Shiso Tree Cafe

Enjoyed a nice lunch at this quiet J-Town cafe. A fusion of Japanese flavors incorporated into pasta, fries and dessert - skeptical about this combination but was pleasantly surprised. A good spot for lunch or afternoon snack.

Okonomiyaki Fries ($8)

Definitely good for fries lovers! The fries taste like New York Fries fries with some potato skin left on and I like the sauce and Japanese mayo. Could use more bonito flakes though.

Nori Fries ($6)

I like this one too 'cause you can taste the subtle wafu dressing and seaweed flavor in the fries and it's bit oilier than the okonomiyaki fries.

Soup of the day (potato) with crispy croutons ($4 or $3 w the pasta on weekends)

Homemade soup in a mug~ how cute.

Shoyu Mushroom Wafu (和風) Pasta ($11)

This was surprisingly good. The pasta was al dente and the combination of sweet shoyu (soy sauce), nori and three types of mushrooms (enoki, king oyster) was flavorful and light. The garlic bread was lightly toasted. I'm glad we shared this amongst the three of us 'cause the fries was really filling.

The pastas are quite pricey (around $11-$20). They don't have lunch menu on weekends, but on weekdays you can get a combo with pasta, soup, salad and dessert.

Overall, the fries were my favorite!

Mangia & Bevi Resto-Bar

Funghi Salad w arugula, sauteed mushrooms, x-v oil, balsamic, parmagiano

Good salad with strong flavors in all the ingredients - perfect 'cause I love arugula and mushrooms. The mushrooms were a bit salty but flavorful with the balsamic.

tomato sauce, mushrooms, red pepper, onion, garlic, oregano

Compared to the salad, this pizza was a bit plain - can taste the fresh vegetables and the sweetness of the red pepper, but no garlic or oregano flavor. The crust was thin and soft - I prefer crispier so it can hold its shape when eating.

I hope I can come back and try the tiramisu if we have another group lunch.

Nome Izakaya ~ $1 Oysters

Sashimi moriwase, yam fries, oysters, seared mackerel - my favorite foods all in one place

First impression: the interior is similar to Hapa Izakaya - medium wood, sushi bar at the back, English speaking waitresses in black... However, I enjoyed Nome more - it is very comfortable and cozy, sort of like a tavern/pub with the NBA and English music playing. Arrived around 6:30 Tuesday, full house as the night went on.

very heavy teapot ($1.50 for tea)

I love yam fries, of course I had to order them even at izakaya! Hot and crispy, sprinkled with some pesto herb flakes which gave it a distinct flavor. The sauce was just regular mayo, not as good as garlic mayo or other flavors at Moxies/Joey (my favorite)

Tuesdays & Wednesdays: A BUCK (or two) A SHUCK

The reason I came was for the $1 oyster special. Turns out only Malpeque was $1 - the others go from $1.50 to $2.50 (but the Malpeque turned out to be the best!)
 
Clockwise:
Kumamoto - small
Malpeque - smooth, slightly sweet, light, clean
Fanny Bay - big, meaty, salty
French Kiss
Lambertini - 鯹

Sashimi moriwase (small) - salmon, tuna, flounder, seared tuna, white tuna

Seared mackerel

Subtle sweet taste. However, it was a bit overcooked. (Best seared mackerel: Fin Izakaya)

Round 2: can really see/taste the difference between Fanny Bay and Malpeque.

Very full and satisfying meal! $70~ for 2 people.

Verdict: Food was good, but need to go back to try izakaya items
Very attentive, patient and knowledgeable server - I asked so many questions on type of fish/sauce/seasonings.

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

A lot of hype surrounding this new ramen joint from Japan. Arrived at 5:30pm Monday with no line up, but by 6, the line was already out the door!

 

Shio Ramen (Salt) $10.95

Shio is their signature ramen that's described as mild and creamy. You can choose the hardness of noodle, amount of lard and amount of salt. I chose less lard, but it was still quite rich and very creamy. It tastes like 豬骨湯出前一丁 Tonkotsu flavor instant noodle. Noodles were thin and relatively soft; I actually prefer more bite and springiness, so if I come back I will order harder noodles. Nothing special with the pork; two pieces seemed too little. The bowls are pretty small, but for me it was a good portion.

Kara Miso, $11.95

This broth was pretty good - creamy and spicy (but not too spicy).

Verdict: Good ramen, but I can't say it's the best.

Friendly service. They take orders on iPhone or similar device.

Side note: Mom thinks 豚王 in Hong Kong is much better.. must try that when I go back.

Kinton Ramen

Finally got a chance to try Kinton Ramen last Friday. It's a really small and narrow restaurant at the end of the row of restaurants on Baldwin St. By the same owners of Guu Toronto, the atmosphere is bright and crowded with occasional shouting of greetings. Arrived at 5:30pm with a 45 minute wait, plus another 20 minute wait for food. We were seated in front of the kitchen area so I watched the chefs prepare the noodles and fried foods while waiting.

Miso Ramen ($9.50) - soybean paste, pork belly, beansprout, scallion, corn, garlic oil

I ordered the Miso Ramen with regular broth (salt/fat level) and pork belly (choice of belly or shoulder). The noodles were hard and springy. The broth was just the right amount of saltiness with a hint of peppery spice. I didn't know the pork belly was in one big piece. It was nicely seasoned but a bit hard and dry. Overall it was a pretty good bowl of ramen but soup could be hotter in temperature and pork more tender and juicy.

I'm not sure what authentic ramen should taste like, but I enjoyed Kinton and am now interested in trying all the different types of broths/topping combinations to learn the differences!

Next stop: Santouka or Sansotei?

Green Lemon Grass

Rare Beef Pho

- Average beef soup
- Noodles are pretty thin and not soggy
- Beef a bit tough

Curry Beef Brisket w Roti, $11.99

- Curry is not too spicy, thin consistency (no coconut milk/peanuts)
- Beef brisket is tender! Many large meaty pieces unlike some places where half is fatty/tendon
- Roti tasted a bit doughy (dense inside) and undercooked