried making each piece extra crispy. Another favourite of the night for me was the cheese okonomiyaki, so cheesy, so many bonito flakes and a beautiful crispy bottom. 10/10, would order again. Our meal ended with a classic bibimbap that was solid with a good amount of kimchi. It was a good portion size and the stone pot was hot to form a nice rice crust. Dessert was a fresh baked brownie covered in vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, topped with strawberries and a maraschino cherry.

Overall, I can’t wait to go back dragging friends in tow. The midtown location is convenient and every dish was good to great.