Out & About #408 | Kibo Sushi, Strange Love + MyMy Chicken

​Prior to the start of the year, I had concluded a round of downtown errands with an afternoon snack of Black Sesame Soufflé Cheesecake and Chocolate Truffle black tea. A substantial period of time has passed since I had last roamed the area, so it came as a surprise to find that a sushi spot had replaced the coffee shop originally sandwiched between Millie Patisserie and an extra-compact dry cleaning shop.

Kibo was its name and packed it was during peak lunch hours. With a grand total of five tables, it primarily operated as a takeout and food delivery establishment. Actively participating in apps such as Ritual, Uber Eats, and more, the narrow strip of a sushi joint was positively bustling even well after half past noon.

​A tall refrigerator could be found near the entrance, shelves lined with five- and ten-dollar "cash-and-grab" (read: cash plus takeout-only) deals. The maximum capacity of the restaurant was about fourteen, seeing as hlaf of one table had been allocated towards a landing spot for takeout orders.

​A brief wait ensued before seating was obtained. Jittering with every creak of the door and its merciless gusts of cold weather, we observed as the flow peaked, then lessened to a more manageable degree.
Once finally seated, one of the two front-line staff followed up with menus, then lime-infused water, and later utensils. A bottle of Kikkoman and single soy sauce dish already rested to the side. Contrary to the tattered laminated specimens of other similar sushi spots, the menus appeared surprisingly new. This may have largely been owed to the lower ratio of dine-in than takeout customers.

​Between the intricate-looking appetizers, extraordinary range of specialty rolls, and brimming bento sets, Kibo offered a distinctly diverse assortment not witnessed elsewhere. Moreover, there were daily specials to choose from.

Utensils were initially delivered in an icky state: grime coated the surface of the one of the copsticks, wihle the soy sauce dish was similarl questionable. The two ladies showed promptness - and willingness - to exchange the filth-smeared apparatus for a clean, albeit wet, dining tool instead, in addition to refilling water cups.

​The 6-piece Kibo California arrived first, followed by Daily Special #1 featuring ten pieces of Dynamite Roll and three salmon nigiri. Both arrived on dark (ceramic?) plates with slick edges, though this was not a huge concern considering the effective value of the orders.

Torched scallops, blackened cheese shards, and a uniquely savoury drizzle topped the Kibo California, rendering it anything but typical. The overall profile was completely unexpected, and very much appreciated. Size-wise, the hexad was decent; accompanying the rolls were heaping spoonfuls of wasabi and pickled yellow ginger. For the average person's appetite, six rolls stuffed with buttery ripe avocado would be just adequate. More ravenous stomachs would find greater joy in the ten-piece combos and economic bento sets.

​Along with each of the four Daily Specials came a side salad and miso soup. While I did not taste the Dynamite Roll of Special #1, it was undoubtedly fragrant and retained a ridiculous amount of visual appeal. The salmon nigiri boasted fleshy strips of salmon sashimi (sake) and utilized minimal wasabi as adhesive. Sushi rice was presented in luscious, well-compacted mounds that exhibited ideal proportions of sugar and rice wine vinegar.

Unsurprisingly, washrooms ceased to exist in the modest eatery.

​Bidding farewell to my lunch partner, I set off northbound towards my next destination. Little did I know, the winds were stronger than I had imagined. The supposedly short trek seemed longer and colder than expected; my legs went numb not even ten minutes later, forcing a detour into a nearby establishment until the sharp pangs subsided. As it turned out, I had completely passed it without realizing.

Strange Love was south of Adelaide after all. Oops.

​For reasons beyond me, the cafe had hit full capacity at my time of arrival. The coffee shop wasn't particularly spacious to begin with, as it approximated the same number of seats as Kibo, though the arrangement of stools and booths enabled customers to allot enough working space to fit a small laptop and cup of joe.

Turnover time was rather quick, seeing as most patrons stop for business-related conversations or short breaks from the cold. As one duo departed, another would immediately take hostage of the seat. This made it difficult to save spots for a small party.

​The installment of hooks underneath the communal table at the centre of the seating area was greatly appreciated; jackets and bags could be placed within reach without obstructing neighbouring seats. Outlets were generally distributed along the north- and south-facing walls, prompting my migration to a single-person booth as soon as it vacated. 

Sourcing various roasts from Pilot Coffee, Strange Love's extensive selection spanned from basic espresso beverages (americanos, cortados) to seasonal holiday drinks which, might I add, almost appeared specific to combatting the effects of the cruel winter season.

​Takeout cups were offered in three sizes: small, medium, and large. A large Lovers Latte set me back a whopping $6.50, which was apparently due to the drastic increase in minimum wage. Strange Love depicted the concoction as a spin on the classic Vanilla Latte employing tonka bean for added depth and aroma.
True to its popularity, the latte was indeed fantastic. On the other hand, I don't think I can quite justify a tweaked flavour profile at such a hefty price. 

​An open Wi-Fi network with browser sign-in was the cafe's choice of interweb connection. Although my mobile device did not disconnect from the network during my stay, the signal was far from stable, consequently compromising ingoing and outgoing media.

Two hours of streaming Stray Kids later, ochungg joined me with a Spicy Hot Chocolate. The inclusion of spices lent warmth, while creamy chocolate neutralized the fiery properties of cayenne. Silky and milky with a just a touch of tonka marshmallow indulgence, the drink was declared an instant winner.

​Meanwhile, my Chocolate Chip/Toffee Nut cookie was less astounding. The three-dollar oil-laden object was successful in curbing sudden chocolate cravings, but was regrettably lacking in chewiness and overpowering in greasiness. Vegan and gluten-free baked goods were also available for purchase, though I strayed in fear of excessive starchiness/coconut oil content.

​Gingerbread Matcha offered an amusing Euro-Japanese take on my favourite latte. Bittersweet grassiness was paired with a stimulating sensation that elated olfactory senses but burned the throat. I was glad that it wasn't reminscent of the synthetic flavours in DAVIDsTEA's contemporary spinoff series, thought nonetheless satisfied with just one sip of foamy mixture.

​Strange Love offered a comfortable atmosphere for working or casual chitchat, albeit not the cleanest (croissant crumbs were found embedded in the crevices of the wooden tables). A huge deduction of points arises from their lack of an in-store bathroom. Patrons are supplied keys to the rundown stalls of the attached commercial building, found two doors down. The distance is short, but the need to bring bags and coats is frustrating.

Service was impeccable though - a rare feat for downtown businesses in general. The staff are courteous, friendly, and accommodating. Our almost-complete party resided until near closing hours, at which point the staff was kind enough to offer us pastries on the house, as each day featured a fresh batch.

< Pictured above and below: Almond Croissant, Raspberry Croissant, Plain Croissant, Chocolate Croissant >

​When ochungg suggested a meetup during evening hours with two other members (read: diners) in accompaniment, I instantly threw out James Cheese Back Ribs as a supper suggestion. After all, larger party meant greater possibilities for exploration.

Nearing 7:00 pm, we hopped on the streetcar to avoid the twenty-something-minute walk. Much to our dismay, we strode up to the entrance to find the Korean restaurant dark and grim-looking.

They weren't open.
​The sheet tacked onto the front door informed us of a closure until January 3rd, though this date had passed.

The frigid temperatures prompted quick thinking, for endurance against the cold wavered with greater exposure. Proposed by yours truly was to continue northbound to Spadina station and try MyMy Chicken's first downtown venture.

​Having taken over Aka Teppan's old spot, most of the interior decor had remained untouched with the exception of the storefront and the additional wall art. The marble tabletops, seating arrangements, as well as the "Aka"/赤 carvings distributed throughout the restaurant had been maintained. Oddly enough, Stainless steel forks and spoons had been swapped for disposable chopsticks.

A moderate number of customers filled the dining hall, all seated as far from the entrance as possible. We later discovered the reason: glass double doors had proved useless in shielding customers from the treacherous gusts of the outside world.

​After being acknowledged by the only member of waitstaff, shrimp chips, cubed white radish, and a silver pail (the "bone bucket") were delivered to the table. A side cabbage slaw also made an appearance; seemingly average-looking at first, a closer inspection revealed a viscous dressing of shocking fuchsia. The table deemed its constituents to be beets.

Much discussion took place before settling on the Three Of A Kind with a side of Corn Cheese. In actuality, I had wanted Steamed Eggs or a Seafood Pancake as well, though neither were available during this visit.

​Half-Half and Three Of A Kind sets enabled customers to choose from 14 styles of seasoned fried chicken, with the exemptions of the Green Onion Chicken, Curry Chicken, and Chilli Pepper chicken. Each style ranged between $27-$29, while the Half-Half and Three Of A Kind were $29 and $43 respectively. The mix-and-match options comprised of smaller baskets of chicken, acting as a great medium for trying out different house flavours should the infamous Green Onion Chicken not be of any interest.

​The Corn Cheese was quick to show itself, lukewarm in a shallow dish with minimal specks of questionably orange cheddar shavings. Worst of all was not its first impression, however, but the white mayo-based sauce that the sweet kernels bathed in. The absense of cheesiness was one thing, but presenting a dish bearing 99% congruity with spoiled mayonnaise is outright atrocious. Not a single one of us could stomach the sour-tasting obscenity.

​We requested a shift in tables at this point, as the cold was becoming unbearable. Quite frankly, moving three spots down made little difference, for I still shivered from within throughout the entire meal. It should also be mentioned that the second table hadn't been properly wiped down at all, as specks of fried chicken remained on the seat while orange smears stared me in the face. The constantly flickering lights above our heads did not make for fond memories either.
Truthfully, I couldn't spot our waitress most of the time, though we did manage to catch her for additional napkins at one point.

​The most positive aspect of the meal was, thankfully, the fried chicken.
Honey Garlic Chicken, Garlic and Soy Sauce Chicken, and Seasoned Spicy Chicken were our picks. Each basket arrived within two minutes of each other, which meant all styles could be enjoyed and evaluated simultaneously.

Honey Garlic featured four pieces of crisp, caramelized ddeok (slender rice cakes) as toppings, which ochungg and I munched on with much glee. The glaze was sweet, and the seasonings aromatic and savoury. Besides the honey glaze deteriorating in consistency over time, I quite enjoyed this one. It bore great similarities to Honey Garlic Chicken Wings.

​Garlic and Soy Sauce retained similar base notes to the Honey Garlic, in a less sugary manner. My personal favourite of the evening, it retained ultimate crispiness without sacrificing depth of flavour.

The classic Seasoned Spicy Chicken, otherwise known as 양념치킨 to many, is a dish I learned to respect profoundly following Jinyoung's mukbang on the New Yang Nam Show. While milder than anticipated, it was still a tad spicier than my normal diet. Nevertheless, I could appreciate its complex blend of seasonings and unmistakable kick.

​MyMy Chicken is undeniably on the pricier side of the chicken spectrum, especially given its new downtown location. Comparisons towards its smaller uptown spot cannot be made, though the deviance in food quality was entirely shocking. Corn Cheese, dirty tables, and mediocre service aside, I was appalled at the overall lack of heating, specifically taking unforgiving outside conditions into consideration.

​Nothing can be said about future visits at this point, seeing as only the Three of A Kind was found acceptable. Their North York location is slightly more appealing to me after this visit, as their menu not only appears more expansive, but the restaurant itself is accessible by both car and public transit.