Thanks to @jeffjagoe for hosting this food challenge. I honestly love trying new restaurants and enjoy food from all over the world. Fortunately, Toronto has a thriving foodie scene and there is always something new to try.
Last Saturday, the hubby (@newcastle) and I tried a new Japanese restaurant downtown. We were just walking down Dundas St. and on an impulse, we went into the first restaurant we have never tried before. We had no idea what the food was like and we had not read any reviews before we picked the place. We didn’t even know what they served on the menu.
Fortunately, it was around 1:00 in the afternoon and the lunch crowd may have dispersed. We only waited for 2 minutes to get seated. The restaurant itself has a long and narrow space, with walls painted a deep shade of yellow. The servers greet you in Japanese when you enter and they say good bye or thank you in Japanese when diners file out. The music being played sounded like J-pop. There seemed to be a quick turnover of tables. After we were seated, a line started to form but no one seemed to be waiting for long.
The menu is not your typical Japanese fare of sushi or maki. Instead, it is mostly meat over rice dishes. There are some meat dishes with curry, but always served over rice. A server explained that this style of cooking is a regional specialization in certain parts of Japan.
There is a blurb on the menu that says— “Gyugyuya, our curry is prepared using traditional Japanese process, and our own recipes were developed through long periods of boiling and blending according to different tastes and preferences to serve customers with an aftertaste of rich flavour. Our chefs has served different restaurants for over twenty years in Japan, USA, and Canada. Gyugyuya curry downtown is the first Japanese restaurant to specialize in the Kanazawa curry and beef bowl in Toronto.”
The service was quick and efficient. After ordering, our food came after 5 minutes. We both tried the chicken katsudon. This comprised of breaded chicken over white rice with a fried egg and caramelized onion. I loved it but the hubby thought it was ok and not as flavourful as he would have hoped. The dish also came with the standard miso soup and side salad, which was a nice touch.
The website does not appear to work but here is the link to the Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/Gyugyuya-1399564163634021/
I would definitely come back and try the other dishes on the menu again if I’m in the area. 4/5 stars.