MeNami Udon House & Sake Bar (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, February 27, 2016 by
MeNami

Most good noodles should have a springy quality to it, at least in my books. I prefer my pasta al dante, wonton noodles still with give and udon chewy despite its thick doughy properties. The large green door and Vegas style name tag may not traditional characteristics of a noodle joint, but MeNami Udon and Sake Bar certainly offers an impressive bowl of sanuki udon, despite the buzzy atmosphere.   
Forget the vacuum packed versions you find in the frozen or dry good areas of Asian supermarkets, MeNami makes their fresh in-house with a special machine imported from Japan and Chef Kevin Shin spending a good deal of time in Kagawa, Japan learning the recipe and technique to reproduce it in Toronto (with a few tweaks to meet our climate).

To sample the noodle in its most neutral form, have a plate of the tsuke udon ($7.95), the cool noodles served with a sweet soy, ginger, daikon and onion concoction for dipping. It goes particularly well with the beef tataki ($12), the thin slices of lightly seared beef spiked with a lively jalapeno basil and karashi-su miso, complimenting the plainer noodles.


Being a versatile starch, there are tons of other styles on MeNami’s menu. The spicy pork udon ($11) uses slivers of the meat with a chili mixture that when mixed into the broth provides a good level of heat.


For something richer, the mentaiko cream sauce ($12) is a dish that an Italian nonna would even like. The sauce is not unlike alfredo, with the marinated fish roe adding a gentle briny essence to it. The spicy tomato oil has no bark once it’s mixed into the heavy sauce and I love the hint of freshness the finely chopped green onion and shiso leaves provide.


The curry udon with shrimp tempura ($11) has such a deep rich Japanese style curry and an aroma that lets you know it’s on the way. On top, hot and crunchy pieces of shrimp and yam tempura can make it into a meal.  


If you enjoy sweet and salty combinations, the black sesame puree udon with beef ($15) should hit the spot. For me, it took some time to warm up to the idea of dressing the udon with the black sesame soup (gee ma woo) that’s found in dessert houses. Perhaps, if the beef wasn’t bulgogi (also sweet) but rather something that’s more savoury, I would have liked it better.


The kitsune udon ($9) has an appropriate balanced sweet and salty quality, where the large fluffy piece of aburaage (deep fried tofu) is marinated in a honeyed sauce that softly permeates into the broth.  


MeNami serves more than just udon (although to visit and not haves noodles is a waste of time), offering tons of tasty izakaya options. If you’re not allergic to seafood, get the deep fried ika ($7). After having it at their media event, I had two orders of the dish on a return visit with friends. Mongo ika is in reality cuttlefish; at MeNami pillowy soft and just ever so lightly dusted with nori speckled flour. The cool dipping soy was the only thing saving me from completely scalding my tongue as I couldn’t wait to tuck into the fresh-from-the-fryer dish.


Another crowd pleaser was the corn kakiage ($5), a fritter of sweet chewy kernels with a honey butter mayonnaise for dipping. The deep fried eggplant ($6) was also pretty good once you reach the vegetable hidden amongst the deep fried yam slivers.


The oven roasted yam salad ($8) smells heavenly with cubes of caramelized yams tossed with kasha. It’s rather hearty for a salad, sitting on a bed of spring mix and grape tomatoes, garnished with pickled and deep fried onions.


Surprisingly, for a dish that sounds heavy, the convection roasted pork belly ($11) was so well rendered that it wasn’t fatty tasting at all. Each slice has been rubbed in a dry spice having a Cajun twinge to it; the dish reminds me of bo ssam as you wrap the pork with pickled onion and spring mix.


For something lighter, the albacore tuna tataki ($12) is good, the meaty thick slices of fish dressed simply with wasabi, soy sauce, green onion and green onion oil.


If you’re only going to do one raw fish plate, try the smoked salmon with parsnip sauce ($10) instead, the fish is salted, torched, and flavoured with a smoke gun giving it the oaky essence of smoked salmon but the texture of sashimi.


Their larger “one pot” dishes, kept warm on a burner, is great for sharing. The sukiyaki ($24) had a decent portion of shaved beef and tons of earthy mushrooms (enoki, shitake and oyster) in the slightly sweet broth. It was good, but I still have my heart set on trying the oden, which was sold out during our visit.


MeNami wouldn’t be called a sake bar without a menu sporting a sizeable collection. Some are available by the glass ($5.50 to $28.80) and others by the bottle ($11 - $130); something from every price point. I was just glad to see they had the Mio sparkling sake ($26), which is fast becoming my favourite easy going drink.


The restaurant has some interesting cocktails as well. The Kir in Tokyo ($11) a relatively strong mix of St. Germain elderflower liqueur, chambord and cold sake.



At their media event, they served a fantastic sundae – the mere sight of the Pocky biscuits stuck in the matcha ice cream excited the inner child in me. Every layer presented another taste and texture with crunchy cereal, soft sweetened red beans and whipped cream. Although it's currently not part of their regular menu, I've been advised they are considering expanding on the ingredients and offering a rendition of it.

Just be warned, if you’re visiting with more than two people, get a reservation. Trying to make sense of how staff choose to sit walk-ins amongst reserved tables can be a frustrating ordeal; and no, attempting to work out the logistics for them with recommendations on how to situate the tables will only confuse them further. MeNami, please hire a front-of-the-house manager!

Nonetheless, the mere fact that I returned just weeks after gorging on so many dishes at their media event, should be a testament to how much I enjoy their creations. So with a reservation in hand, I will return to the restaurant.      

 Overall mark - 8 out of 10
Disclaimer: Tasting of dishes in the post were from attending MeNami's media night (where they were complimentary) and on a return visit (paid for). Rest assured, as noted in the mission statement, I will always provide my honest opinion.
How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 5469 Yonge Street

 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:

MeNami Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato


Winterlicious Culinary Events: Four Hands Dinner

Posted on Wednesday, February 24, 2016 by

Special culinary experiences are offered during Toronto’s Winterlicious series; exclusive meals and events that are generally not available and could only occur once. In 2016, they presented the Four Hands Dinner: hands belonging to Chefs Vikram Vij (Vancouver restauranteur and a Dragon from Dragon’s Den) and Miheer Shete (Chef de Cuisine at O&B and Chopped Canada winner)


As guests were waiting to enter into the Arcadian Studio, a welcome cocktail of rum, citrus juices, carbonated water and a medley of spices circulated to provide a sense of what’s to come: a night of Indian cuisine with a Canadian twist. At the door to welcome everyone into the event with a hand shake were the Chefs themselves.


Admittedly, the event had a rocky start as the passed canapés were swarmed by guests – a tray of twenty no match for a crowd of over a hundred. The predator in me came out as I stalked the servers, if you were even a minute late all hints of food would vanish. And there were plenty nibbles to try: the salmon roe on blinis were dainty but had no Indian characteristics while the lamb kofta hot and savoury yet could use more meat.


The samosa was FANTASTIC, the crust not overly thick and encapsulating tons of juicy seasoned minced meat. These went well with the crispy chickpea and potato fries with a creamy curry aioli on top.


Gradually the crowds started to calm as additional servers entered the room from various entrance to give the timid a chance at the passed bites. Personally, I thought it’d work better if O&B set up a couple of stations (predominantly for the cocktails and fries) while also circulating canapés to help disperse guests. I was impressed by Chef Vij’s dedication to hospitality: throughout the initial portion he mingled around the room, making sure people had a chance to get a drink and bite.

Starting the cooking demonstration earlier could have helped as well. Perhaps even continuing the canapés so guests would have something to nibble on while the intoxicating aroma of cooking spices wafted from the chicken curry Chef Vij was whipping up.


The recipe paid homage to his mother, who made the curry daily and transported it by bus from Richmond to Vancouver when Vikram first started his restaurant. For entrepreneurs in the crowd, what a delight it’d be to hear about the tenacity and dedication it takes to grow a business from a single restaurant to the current empire.

We also learned some tips about cooking. For example, reminding us that Indian cooking isn’t necessarily about using the “best” ingredients. Rather, it’s about getting the timing and succession of adding ingredients right.

Vikram simplifies his approach to food as having love, passion and care. Moreover, he recounts using his “village mentality” in Vancouver, using local ingredients within traditional recipes to showcase what our country has to offer. This was evident in the four course dinner that was served afterwards – the fish from the East’s Fogo Island, wines originating from Niagara & Okanagan Valley and even the rum in the dessert sourced from Newfoundland.

Before we took our seats at the large brightly decorated harvest tables, Chef Shete joked about the menu to come, including the challenge of taking things that are “brown, browner and brownish” to make a dinner. In the end, the meal would combine French presentation with Indian Canadian cuisine.


The idli terrine certainly was not shades of brown, the layers of the savoury cake coloured a vibrant green and yellow. On the bottom of the plate, a thick layer of congealed gunpowder butter, which was packed with salty and spicy tastes. After all the fried canapés, the idli was too heavy and rich of a starter; a larger portion of the Moong sprouts salad and less of the cake and butter would have been better. It’s a rather interesting salad as the lentils aren’t cooked, rather soaked in water so that it softens and begins sprouting.


Yet, I’m glad Chefs Vij and Sheete didn’t try to “westernize” the courses. The starter was something I’ve never had before and it’s great to experience new things. They certainly didn’t shy away from using spices, although I felt the heat level was bearable. As Chef Vij puts it: the flavour should be full and rich, but not too spicy… you should experience the heat not on the tongue but the brow.

The following Ajwaini Fogo Island cod married India and Canada the best. The Newfoundland fish wonderfully cooked with a crispy skin and incorporated a light dusting of spices. The nutty mix of Prairie grains was studded with crispy curry leaves and diners could customize the heat level depending on the amount of Indian green goddess dressing added to it.


Despite Chef Vij not wanting a restaurant whose menu serves typical butter chicken and tikka marsala, the dinner’s main consisted of a smoked butter chicken pot pie. Instead of a flaky crust, Chef Sheete used a besan bannock roti as the base so that the pastry was chewy and lighter, ideal for ripping into pieces and dipping into the fragrant sauce. The chicken was left in a large piece staying succulent, while the sauce was luxurious but not too creamy.


The side of rutabaga raita (a crispy chip) was addictive, something I continued to snack on despite being stuffed. Cubes of the nasty pickles kept enticing me also, a thrilling kick of spice and acid that after a heavy meal I was craving.


Throughout dinner, the Chefs kept us entertained with stories, explanations of the dishes and answering questions. Moreover, I was surprised that Chef Vij stayed the entire evening, circulating amongst the tables after every course to see how we enjoyed each one. He also graciously signed the take home recipe and posed for pictures with dinner guests.

A gulab jumun donut provided an ending so sweet that Buddy from Elf would be proud. Normally, these heated milk solids are served Timbit sized soaked in a sugar syrup. At the Four Hands Dinner, an entire donut was presented drench in maple rum. At least the chefs had good sense to pair it with a neutral lemon sour cream ice cream to tone done the sweetness.


I couldn’t help but be proud of how far Canada’s culinary scene has come in terms of diversity. Chef Vij recounts how in 1994 he won an award for best Asian restaurant. Although he humbly accepted it, he later returned it and explained to the editors that with so many countries amalgamating Asia, it’s really hard to say he’s most deserving for the world’s largest continent. It was through his urging, that media later expanded their awards for include Chinese, Indian, etc. cuisines.


Nonetheless, we still have steps to go to give all the culture’s cuisines equal footing. Chef Vij unapologetically admits that when he started his first restaurant he wanted to provide diners with an authentic experience (so no choosing your own spiciness levels) and he would not do so cheaply. After all, if you’re proud of your creations and want to give diners something of quality, why would you want to be cheap?

Yet, I still hear reviews proclaiming, for dim sum, pho, Indian food, etc. the price is expensive. Something that’s generally not a phrase that’s uttered for describing French or Japanese cuisine. So, we should heed Chef Vij’s advice, that if Canada is to become a culinary destination we need to be proud of our backyard and not be opposed to paying more for quality.

When asked why he hasn’t opened a restaurant in Toronto, Vikram explains that keeping restaurants successful is difficult. If something has his name on it, he wants to ensure it lives up to the name and hence he’d spread himself thin trying to manage restaurants over such far distances. Alas, to really taste his creations, I’ll have to make the journey to British Columbia. Until then, thank you Winterlicious for giving Torontonians a taste of this charismatic chef’s creations and philosophy.

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CLOSED: Bar Buca (Toronto)

Posted on Sunday, February 21, 2016 by
When a restaurant doesn’t take reservations, you learn to arrive early to avoid the wait. Visiting Bar Buca earlier has its perks: from 4pm to 7pm diners who order a drink receive an aperitivo platter to munch on. During our visit, it consisted of cubes of mortadella & fontina, small soft olives, focaccia toasts and deliciously tart pickled dandelion leaves. The original “tapas” bar of the neighbourhood, aperitivo is the practice of having drinks and nibbles before dinner. The fact that you can continue dinner in the same establishment? That’s the ideal Canadian way. 


Their Winterlicious menu sounded delicious and thankfully included their regular offerings. Although the sardella looks simple - like some sort of spread on toast - the vivid flavours are a far cry from simple. The fermented smelts paste on the bottom has a wonderful brininess, while the hits of chili is slightly calmed by the creamy burrata on top.


Bar Buca’s crudo uses thick slices of Guelph arctic char topped with a liberal sprinkling of squid ink salt and fennel fronds. The Chef suggests eating the fish first and reserving the crostini to sop up the remaining smoked olive oil. We happily obliged, who am I to question someone that can make such a tasty dish?


The barbabietole should have been served first, as after two stronger dishes the salt baked beets topped with pistachio seemed plain and non-memorable. Nevertheless, it’s a pretty dish and if you enjoy beets they were prepared nicely.


Crisp bits of pig ear, cheek and other facial features followed, lightly dusted with salt and chili slices should you want the heat. All the greasy crunchiness would have gone wonderfully with beer… not horrible with wine either.


What will have me returning to Bar Buca are their schiacciata, fragrant oily Tuscan flatbread with the richness of focaccia but slightly denser. Cut into quarters, it’s great for sharing and given their heaviness, you’ll likely want to split with a friend.


The porchetta contained plenty of pieces of plump roasted pork drizzled with an herby aioli. I would have liked the apple mostarda to be cut into smaller pieces as the large chunks of sweet fruit was too much for me.


Meanwhile, the salsicce version made with slices of grilled pork and fennel sausage was better balanced. Along with the lean sausage there was roasted bell peppers, sweet cipollini onions, arugula that helped cut through the greasiness and a thin layer of soft scamorz cheese. The sandwich was molto delizioso!


After so many indulgent dishes, the caponata di romanesco, a roasted cauliflower and eggplant mixture in a vinegary tomato sauce, should have been a great ending. But, something about the spices (could have been nutmeg or anise) gave the vegetables a Middle Eastern taste that didn’t go with the meal.


To end, we shared a plate of pastries. The cannoli was tasty with plenty of ricotta cream studded with chocolate chips. I also enjoyed the chewy amaretti cookie dusted with powdered sugar. The torta cioccolatino is extremely chocolaty (imagine a flourless chocolate cake with extra unsweetened cocoa powder) and should be shared. While the jam filled shortbread should not as it turns to dust if you attempt to cut through it.  


I rather enjoyed Bar Buca’s small plates experience. In an era when menus in restaurants are swinging towards the tapas route, I find some dishes are really not most conducive for sharing (is a hunk of short rib really the best thing)? But all the items work at Bar Buca. Add some wine and special friends, then you’re in for a wonderful evening.  

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10
Is Winterlicious worth it (based on my meal selection)?
Winterlicious - $25
Regular menu - $31 - sardella ($6), crudo ($6), porchetta ($14) and dessert* ($5)
Savings - $6 or 19%
* Dessert based on a wild guess from me

How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 75 Portland Street
 

 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!

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Buca (Toronto)

Posted on Saturday, February 20, 2016 by
Buca Toronto

Buca, an Italian restaurant tucked in the end of an alley down King West, has been racking up accolades as being a top Toronto restaurant. Having visited when it first opened in 2010, I recall having a well-executed plate of pasta yet wasn’t blown away. “Maybe I didn’t order the right dish?” I keep thinking as praise for Buca continues. With that in mind, I ventured back with friends who love to share in tow.

In a ravenous carb eating mood, the gnocco fritto ($7) sounded enticing: pillows of Tuscan spiced dough, which you’re advised to slit open and dump a translucent slice of lardo into. As the warmth from the dumpling envelopes the lardo, the cured pork fat begins to melt combining a light slickness to the slightly sweet crispy and chewy dough.


Be careful when approaching the nodini ($6) - hot bread knots sitting in a pool of olive oil, rosemary and garlic. Images of soft chewy garlic bread comes to mind, but when you actually try to stab one of these suckers you realize the crust is crispy and hard … one false step and the nodini could easily end up at the neighbouring table. Eating with your hands is recommended so that you can enjoy this aromatic dish while it’s hot. They’re good but anything slathered in garlic oil generally is.


The last appetizer consisted of the cavolfiori carbonara ($10), well roasted cauliflower florets whose smokiness melds into a rich cheesy carbonara sauce. The raw egg yolk is mixed into the hot clay dish tableside releasing an intoxicating smell. For a person who’s sick of all the cauliflower gracing menus, Buca’s version was delicious and worth ordering again.


Coming back to try Buca’s famed bigoli ($21) for a second time, I’ve finally narrowed down why it threw me off. Certainly, there’s nothing wrong with the thick chewy strands of freshly made duck egg pasta. Nor was the duck offal ragu repulsive. But, what’s unsettling is the combination of Venetian spices and mascarpone that makes the sauce taste like butter chicken. It’s tasty, but not exactly Italian?


In a city filled with great authentic pizza places, Buca can still compete amongst the fray. Their soppressata ($24) had a lovely evenly cooked golden crust and the crisp bottom allowed slices to withstand holding plump Calabrese sausage and plenty of sauce. Although the pizza had heat, it wasn’t overly spicy and was balanced with sweet cipollini onions.


In interviews, Chef Gentile stresses the importance of using quality ingredients and to keep it simple. For me, the brassato ($32) was an excellent example of such a dish. Served off the bone, the beef rib was well braised and moist without relying on fatty bits.


Moreover, I appreciated that it wasn’t overly salted, rather served with a delicate tomato sauce so the beef’s flavouring still stood out. The stone-milled polenta on the bottom had the texture of grits, the rustic-vibe complimenting the heavier beef perfectly.

Although I love tiramisu, I’m glad Buca is expanding our palettes; the migliaccio ($14) is so different from all desserts gracing menus across Toronto! And after a heavy meal, the fluffy lemon ricotta cake such a great way to finish off. On top of the light sponge cake were tons of juicy figs, dollops of chestnut cream and crushed crunchy cookies. The Amaro Lucano, a digestive liqueur, added a mild herbal bitterness to keep the cake from becoming overly sweet.


As a parting gift, we each received an amaretti morbidi, a chewy almond cookie that I enjoyed with tea the following morning.


I’ll admit it, even after a second more substantial meal, I don’t get the hype over Buca. Don’t get me wrong, the food is delicious and I appreciate the quality ingredients, non-fussy presentations and selections that rise above meatballs and marinara.

I want to drink the Koolaid that Chef Gentile’s serving (have you seen the man’s photos?), but the overall experience just isn’t as mind-blowing as the accolades make the restaurant out to be.

Overall mark - 7.5 out of 10


How To Find Them
 Location: Toronto, Canada
 Address: 604 King 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:

Buca Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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