ramen – Fare..Eat..Ales

McRamyun (or Ramyun?) : There’s a Good Chance Ronald Showed up with a Louisville Slugger

June 14, 2015June 14, 2015 spennyrdLeave a comment

I was on a lunch break recently and decided to check out Baldwin village for lunch. Although I was still lamenting the closure of Yakitori Bar (i still swear they had some of the best soup going), I was intrigued to try McRamyun, the new ramen bar that occupied the space.

I knew little of the place when I walked in but appreciated the fact that a ramen bar exists which doesn’t involve the hot, tight quarters that exist with similar eateries elsewhere in the city. It has maintained the interior of Yakitori bar complete with a large bar and spacious tables.

At first glance it was clear the menu offers one of the largest variety of ramen (almost 20) in the city. In addition, you can choose your own adventure by adding your choice of toppings unlike other places tend to dictate the condiments of each bowl. Usually I order dumplings and soup as a benchmark in ramen joints, so i killed two birds with one stone and ordered the mandu ramen which offered the dumplings right in the soup. As I was waiting, I went to the washroom located in the old Odd Seoul space next door. That’s when I made afrightening discovery. The room was filled with skids of packaged ramen noodles. I felt like I was in a university dorm room. When I returned to the table (the washrooms were quite nice by the way) the soup arrived. The broth was thin and spicy and the noodles originated from one of the packages in the back room. The mandu were deep fried prior to being thrown in the soup which I found odd from a texture perspective. They did not have remarkable flavour. The broth lacked the complexity of other places and was seasoned primarily by salt and heat. The egg (available for an additional $0.50 per half..I got a whole egg) was cooked nicely and was the best part of the dish. They forgot the slices of pork belly I ordered so I can’t comment. It would have been and extra $2.49 which would have made the total price of the ramen bowl a staggering $12.50, a price which would make David Chang shake his head.

Mandu Ramyun $8.95 plus $1.00 for egg (pork belly missing)

My Take

Burgers and ramen are probably the two hottest trends in the Toronto right now. The burgers range from patties smashed on the flattop to those stuffed with short rib and are price accordingly. Until now, most ramen has been prepared according to traditional recipes complete with homemade noodles and thick pork broth which has simmered for hours. Sure, I’ve made all kinds of ramen; from following an old school recipe to cracking open a dried package after a drunken night out in university but I never thought I’d see the latter served in a restaurant.

Then it made sense. I should have clued in that the name McRamyun said it all. This was fast food…the McDonald’s version of ramen. What confused me, however, was the fact that prices were not much lower that traditional ramen. I mean a quarter pounder isn’t $20, right?

I looked at the table tent on the table, saw the following sign and laughed. How do they get away with this?

A Sapporo pitcher and McChicken wings for $24.95? McChicken? The signage outside, the menu, the packaged food..everything made me think that at any minute Ronald McDonald would show up with a Louisville Slugger ready to kick ass and take names later. Interestingly enough, there was a profile picture update on the restaurant’s webpage two weeks ago which displayed their new logo which simply said Ramyun. I wondering if that change was proactive of may have had something to do with a few broken windows and a pissed off clown.

Touhenboku Ramen: It’s Chicken Broth…knot Pork!

December 13, 2014December 23, 2014 spennyrdLeave a comment

It’s been a while since I’ve indulged in a bowl of ramen and I figured nothing was better than a snow storm to dive back into a bowl. I have scratched a few places off the list but hadn’t had the chance to try Touhenboku ramen on Queen Street. Spearheaded by owner Zuimei Okuyama, it has all the hallmarks of the trendy Toronto noodle houses. First, it has a name a white guy has a hard time remembering (Touhenboku means “blockhead” in Japanese). Second, it has a cute mascot (in this case a smiling tree stump named Tomo who is a half breed consisting of a Canadian and Japanese maple). Third, it has a small menu, modest interior and they sing you a farewell tune on the way out. The big difference is that they use chicken instead of pork as the base for their broth. From what I understand, this may be a “bone” of contention among ramen purists, but I approached it purely from a taste perspective. They also adhere to the “vegetarians need love too” philospohy and offer a vegetarian broth which is not the case for some of the other ramen houses in the area.

That said, I ordered my regular fare; shio ramen (thin noodles) and an order of gyoza. Since I was breaking the pork broth doctrine anyway, I decided to go spicy since I was intrigued by the addition of the “special chili oil”. The soup arrived quickly and I immediately noticed the distinct smell of chicken emanating from the bowl . Any fears of a dainty broth were quickly extinguished after the first few sips. As promised, it was rich and creamy and the oil added a modest amount of heat to the broth. The noodles and egg were cooked to near perfection (the noodles were firm and the egg was not quite hard boiled). The other ingredients were in good proportion to the broth and noodles.

Despite the fact the place was rather empty, the gyoza, despite being called an appetizer, didn’t arrive until I was almost finished the soup. With this annoyance aside, I was treated to a good plate of dumplings. They were seasoned well and nicely pan-finished, keeping the integrity of the dumpling while adding the right amount of crispiness.

My Take

I wanted to insert some witty banter into this post but I was left stumped. Once you’ve branched out to a number of ramen places, you run out of ideas. Touhenboku turns over a new leaf by having the gall to focus on mizutaki (chicken broth) and knot the traditional tonkotsu (pork broth) as the base to its hearty soups. The flavours are quite rich which might help justify the fact that boles are a bit smaller than other ramen joints. In the case of the spicy ramen, it’s bark was worse than it’s bite although the chili did add a nice flavour. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the gyoza, despite having a filling a little less poppy than others, were some of the better I’ve had since they were pan-fried to near perfection. In the end, Touhenboku has blossomed into good competition with other ramen houses in the area in regards to both service and more importantly, a decent bowl of soup. Domo arigato Zuimei Okuyama…wood you please take a bough?

A Noodle Face in the Crowd not as Pretty as Dirk Benedict or Bradley Cooper

May 10, 2014May 18, 2014 spennyrdLeave a comment

There are a number of references to famous faces (and maybe not so many) I have come across in my travels:

• Two-face is a notorious villain in the Batman franchise.

• Faceman (the Face), played by Dirk Benedict and later Bradley Cooper, was a member of the quartet which made up the A-team.

• My Brave Face was Paul McCartney’s attempt to import and adapt his immense musical talent into the mundane late 80’s pop scene

• Furnace Face was a 90’s Canadian Indy band who put out such songs as “We Love you, Tipper Gore” with an anti-censorship theme and “She Thinks She’s Fat” which addresses the body image image which plagues to this day.

The newest addition to the list is Noodle Face, the recently opened Chinese restaurant in Baldwin Village. Like many of it’s neighbours, it’s a no frills eatery with relatively inexpensive meal choices served with the ethnic flare of the far east. The hand-drawn sign is almost invisible among the other makeshift ones lining the street. Inside is no different. Concrete brick walls on one side and a hand drawn mural on the other, plywood counters and a large, messy blackboard highlight the 40 seat interior. I arrived around lunch and managed to get a seat by the window (in fact probably the only seat by the window). I was offered a tea which was served in an aged enamel cup as a ratty menu was presented containing all sorts of traditional Chinese noodles and soups as opposed to the more common ramen and pho. There is also a list of signature and specialty dishes ranging from pancakes to perfect chicken legs and secret buns you have to drop in and try.

The “Chef Q handmade dumplings” is a broth soup made with seaweed, scallions, a few glass noodles and the aforementioned dumplings. It was very different from the ramen and pho in that the broth was predominately sour versus salty. It was a bit of an acquired taste that got rather pleasant as you ate more of it. When you ate something else and went back, however, you were caught off guard again because of the sourness. The soup dumplings were thick and tasty and filled with flavourful, seasoned pork. The plentiful onions added a nice bite.

Chef Q Dumpling Soup — Chef Q Handmade Dumpling Soup $6

The dummy salad came with a choice of green beans or broccoli with no description other than that. I had no idea what a dummy salad was so I ordered it. Basically it was a plate of cold beans dressed lightly and topped with sesame seeds. The beans were not the freshest I have had but the dressing was subtle and refreshing. Otherwise, it was rather unremarkable.

The menu is in no way modest. Case and point is the Rou-Jai-Mo, which is described as follows: “Is mo a bread? Bun? Bao or Nann? Figure it out yourself for our top-rated small food.” Intrigued, I ordered one. I expected a soft pork bun but instead got something that I would describe as a cross between a crunchy english muffin and a tea biscuit. It was stuffed with meat which resembled canned flakes of ham seasoned with cilantro in both appearance and taste. It wasn’t unpleasant but it a was secret that wasn’t as juicy as anticipated.

My Take

Noodle face co. is a new joint with a no frills appearance that fits well with the Baldwin Street scene. Instead of duplicating the numerous ramen and pho houses, it offers unique fare more indicative of China than Korea or Japan. The menu is diverse and cryptic which either offers no description of items or very detailed warnings, precautions and promises. Although nothing blew my mind, I wasn’t too disappointed. If anything, the food is unique and the price point reasonable. Noodle Face isn’t pretty like Templeton Peck. It doesn’t aim to conform to the popularity of everybody else like at a late eighties Paul McCartney song. If anything, it’s kind of like Furnaceface; refreshingly unpredictable while making bold statements on a budget…but not for everybody.

I Battled Gyozilla at Kenzo

January 27, 2014 spennyrd2 Comments

Most ramen joints are strutting their stuff right now. Neck in neck with tacos, ramen was the top trend in the GTA in 2013. Large windows showcasing the interior cramped quarters have become the norm for these eateries, so I was intrigued when I hit Kenzo noodle house on Dundas street over lunch. Blinds cover the windows below a modest red sign and a logo of a rather mean looking dude with his arms crossed. It seemed a bit taboo. Swinging open the door, I felt a little like Anthony Bourdain on CNN’s Parts Unknown until I quickly realized the blinds were likely there to keep out the sun and not to hide something forbidden. The decor was plain; in fact almost run down. A combination of tables and booths line the walls which are covered with aged pictures advertising Matcha tea smoothies. The creepy white ceramic cat which features in the majority of Asian restaurants stared and waved at me with that look I don’t quite trust.

A pleasant waitress came by quickly with a glass of water a handed me a menu which looked like it had been dropped in a puddle and then used as a origami medium to create that creepy white cat or some other creature. It consisted of a number of ramen bowls, categorized into basic, hot, cuisine and tonkotsu. There were also a few interesting sides including a breaded pork chop, gyoza and octopus balls. As usual, I ordered the gyoza dumplings and opted for the tonkotsu ramen. You have the option of three levels of spice, so I ordered the middle intensity. The soup was out in minutes, served on a tray with shichimi and pepper. It was a pretty soup, topped with finely slice scallions, bok choy, bamboo shoots, roasted pork, egg and a fishcake. The broth was a vibrant, milky white contrasted by specks of red indicated that some heat would ensue. It had a balanced taste with a bite (definitely don’t go level 2 if you don’t like spice) that didn’t overpower the dish. In fact, there was no prevailing flavour which made for a nice base. The liberal use of scallions really helped the soup and the other ingredients, including the noodles, were cooked properly.

Unlike the other ramen houses I have been to, the Gyoza came after the soup. I choose an order of three as opposed to the full order. When they arrived I realized why there were blinds were on the windows. They were housing Gyozilla, the largest Japanese dumpling I have seen in a restaurant. I felt feeble as I lifted my puny chopsticks to battle my pork filled foe. Although a little greasy, they popped with flavour, especially when coupled with the tangy sauce on the side. I eventually won the battle, but it took three or four bites each to do so.

My Take

Kenzo is like a B movie, offering one of the largest cast of ramen bowls in the downtown core. While other ramen houses have fancy decors and lines out the door, Kenzo is modest in appearance and appears to have a devoted following (there was a steady stream of people the whole time I was there). Relatively speaking, it’s almost unmentioned on urbanspoon. After conquering Gyozilla in an epic battle, I did feel a bit like Anthony Bourdain in a Walter Mitty sort of way. Having seen the octopus balls at another table, I’d come back for the sequel, this time turning my attention to Oodako, the giant cephalopod which ravished villages in the B movie classic King Kong vs Godzilla. My chopsticks are ready.

Review:Toronto:Downtown:Ramen Raijin

December 15, 2013 spennyrdLeave a comment

I was at a conference at a nearby hospital and decided to sneak out in order to avoid the generic wraps which graced the lunch table. It was a frigid day, so a bowl of ramen sounded divine. I trekked to the Corner of Yonge and Gerrard, hoping I could get a prime time seat at Ramen Raijin. It was about 80% to capacity so I didn’t have to wait in line.

The first thing I noticed was the set-up. I found it a lot roomier than some of the other ramen houses nearby. I was seated along a counter facing away from the kitchen with a side view of a large and attractive sculpture of what I perceived to be some sort of mythical Japanese idol. On the counter sat a menu held together by a clipboard. One part of the menu was a lunch combo flyer which presented like a grade 8 art project, complete with pictures of a disproportionate chicken and a pig that kind of looked like a cat. Of greater interest was the offering a small bowl of one of 5 types of ramen and 4 types of rice with a salad for $11.95. I tend to gravitate toward Shio Ramen and an order of Gyoza and today was no different. I chose the Soboro Don as the rice dish as part of the combo.

The starter salad was fresh and well dressed.

The gyoza was terrific. The dough was tender and fried to perfection and the filling with robust with flavour. The dipping sauce was pleasant. They lacked both the greasy or watery nature that I’ve experienced with these dumplings elsewhere. They were also priced well at less than $3 for 5 dumplings.

I kind of expected a very small bowl of ramen as part of the special but both the soup and rice were quite a reasonable size. Raijin’s interpretation of the shio included pork shoulder, green onion, Kikurage mushroom, cabbage, egg and black garlic oil. The shoulder was tender, the egg cooked to a perfect soft boil, the broth was rich and tasty and the noodles were firm and delicious. This is likely one of the more polar bowls of ramen I’ve tasted mainly because of the distinct flavour of black garlic oil. It has a strong and distinct flavour which could easily take over some of the delicate flavours of the soup itself. If you love it..great. If not, you may be a bit disappointed.

As for the rice dish, The nori was a nice touch but for some reason the bowl was missing the green onions advertised on the lunch combo flyer. As a result, it was a safe dish with no contrasting taste or contrast. It was missing any soft and sweet, missing the crunch and bites the onions would have provided.

Shio Ramen and Soboro Don (part of $11.95 lunch special)

My Take

Ramen Raijin offers a roomy and comfortable environment with good service and good food. It has a simple yet attractive decor (I like the sculpture) and lots of room to think or eat or people watch…whatever your fancy. The lunch special is a good value and allows somebody to try an array of flavours whether a fan of pork or chicken. The gyoza are among the best I’ve had at a ramen house. As mentioned, all the components of the ramen were well executed but the liberal use of the Mayu black garlic oil may not appeal to the masses. I wouldn’t hesitate to return on a cold winter day, but I may bring a bunch of green onions just in case.

Review:Toronto:Downtown:Sansotei Ramen

March 30, 2013March 30, 2013 spennyrdLeave a comment

I dropped into this Ramen house around 11 am on a Tuesday morning, taking advantage of the fact that there wasn’t a crowd huddled around the door like you’d see during a Sylvester Stallone sighting. The reasons for the mass crowds are threefold:

1. It’s ramen and it’s Toronto.

2. The place only holds about 30 people.

3. The policy is wait outside because there’s no room inside.

The decor is plain. The tables are bare. The menu is a small laminated, folded card. The tiny kitchen is barely visible in the back. No cliffhanger here…I followed my standard routine and ordered shio ramen with a side of gyoza dumplings.

The Ramen

It was quite a simple presentation, including green onion, noodles, a few bamboo shoots, pork belly and a softish boiled egg. It ignored the bells and whistles such as nori, pickled plums and goji berries. The broth was rich and full of pork flavor. On one hand, it was not oversalted. On the other, it was a bit greasy which wasn’t helped by the really fatty pork cut submerged in the broth. The egg was cooked and seasoned well, the amount of onion and shoots were not enough and the noodles (ordered thick) were a bit starchy. In the end, it was a decent bowl and less than $9.

The Gyoza

The lipophilic nature of Sansotei was evident again when I ordered the gyoza. Four pieces for $4.50 (I ate one before I remembered I didn’t take a picture) arrived Stallone style (slightly tanned and glistening with oil) and served with a tasty dipping sauce. Despite being a bit greasy, the dough had a great texture (unlike Stallone post Judge Dredd) in that it was not too chewy nor too crispy. The filling was well seasoned and not watered down in a fashion similar to the plot of Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot.

My Take

Sansotei is a small, simple eatery with an equally simple menu. It doesn’t have the bells and whistles of other ramens, but despite being a bit greasy, the rich broth is flavorful enough and is not oversalted. None of the broths are vegetarian. The gyoza were terrific although a quick wipe with a napkin wouldn’t hurt. I really need to do a ramen power ranking but as it stands Sansotei comes in Stallone style again (an underdog who proves to be a serious contender). In the end, it may not the be the Rocky of all ramen, but it sure isn’t the Rhinestone either.

Review:Toronto:Queen West:A-OK Foods

February 28, 2013March 3, 2013 spennyrdLeave a comment

Upon entering A-OK, which over hovers over County General at the corner of Queen and Shaw, I felt like I was in a high school cafeteria, complete with pastel coloured picnic tables. Instead of long-winded calculus problems scripted on the board, a short and simple menu was presented offering eclectic spins on Asian food. The curriculum included small plate options mixed with the equally popular ramen bowls. The question would be whether the food had the same cafeteria flare as the decor.

Must

The salt cod inari was a terrific start to the meal….kind of like a first period english class with a cool teacher. The wrapper was a chewy but not an uncomfortable texture housing rice that was moist, not mushy. The salt cod added subtle spots of saltiness throughout the inners of the roll. The feisty dipping sauce was cleverly spread along the rim of the plate, appealing to both the dimension of visual appeal and sapidity.

Maybe

The spin on the shoyu ramen was decent but it certainly wasn’t the best in the city. It was rather generic and lacked the complexity of some of the other soups. The broth was one-toned, the noodles a bit limp and the pork was tender but not remarkable. The egg was well cooked and nicely seasoned and the goji berries were a cute touch. In the end, it was satisfying but not memorable, creating an economic argument by being priced at over ten bucks a bowl.

The pork ssam had a messy appearance and was tricky to eat. In the end, it had a nice, fresh taste but the flavours were scattered depending on the placement and size of the bite. Not a bad snack for 5 bucks. It might have been a bit more exciting if a short course in engineering promoting self-assembly had been employed.

Mundane

My table mate ordered the Sichuan Tsukeman ramen bowl. I was tempted to do the same and I’m glad I didn’t. It was a bit of a mess. Understanding it’s a bit of a variation from the standard noodle bowls ( the broth is replaced with a spicy dipping sauce on the side) , it lacked the heartwarming nature of its Shoyu cousin. After dragging the limp noodles through the sauce, I was left with a nice quantity of spice but an oily taste that was less than appealing. The pork, egg and seaweed were interesting additions but still couldn’t cut into the monotony of the overpowering sauce. Let’s call it a cool science experiment gone slightly wrong.

My Take

A-OK foods fuses two of Toronto’s hottest culinary trends: asian inspired street food and ramen. Although it doesn’t deliver the best of either world, there were a few dishes worth talking about. As for the vibe, I only experienced the midday experience but it felt a bit like being in detention, lacking the buzz and excitement of similar eateries. In the end, the report card is such that I can’t give A-OK foods an A, but more likely a C and possibly a B minus if the salt cod inari is somewhere in the lesson plan.

Review:Toronto:Downtown:Santouka Ramen

January 5, 2013January 6, 2013 spennyrdLeave a comment

Toronto is one of a number of North American cities in which Santouka Ramen, a Japanese-based restaurant chain, has set up shop in hopes of capturing the growing base of noodle fans. Santouka promises quick and efficient service but tries to deviate from the notion that all ramen soups are created equal. It steers away from rich pork belly, eggs and nori offered by others in lieu of a somewhat cleaner bowl of salty broth. I arrived at 1210 and got the last seat, which was at the bar with a clear view of the kitchen. I was a bit memorized by the long stove holding up 8 large vats of bubbling broth presumably prepared by a methodical and somewhat mystical process. Otherwise, it had the feel of a karaoke bar set up in a subway station, with orders sung in Japanese melodies muffling the continuous sound of clanking soup bowls. I had my meal and was out in about 30 minutes, receiving envious stares from the 12-15 onlookers in line when I left.

Maybe

It’s apparent that each interpretation of this traditional dish is in the eye of the beholder. In this case, the Shio Ramen was a mellow, salty broth with a firm, tasty noodle and adorned with green onion, crisp bamboo shoots, fish cake, ribbons of kikurage (mushrooms), fatty back rib pork and a signature pickled plum. If I were a soup architect constructing the perfect bowl, I’d say the foundation (broth) was a bit oversalted, the walls (noodles) were solid and the accents spiced up the decor reasonably well. Both the plum and the spiral fishcake were a cute finish; a delicate reminder of the artistic importance put on Japanese food. The shoots and shrooms were mainly for taste and texture and somewhat succeeded at both but more so the latter. The pork was scarce. Perhaps my biggest disappointment was the lack of an egg. It’s like building a house without a pool; it works but you’re left feeling like there’s something missing.

The gyoza were satisfying. Not doughy or soggy, they had a nicely seasoned and fairly abundant filling and were served with a carousel of condiments which included chili oil, rice vinegar and soy sauce. At a little more than a buck a dumpling, they hit the spot. I would equate them to a nicely manicured but not spectacular lawn sitting outside the previously described ramen house.

Mundane

I find something sacred about green tea and somewhat expect a little ceremony when I visit a Japanese restaurant. What I don’t expect is a generic tea bag (I think I can get a 100 bags of this brand for a buck or two at any teashop) in a cup for $2.50. At least bring me a good quality loose leaf tea and/or put it in a pot. Otherwise, don’t charge me a ridiculous price for an average product that maybe costs a cent or two.

My Take

Once again, no two soups are created equal. The seemingly infinite number of ramen houses mean an infinite number of ramen dishes and an infinite number of opinions. Santouka offered a reasonable competitor with a well flavoured but salt heavy broth (I drove home with the feeling that I had a chalice of water from the dead sea). The pork was a nice cut but the portion was minimal. The remaining additions were just ok. In summary, it’s a worthy, well-calculated addition to the neighbourhood of ramen soups, offering a house with a strong foundation, a few frills and a nice front yard (gyoza), although I still do miss the pool.

Fare..Eat..Ales Predictions of 2013 Food Trends.

December 31, 2012December 31, 2012 spennyrdLeave a comment

Each year sees a shift in the direction of the restaurant industry. I’m going to take a chance and speculate on what food trends will start or continue in the Toronto dining scene in 2013. Feel free to agree, disagree or suggest your own trends by commenting here, voting in the poll or tweeting #2013tofoodtrends.

1. Ramen Rage

Arguably the biggest craze in 2012, noodle houses will continue to appear like Starbucks and Subways in the coming months. Given the versatility of this noodle dish, I suspect new variations will emerge and will not be limited to ramen restaurants alone. I expect the big chains and even the small fusion eateries and food trucks to join the ramen rage in some way, shape or form.

2. Offal Offerings

Black hoof has gained international exposure for its offal menu with thumbs up from celebrity chefs including Anthony Bourdain during his lay over visit and Richard Blais’ endorsement on his list of favorite restaurants on Urbanspoon. Adaptations of the nose to tail concept have been adapted by many eateries, even including a beginner’s lesson in offal at Skin and Bones in Leslieville. This concept will continue to flourish given the surge in responsible eating as well as those seeking the adventure of multiple organ consumption.

3. In a Jar

I’m not referring to the traditional strawberry jam, pickled cucumber and mango chutney here. In efforts to use more local ingredients throughout the year, preserving is gaining popularity. Local and seasonal cranberries, tomatoes, peppers and tree fruit can be used year round when processed into sweet or savory condiments to compliment meats and even cocktails. Savory and briny condiments are definitely in. One of the best dishes I had in 2012 was a pickle tray at Sidedoor in Ottawa and it only makes sense that these creative, unique and in many cases relatively inexpensive foods are housemade to complement menus and blackboards in 2013.

4. Eat Street

Despite strict downtown by-laws and less than favourable year round weather, Toronto is catching up with other large metropolitan centres regarding the presence of food trucks offering anything from smoked meats to tacos to cupcakes. More and more private businesses and fundraisers are seeing the potential in these nomadic sculleries as an awareness raising tactic. In addition, the low overhead, creative license and geographical flexibility are appealing to restauranteurs, ensuring that the fleet of food trucks will continue to grow.

5. Carrying the Torch

The chef’s blowtorch is a cooking method which has typically been reserved for creme brulee and more recently sushi. The ease of use and aesthetic properties of charred food could expand the use of this handy tool to other areas of food preparation. Vegetables, cervices, meringues, terrines and even fois gras could be meliorated with a quick singe of the blue flame.

6. Mexican Mania

Tacos were the rave of 2012 with the success of Grand Electric and La Carnita taco-heavy menu. Burrito Boyz, Mucho Burrito and Burrito Bandidos are lunchtime and late night hotspots. Baja fish tacos adorn almost every chain restaurant’s lunch and dinner menu. Modernized twists on tasty tostadas, multifarious moles and piquant pozole will expand beyond the traditional taquerias, making Mexican fare one of the hot ethnic cuisines across the board in 2013.

7. Soul Train

Soul food has just gotten started. The success of Barque, Stockyards and new additions such as AAA combined with the Hogtown and Urban Smoke food trucks have put pulled pork and brisket on the must eat food map. Look for southern food to dominate in 2013 with the expansion of southern-influenced mainstays such as shrimp and grits, collard/mustard greens, gumbos and maybe even a crayfish or two.

8. Snack Time

Tastebud teasers including spiced nuts and other savory snacks have been a complimentary mainstay of bars and taverns for years. It seems this concept has crossed into the dining room, with a snack menu available offering munchable morsels, such as warm olives at Patria and Campagnolo, even before the appetizers arrive. In particular, popcorn is gaining popularity, providing a blank slate for various flavors including truffle at Origin and chipotle-caramel at Cava,

9. Comfort Zone

It appears chefs have dusted off their old copies of “They Joy of Cooking” and “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”. A return to comfort food is an emerging trend. In 2012, coq au vin was a staple at Richmond Station and Trevor Kitchen. Chicken Pot Pies were being baked up traditionally at C5 and with fois gras gravy at Reds Wine Tavern. Fried chicken is half the menu at Paulette’s and is available for two at County General. Old school bourguignon and gamy stews are emerging elsewhere. Expect a cornucopia of European inspired comfort food in 2013, complete with the use of fresh meats and seafood, rich sauces and homemade, flaky pastries.

10. Icy Indulgence

Frozen desserts have become a common default dessert item for many big name chefs, especically those with a aversion to baking. Working on the notion that frozen sugar and milk fat make anything taste better, unique flavours have been incorporated into ice creams, sorbets and gelatos alike. Whether it be savory flavours such as thyme or balsamic vinegar, sweetness through the use of commercial sodas or fruit nectars or incorporation of tart flavours like yuzu, a good ice cream maker and imagination is all that’s needed for this trend to blow wide open.

What do you think? Answer the poll and add your comments. Multiple answers are acceptable!

Review:Toronto:Downtown: Momofuku

September 22, 2012September 22, 2012 spennyrdLeave a comment

I arrived in Toronto around 10:20 on Thursday night, parked and headed down the road to Momofuku noodle house, the much discussed David Chang restaurant in the Shangri-La Hotel on University Ave. Open for only a few days, the place was packed. I was greeted at the entrance and was able to bypass the crowd, not because I’m a famous food blogger but because I was solo and they had a single spot at the bar.

I was seated beside a rather distraught guy who seemed utterly confused by the hype of the place given the small menu, which offered a mere five bowls with some buns and sides and no dessert. He eventually had his many questions answered and settled on something. I was quickly greeting by a pleasant waitress who offered me a glass of water (which wasn’t empty for the rest of the night) and a quick explanation of the menu. I immediately noticed the precision and efficiency of the open kitchen which, like the service, ran like a symphony.

I settled on a seven spice sour slushie (sake, togarashi, yuzu, lime ($10))…say that 5 times fast or you get cut off… to start. A bit off the wall but a decent cocktail despite a few episodes of brain freeze due to the large straw and the fact that I drink like an eight-year old. I ordered pork buns, the ramen bowl, pickles and smoked wings. Within 15 minutes, the pickles arrived, followed by the buns and noodles. There was a mixup with the wings so I didn’t get them until for a while after the rest of the order came.

Must

The steamed pork buns ($10) were the highlight. A bit of a twist on the popular dim sum item, they were presented open-faced and filled with a tender pork belly and seasoned with a sweet sauce. Good thing I was dining alone because I might of fought somebody if they went for the second one.

momo pork buns — Steamed pork buns ($10)

Maybe

The ramen itself was beautiful and traditionally presented, complete with nori, pork two ways (shoulder and belly), and a soft egg. There was also a fish cake and a chinese cabbage. The pork, egg and ramen were cooked perfectly and the cabbage had a briny taste which contrasted the richness of the belly nicely. The broth, however, was a bit confusing. Quite dark in colour, it had an almost burnt taste which overpowered the other components of the bowl. I normally expect a broth to bring it all together, not stand out on its own. Perhaps I’m not as familiar with Chef’s Chang’s flavour profile, but I was left scratching my head.

I love pickles and will order them whenever I can. Momofuku’s version were presented in a small jar and mainly consisted of onions, carrots and cauliflower. It took me a bit to realize the bottom of the jar was lined with a mushroom cap as well. The vegetables were still crisp and tasty if you really like vinegar. On the other hand, I didn’t get the mushroom. After what seemed like an eternity, I finally pried it loose and could only manage a bite or two before giving up.

Mundane

I got roped in by the smoked chicken wings with pickled chili, garlic and scallion. As mentioned above, I didn’t get them right away but had a good opportunity to watch the preparation method in the open kitchen. They are browned on the griddle, broiled, seasoned and served. They were a good size and well seasoned but still contained a lot of unrendered fat which made them a bit too greasy. There’s no way I could eat anymore than two.

My Take

The opening of Shangra-La will bring some solid New York inspired dining along University avenue, an area in need of more eateries. Momofuku noodle bar is the first stab and comes with the backing of David Chang and his Michelin stars. As a result, there will be a lot of hype and a few people may be disappointed, especially given the fact it can be considered a bit on the pricy side. At the same time, this place will succeed and promise to offer a constantly evolving menu. Whether it is a few growing pains or just a bit of confusion in my understanding of the preparation, at the end I was left feeling a bit like the guy sitting beside me.