If you arrive at Uncle Mikey’s between 5-7pm, get ready for an affordable meal. Not surprisingly, their happy menu offers drink specials ranging from $6-$8, the soju negroni ($8) strong enough that you’ll feel buzzed after a few. The soju works great in the drink, giving it a smoother finish with the same kick.
There’s
also a selection of small plates. The kimchi jeon ($5), an onion and cabbage pancake, is made with glutinous
rice flour and spread thinly so the centre is chewy while the outer edges turn
crispy. No kimchi is in the batter, rather the vinegary and spicy flavours come from a dipping sauce so even a non-spicy food eater can enjoy the plate. The chicken wings ($5) were also hot from the
fryer and quickly tossed in a lightly sweetened sauce. Pieces of pickled choyote (a neutral vegetable) helps cut
through the greasiness of both dishes.
From
their regular menu, the kimchi rice bowl ($9.50) is a nod to bibimbap, but not nearly as good since
it doesn’t arrive in a hot stone bowl. Yet, it still has all the tastes and
textures of bibimbap, including thinly
sliced sesame oil laced cucumber, nori slivers, scallions, and crispy onions. Interestingly,
Uncle Mikey uses stewed kimchi, which is mellower and heartier than the raw
version. For an extra richness, we added an onsen egg ($2.50) where the yolk is
creamy and cooked through.
Oh boy
was the oxtail gnocchi ($15) good … crispy deep-fried nuggets slathered into a
thick shredded oxtail ragu. Even though they were burning hot, I couldn’t
eat these cheesy nuggets fast enough - in a flash, the delicious gnocchi were
done! The meaty pulled ragu was also tasty and is a versatile sauce that could
go on almost anything.
Uncle
Mikey’s has a “hipster” vibe. If you’ve watched Shameless, their depiction of hipster places is extreme, but I’ve
encountered my share of bad service from “too cool” attitudes and annoying
clientele; so, while this draws some people to a restaurant, it’s a feature I
have reservations about. Luckily, our waitress Emma put me at ease, her
welcoming attitude brought a light-hearted feel to the dinner – almost like we
were stepping into cool Uncle Mikey’s home.
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 1597 Dundas Street West
Address: 1597 Dundas Street West
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!
Is That It? I Want More!
Other Gastro World posts similar to this:
