[Toronto] Ichiriki Japanese Restaurant

Location Review
120 Bloor St East
Toronto, Ontario
(416) 923-2997
Website

Situated between Yonge and Church on Bloor, Ichiriki is a inconspicuous little Japanese-run restaurant. Like most other eateries in this area, they draw a big lunch crowd from all the nearby offices. However, after-hours Ichiriki is just as lively. Aside from a seasonal omakase menu and a monthly live jazz band night, every Tuesday evening they welcome Soba Canada to take over the kitchen and serve fresh handmade authentic soba.

Ichiriki

[Toronto] Azure Restaurant and Bar

Location Review
225 Front Street West
Toronto, Ontario
(416)597-8142
Website

Continuing with the Winterlicious expeditions after a fantastic meal at King Street Social, I had the pleasure of dining at Azure Restaurant and Bar at The Intercontinental Hotel (@ICTorontoCentre) last week. This would not be my first time dining here; it was only a few months ago that I was sitting under their wall-to-ceiling glass canopy dining room, enjoying noteworthy cocktails and an inspired Summerlicious menu. With an empty stomach and a huge appetite, I had nothing but high hopes of once a gain being wow'd by their Winterlicious offerings.

Bread Basket

Azure Margarita ($12) -tequila, blue curaçao, fresh lime, blueberry purée

[Toronto] Ja Bistro

Location Review
222 Richmond Street West
Toronto, Ontario
647-748-0222
Website



After hearing so much rave for this modern Japanese eatery, I finally took a visit to Ja Bistro (@JaBistro222) in the financial district of Toronto. Boasting a menu of ingredients shipped from all over the world and delicately crafted sushi by Chef Koji, the place has racked up a list of loyal customers as well as red carpet celebrities including Scarlett Johansson during TIFF!

Ja Bistro

[Toronto] Azure Restaurant & Bar

Location Review
225 Front Street W
Toronto, Ontario
Phone:416-597-8142
Menu




Azure Restaurant & Bar has been around for quite some time. Located in the InterContinental Hotel (@ICTorontoCentre), the restaurant prides on delivering a modern Mediterranean fare using the best Canadian ingredients. The truth is, I've been here before. Around half a decade ago I visited during for a fixed-prix Summerlicious menu. I don't exactly remember how the dinner went, but the fact that it barely left a memory probably means it was nothing to write home about.

Fast forward to the present. When I was informed that Azure had been undergoing a full restaurant revamp (read lunch, dinner, dessert and bar menu face lift to be released), it struck some interest in me. I wonder how it is now? The only way to find out, was to make a visit to the restaurant and try the Summerlicious (@liciousTO) menu once again.

[Richmond Hill] Inatei

Location Review
9021 Leslie St., Unit # 7
Richmond Hill, Ontario

I always get excited when I find a good sushi spot in Richmond Hill (Flashback to the first time I tried Tomo Sushi). To find a Japanese restaurant that isn't all-you-can-eat is hard to come by, and to find one that is half decent is even more difficult. Recently I've heard many people tell me  Tomo Sushi has gone somewhat downhill. I unfortunately have not been able to go back recently to testify the validity of these statements, but true or not, it never hurts to another option to the rainy-day restaurant list. 

Enter Inatei (@InateiJPCuisine). A Japanese restaurant juggling an extensive menu within a modern-chic decor. Aside from just the sushi rolls and bento boxes, they offer a selection of appetizers, robata-yakis (Japanese charcoal grill), whole fish sashimi, and fresh oysters.

[Toronto] Fin Izakaya

Location Review:
55 Eglinton Ave E
 Toronto, ON M4P1G8

MENU

Whenever I think about going to an izakaya, there really is only one place that consistently pops up in my head: Guu Izakaya. And so when someone suggested  Fin Izakaya (@FinIzakaya) in the Mount Pleasant area of Eglington as an alternative, I was delighted when I finally went with Carmen (@carmenhungry), Justine (@foodigatorJ), and Vickie (@kiki_BFF).