Out & About #120 | Aka Teppan (Bloor)

When I first received news of Aka Teppan's Grand Opening in Toronto (and Okonomiyaki fries giveaway), I was instantly propelled to see the location in order to disclose its similarities to the Markham location.

It wasn't until recently that I received such an opportunity; though the free fries deal had long expired, it did not deter my decision to pay a visit.

Unlike the distinct sign in the First Markham Place plaza, the exterior of the location on Bloor is much more subdued: it is comprised of a muted marble-like finish and only the "Aka" logo to indicate that customers have indeed found the right place.
(Side note: "Aka" is Japanese for the colour "red", thus making it appropriate for the restaurant to have a subtle, recurring dark red theme.)

We arrived just as the restaurant was opening, and was able to take in the interior decor in all its entirety before any other parties arrived. I must admit that I enjoy the dining area of this location more than the East end location. In contrast to fmp's casual dining area and all-black furniture, this store employs a mix of wooden finishes, marble-like textures, coloured projections in place of signs, and the thorough use of 赤 (the Kanji for "Aka"). My only complaint would have to be the lack of windows and natural light, as well as the excessive use of strong, overhead spotlights casting harsh shadows down below.

The bathroom is interestingly enough: it has four individual stalls (two per gender) and a general hand-washing area with four faucets. The hand towels were composed from a thick material with high absorption properties; the area was also well-lit. While awkwardness between guests may be inevitable in such circumstances, the design provides a great solution for small spaces.

The Bloor location also utilizes a differently-formatted menu with the addition of a few new items (such as Hokkaido Milk Hotpot). Their Grand Opening lunch special allowed for up to a maximum of two side dishes, a drink, or a dessert to be selected at a measly cost of 99 cents per side order.
The Grilled Chicken Teppan-Yaki Rice and Salmon Tataki Salad were ordered, with sides of Fried Pork Dumplings, and Roasted Milk Green Tea. While not a free item, an order of Okonomiyaki Fries was also added.

The full album can be found HERE !

My Roasted Milk Green Tea arrived first, followed by my side order of Fried Pork Dumplings. I had asked for less sugar in the drink, and true to the waiter's words, he had asked the kitchen to make it less sweet. It was a bit milky for my taste, but the flavour of the roasted tea still managed to shine through. The light flavours of the drink made it a perfect compliment to the rest of my meal.

The Fried Pork Dumplings had a rather thick wrapper; it was crunchy without being oily, and flavourful without being overly salty. For only 99 cents, this side order of great dumplings put many others to shame.

Based on past experiences, I've learned to avoid ordering "fusion fries" with high expectations, as the resulting dish may be later revealed to be much lower in quality than anticipated. The best example of this would be Sugar Marmalade (both North York and Mississauga locations); of course, there are exceptions such as Han Ba Tang (best kimchi/bulgogi fries EVER) and Shiso Tree Cafe.

And because I was preparing for the worst, I wound up being delightfully surprised. The Okonomiyaki Fries were great! While a tad greasier than I would have preferred, the fries were exceptionally crispy, despite being drenched in mayonnaise and okonomiyaki sauce, and further topped with nori (seaweed) strips and bonito flakes. They hadn't been stingy either - the bowl was large enough to share between three or four people! ($6.99 would have been a tad pricey for two, otherwise.)

Another interesting aspect of this location is the form in which the Teppanyaki Rice is served.
While meat is generally only charred lightly before it is placed onto the hot plate and served to customers, the chicken had evidently been grilled once beforehand.
In Markham, it was customary to allow the customers to mix in the ingredients by themselves. However, our waiter hovered by our table attentively, clearly prepared to mix the rice for us, as he would later assist other customers. I am unsure as to why there is such a difference, though I must commend management for this extra attention to detail and enhanced customer service.

The Salmon Tataki Salad was also great! Several slices of seasoned, just-charred salmon had been placed atop a bed of baby spinach with light drizzle of salty-sour ponzu dressing, and topped with cucumbers, sliced strawberries, and carrot slaw. The dish was light and refreshing, but nonetheless filling.

I was informed that the Original Tiramisu was a coffee-flavoured custard with a graham cracker crust, topped with crushed chocolate wafers.
The Green Tea Parfait, served in a tall, ribbed cup, used sweetened corn flakes (Frosted Flakes??) as a base. It consisted of two generous scoops of green tea ice cream, a spoonful of sweet azuki bean paste, a squirt of whipped cream topped with crushed chocolate wafers, a few slices of strawberries, and two sticks of green tea Pocky to finish.
The main problem that I tend to encounter with corn flakes-based parfaits is the level of difficulty in mixing the creation together for consumption. However, I did not have such concerns with this particular parfait from Aka Teppan; the ice cream had managed to soften the corn flakes just enough that mixing the components did not result in any toppings falling out of the cup. Had I not been so full, I may have been able to finish the entire order.

Next time, I shall be returning to try their unique Hokkaido Milk Hot Pot!
(Shoutout to our super-friendly Otani Ryohei-like waiter for making our lunch a great experience!)

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