January 6th, 2011 § § permalink
A hidden gem of a Japanese restaurant tucked away off Queen St. W., I could tell Ema Tei was a great find the moment I stepped in. The waitress bowed as she welcomed us and led us to our seats. The restaurant was long and rectangular, with a few private booths and two for group dining booths in the back with floor cushions for a more traditional feel.
Service was attentive and the food arrived quickly.
The “mystery” white fish sashimi tasted like sea perch, luscious and soft. Presentation was average, the slices could have been thinner and cleaner. There was a hint of ammonia in the aftertaste, but Toronto isn’t exactly a fishing village.
The eggplant appetizer was drenched in a delicious house sauce, although the eggplants themselves were quite runny.
The BBQ tuna roll was delicious, although it seemed that they skipped a few steps in making the sushi rice. The sushi rice had not been cooled long enough, and the vinegar-to-rice-to-sesame-seeds ratio was off.
The giant roll really was giant. It was bursting with half a dozen ingredients, including salmon roe, avocado, tobiko, and egg. When I say bursting, I mean it literally: it was hard to eat since the ingredients kept falling out. While the roll ranked low on the authenticity scale, it ranked high on the value scale.
The katsudon arrived last. It was aromatic and mouthwatering: a huge bowl of rice topped with katsu strips, caramelized onions, scrambled eggs, and green onions. It made me wish I had ordered less so I would have more room for it.
I’ve lost the photos I took for this meal, but it is definitely a place worth returning to.
Rating: 
January 2nd, 2011 § § permalink
I’ve already reviewed Ambassador Chinese Cuisine, but this Sunday, I returned for more, and my experience only reinforced my previous review.
I’m always a fan of crispy noodle bowls just because they’re fun to eat, but the vegetables were good too.
The chicken feet were cooked until they were very tender so it was easy to eat.
I’m still not sure what exactly this was, but it was quite savoury.
Crispy perfection. I didn’t find any meat in this pancake, just some dried shrimp and scallions.
This was the only disappointing dish. They could have picked better cuts of pork. The pork was also not cooked long enough. And there needed to be more black bean sauce.
This is actually a common dish in Singapore, although I’m not sure where it originated. This was a little too chunky and thick.
Har gow, tender and delicate, perfect as always.
The egg custard was good, but I thought the puff pastry could have used a bit more “puff.”
Like last time, most of the items were good, but some were so mediocre you wondered how it could have come from the same kitchen. Still, the good items seem to be consistently good, so if you know what you like, you can come back for the same thing and you won’t be disappointed.
January 2nd, 2011 § § permalink
Discovered The Hoof Cafe through Yelp and went for a New Year’s Day brunch. Turned out to be the best decision I ever made in 2011 (so far).
The place was as popular as it was tiny – we weren’t the only ones who ventured out on a rainy New Years morning – but it was well worth the wait. We could tell the place had character the moment we stepped in, with exposed brick walls, broad wooden floor planks, and a faux vintage metallic ceiling.
The suckling eggs benedict (eggs benedict with pulled pork) was the best I ever had. And surprisingly, it wasn’t the eggs or the pork that made me think so, it was the biscuit.
The eggs were done perfectly so the yolk ran and was soaked up by a scrumptious biscuit, the likes of which I’ve never had before. It was surprising to find that a place that boasted meat could make such delicious carbs, and it really showed their meticulous attention to detail.
Who could say no to dessert for breakfast? But seriously, best waffles ever. The caramelized bananas were a nice touch, but the real treat was the dark chocolate in the waffles. The mixture of sweet and bitter made my taste buds beg for more.
All of it went down very well with some quality french press coffee and friendly service. Vegetarians, don’t be fooled by the meat-centric menu, a lot of it can be done without the meat. I can’t wait to return to Toronto and try something else on their menu.
Rating:
