Of the many evolutions in live music over the last decade or two , one of the more pronounced has been the explosion of big name residencies, particularly in Las Vegas. Sure, artists like Barry Manilow and Wayne Newton figured this out years ago but only recently it makes perfect sense.. you bring the audience to you instead of going to them. You can also park the tour buses and avoid the repeated set up and take down of the stage on a nightly basis, especially if you are getting up there in age.
My Vegas trip was planned around a few things: a visit to Hell’s Kitchen, having a drink at Vanderpump a Paris and hitting up Rod Stewart at his residency at Caesar’s palace.
Vanderpump a Paris wasn’t my first choice but it was part of a negotiation to balance the week’s activities. That said, I was in intrigued to see what the hype was about. All I knew was to expect fancy and overpriced cocktails and charcuterie served in a cage to match the gothic theme of the restaurant. The service was impeccable and the experience was quite enjoyable although the target audience certainly isn’t my demographic.
Charcuterie and Cocktails at Vanderpump a Paris
My Hell’s Kitchen reservation was quite late at night but it did not take away from the expected ambiance. Sure, there was no cursing, expulsion of chefs or flying pans, but the opportunity to feast on scallops, beef wellington and sticky toffee pudding, three of the show’s most iconic dishes was iconic. I did find the Wellington a little underdone and echoes of Gordon Ramsey yelling “It’s F*cking Raw” filled my head for the first few bites.
Hell’s Kitchen- Wellington, Scallops and Sticky Toffee Pudding
Rod is on a list of a number of aging artists I wanted to catch before they hang up the microphone forever. Plus, there is some nostalgia in watching a concert done the old way meaning things like frequent wardrobe changes and interactive stage antics. I was also curious how a 77 year old with a very distinct voice would maintain the integrity of his music with a limited vocal range. The answer was an employment of a strong group of backup singers who would hit covers during his breaks as well as a few acoustic sets. That said, we were still treated with upbeat hits such as “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” and “Infatuation”, some great covers including paying his respects to Robert Palmer. His other tribute was to the Celtic football team for their premiership league win including his signature antic of kicking a few soccer balls into the audience. His most compelling outfit was a bright yellow and blue ensemble worn out of respect for the Ukraine situation. He was quite gracious throughout the show reminding the audience that he had every intention of making it worth the hard earned money they spent for a ticket. In the end, I said he succeeded.
Rod Stewart acknowledging Celtic’s win as well as the Ukraine situation
Kingyo is like a vacation hotspot I never seem to get to. I see pictures of happy people eating pretty food without a care in the world plastered all over twitter. At the same time, I’m cordially invited to the join the party and indulge in the daily specials with the fun employees. I never seem to make it however. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m in town on business by myself and know I wouldn’t scratch the surface of the menu or I just didn’t want to head east all the way to Cabbagetown.
There is a time, however, when you have to ignore the temptation to choose another destination and just book the trip. So I picked up the phone and made a reservation for a friend and I. I announced my intention on twitter and received a resounding Yay! in return. All was set. I even pondered taking an Advil in anticipation of a noise level similar that of Guu or other Izakayas across town.
I haven’t walked much past Jarvis for a while. In fact, I think the last time I strolled down Parliament was when I used to carry groceries back from No Frills while living at Bloor and Jarvis in 1997. I’m not sure much has changed since then…except Kingyo of course. Upon arrival, we swung open the door and entered the oasis, a Japanese eatery carved out of an old brick building. It was buzzing but not overly loud with the main noise coming from a large birthday party. We were offered a choice of a table or the sushi counter facing the kitchen. We chose the latter and our choice was sung out in glee by the waitstaff. A pleasant woman arrived quickly and produced a business card, introducing herself as Akiho. I guess you could call her our travel agent for the evening.
Here are a couple of things to note about Izakayas:
1. The menus are enormous. There’s tofu, seafood, pork, beef, chicken, shellfish, spicy, salty, sour, rice, noodles, raw, cooked or raw and cooked. It’s like trying to choose between puffin watching, bike riding or a wine tour.
2. In many cases, you have to trust the waitstaff. That said, there will probably be one thing you get that you didn’t order. Call it fate…just smile, nod and eat it. It’s sort of like a foreign tour guide…you don’t always understand what they say, but in the end it’s usually an enjoyable experience.
3. Don’t be alarmed by excessive happiness or singing. You are not on Just for Laughs, in a broadway musical or expected to join a flash mob to Styx’s Mr. Roboto. It’s part of the experience…like salsa dancing on the deck of a cruise ship.
So, after examining the menu like we were studying for an SAT, the ordering began…
I love yuzu and a good gin and tonic. The three together were an automatic choice for a starting cocktail. It was presented without bells and whistles like umbrellas or lotus flowers. I sucked it back pretty quick, a testament to a good drink. Not a bad price either.
Kingyo Gin and Tonic $8
The first dish was tako wasabi, It was served beautifully on a stone plate with seaweed paper and a wooden well that Tinkerbell makes wishes in. If you don’t like wasabi, don’t order this. I’m not sure if the request for half cooked and half raw octopus was heard because it seemed all raw but it didn’t matter. It was a delicious dish.
Tako Wasabi $4.20
I can’t turn down pickles…or pickels as it was spelled on the menu. Regardless, the pickles were presented nicely. A cute trio of onion, daikon radish and squash were presented in three distinct ways. Although each may not appeal to everybody, it was like a buffet in which at least one would appease any palate.
Tsukemono Pickels Assortment $6.80
Since there were only two of us, the 3 kind assortment of sashimi made the most sense. I have seen the phenomenal presentation of the sashimi on other food reviews, so I was looking forward to a little visual magic. The plain, white bowl was a bit disappointing (it was like seeing a great hotel on their website only to find the real room a little drab). Maybe it was because I cheaped out and only ordered the three kind as apposed to 5 or 7. Although pricy, the sashimi, was delicious. a mix of delicacies stretching the pacific from BC to Hawaii to Japan.
Sashimi- 3 Kind Assortment 25.00
Next was the red tuna & black tiger prawn avocado tartar. It tasted exactly how it sounded. The sweet house sauce was a great touch, adding an unorthodox dimension to a normally rich and buttery dish. There was a substantial amount of tartar for the 4 garlic crisps..maybe a few rice crackers or other mediums of transfer would have been a practical touch.
Red tuna & Black tiger prawn avocado tartar $10.80
When it came to the meat, I was intrigued by the stone grilled beef tongue because it required me to cook it myself. Served with lemon, a hot sauce and and a savory oil, it requires you to slap some raw tongue on a hot stone and listen to the sizzle. The whole cooking process took less than 30 seconds (see below for my simple three step instructional). It was fun and delicious and each of the condiments added a contrasting sensory dimension to the salty meat.
Stone Grilled Beef Tongue $10.20- Step 1
Stone Grilled Beef Tongue- Part 2
Stone Grilled Beef Tongue- Part 3
For those who like sizzle but not a little tongue, the stone bowl seafood sea urchin don is a smart choice. served with an array of seafood including prawn, squid, scallop and salmon roe. After presenting the attractive dish, the waitress mixed it for us as it sizzled against the bowl. The suggestion was to let it sit for a while so the rice could caramelize a bit. In the end, it’s a decent dish with a variety of texture and tastes, although with the ingredients, I expected a bit more of a pop.
Stone Bowl Seafood Sea Urchin Don $13.80
Stone Bowl Seafood Sea Urchin Don- Mixed
By this time I needed another drink so I ordered the signature gold fish cocktail. I enjoyed it…refreshing with a bit of a kick. As with the yuzu gin and tonic, I do appreciate $8 cocktails in this world of the numerous double digit offerings by other establishments.
Goldfish Cocktail $8
The last dish was the Spicy Chopped Tuna Mango Roll. It’s inevitable that I order a spicy tuna roll every time I visit a place that offers sushi. Based on the rest of the menu, I wasn’t surprised to see that these rolls had a twist. The spice was moderate and tuna was roughly chopped to protect it’s delicate texture and taste, The tobiko was a appropriate, salty touch. The mango was fresh, bright and sweet but a bit overwhelming against the rest of the roll.
Spicy Chopped Tuna Mango Roll $9.80
Japanese restaurants and good dessert can rarely be mentioned in the same sentence. but not all offer “famous” almond tofu. Touched with a cap of jasmine syrup and a belt of tart berry sauce, it had a silky texture and great flavour balance. The key was digging down to the bottom to experience all the complementing flavours in one bite.
2 Color Almond Tofu $5.80
The final touch was a couple of frozen grapes hidden among yellow flowers in a tiny vase. Perhaps picked by Tinkerbell or Pollyanna, they were a final reminder of the attention to detail and artistic flare that Kingyo prides themselves on.
Thank you grapes
My Take
The izakaya movement has hit Toronto, leading to a plethora of interpretations. Some have taken the boisterous, karaoke route and others have chosen to go down the route of creating dishes that look straight from travel brochures. Kingyo opted for the latter and attempted to create an oasis in an otherwise rustic and some would argue rundown and eccentric part of Toronto. Akiho brought us on a tour of wishing wells, hot rocks and bright flowers (although she did disappear for a bit). In a world of all you can eat sushi menus similar to all inclusive vacations, Kingyo offers a unique experience filled with good times, fun scenery and good food with enough variety to please meat eaters, pescatarians, vegans and the gluten intolerant alike. Plus, if you’re lucky, you may get serenaded by the wait/kitchen staff or actually spot a fairy hiding behind a mushroom or casting magic wishes in a tiny wooden well.
Fare..Eat..Ales 