DonDon Izakaya

There are no real healthy options at DonDon. But it’s a Japanese Pub, so ya know…when in Rome. Everything seems deep fried, drenched in butter or oil, loaded with garlic or mayo, grilled, and salty as heck. It’s perfect for knocking back a few drinks before heading home. The service can be spotty, we never got the tuna rice bowl that we ordered twice and they almost forgot our desserts. But it’s a fun place to be.

Eaten: deviled eggs with crisped bacon,  edamame with dried red shiso salt, ginger fried chicken, various grilled meats on skewers, tuna carpaccio, steamed pork belly, steamed fish with garlic and butter, matcha pudding, shochu cocktails (honey, mango, and calpico).

DonDon also makes sashimi, cheese wontons, pork buns, udons, Tokyo style hot dogs, hot pots, and the very elusive black sesame ice-cream.

DonDon Izakaya
130 Dundas St W | Website | Yelp

Kenzo Ramen, Japanese Noodle House | Bloor Street

We headed to Kenzo last Tuesday night to lift up our spirits. A two hour panel-lecture featuring former Toronto Mayor David Miller and U of T’s David Hulchanski on the depressing and frightening future awaiting Toronto had left us feeling less than enthused about life in the city. RIP Transit City. The brisk winter walk en route to hot noodle soup was just what we needed to clear our heads.

I don’t know what it is about ramen, but no matter how full I get, I always feel like there’s never enough noodles in my bowl. This is probably an indication that I am a horrible glutton. Remember my second dinner at Ippudo last year in New York? Yeah. Glutton.

Since Ippudo, I’ve been ordering Hakata tonkotsu ramen whenever I’m confronted with a Ramen menu. What makes Hakata ramen different is the use of thinner and firmer textured noodles in a milk-white pork bone broth topped with green onion and pickled red ginger. Kenzo’s version is by far the prettiest in a striking blue bowl with the addition of al dente baby bok-choy and half a boiled egg. If you like colours, you know what I mean – it’s a visual treat! Tonkotsu-miso ramen, as I discovered on Tuesday, uses miso paste that darkens the broth, but gives it a richer, bolder flavour. Umami. I would definitely recommend the Tonkotsu-miso ramen.