Earlier this summer I had the chance to try the new lunch dishes at Torafuku in Chinatown. This past weekend, I went back to try the new dishes on their winter menu. To celebrate the launch of their food truck – Le Tigre – they are offering 10% off on the Chef’s Omakase on Wednesday and Thursday. You just need to register in advance for a reservation or preorder. In addition to new dishes on their food menu, they have also put 3 new cocktails on their drink menu. Check out my review to see if it’s worth going to Torafuku for their new winter menu!
New Winter Drinks
The three new drinks on their menu:
- Cloud Nine ($12.00) – Havana club 3 rum, aperol, lime juice, falernum syrup and soda
- Catch Twenty Two ($13.00) – Goslings rum, punt e mes, grapefruit, housemade quince syrup, plum and lime juice
- Hey Quince ($6.00) – Housemade quince syrup, lime juice, plum, grapefruit juice and soda
For dinner we got Cloud Nine and Catch Twenty Two. The Catch Twenty Two cocktail was a gorgeous pink colour from the Aperol. It was light and sparkly and it was like Christmas in a glass! The Cloud Nine was stronger and had a very strong preserved plum taste. If you’re a fan of dried plum, this will be right up your alley. Both drinks were expertly made and went well with dinner.
Chef’s Omakase Menu – Appetizers
For dinner we went with the Chef’s Omakase menu. This menu is a daily selection of 7 courses for $50 per person. There is a minimum of two orders. The menu selection changes, but on our visit we had the following.
To start we had 4 kusshi oysters. The oysters had fermented jalapeno, lemon, and horseradish. The oysters were plump, fresh and sweet. The jalapeno wasn’t spicy at all, and most of the kick came from the horseradish.
Next we had the Apple & Beets ($16.00) and Roasted Squash ($16.00). The Apple & Beets feature honey crisp apple, pickled beets, house made ricotta, walnut and peach vinegar. This dish is simple, but well made. All the ingredients were fresh, and the textures went really well together. I’m not a big fan of beets, however I really enjoyed this dish! The Roasted Squash has guanciale, halloumi cheese, sherry soy gastrique, pumpkin seeds and sage. The squash was roasted perfectly with the most delicious caramel-y bits. The gastrique was a good balance of sour to the sweetness of the overall dish. This was my personal favourite dish of the night.
Next up we had the Pork Terrine ($19.00) and Brussel Sprout Salad ($14.00). This is made in house and is an absolute labour of love. It has winter truffle, pickled onion, celery, parsley and grilled sourdough. I appreciate all the hard work that goes into this, but this dish is not for me. The flavours were good, but I personally don’t enjoy the texture of terrines. The sourdough was tasty, and the pickles really cut through the overall fattiness of the dish. The Brussel Sprout Salad was another stand out dish for me. It’s one of their signature dishes and for good reason. The dish features cauliflower, broccoli, balsamic vinaigrette, black bean, and almond. All the flavours worked so well together and the crunch of the almonds went beautifully with the fried vegetables.
Chef’s Omakase Menu – Main Course
For the main we got Grilled Mackerel ($36.00). This dish comes with a whole Japanese Mackerel, kimchi, ssamjang, butter lettuce, and steamed rice. It is a visually stunning set and if you’re a fan of mackerel this is a very well made version. Usually I avoid this fish because I eat really quickly and there are a lot of bones in mackerel. However, this one had no bones! At least I didn’t encounter any. I have never eaten mackerel as a wrap before and I really liked it.
Chef’s Omakase Menu – Dessert
To end the night we had the Chocolate Torte ($12.00). This was a gluten free chocolate cake with chestnut cream. The torte was thick, dense and rich without being too sweet. It was the perfect end to a very filling meal.
I’ve listed the prices in brackets so that you can see how much it would be if you ordered a la carte. I definitely think there is value in ordering the Omakase menu. It’s a great way to get a taste of all that Torafuku has to offer at a great price point. The portions are generous and the overall flow of the meal was very good. I would definitely recommend you check it out!
