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| - Maybe it's just me, but I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the concept of Korean fusion food, made and served by hipster non-Asians, to be consumed by an actual Asian (ie. me, though I heard this place is founded by a couple of Koreans). But that's what this world has become.
I am also having a hard time finding this place. You know it's in the hipster part of Ossington Avenue. But you are at a loss now that all the information you have of this place is next to useless because you can't find a store sign anywhere that screams "Oddseoul." (Hint: keep a close eye for the one sign every restaurant in Toronto must have.)
So let's assume you found the place, great! Clearly they're trying to go for an absolute divey hole-in-the-wall experience here. Time to bust out the hipster eatery checklist:
- Inconspicuous entrance and positively no signage identifying the business: check
- Minimally lit ambiance: check (it gets bright enough to see adequately during daylight hours though with all those large windows)
- Old-school hip-hop, soul and house as background noise: check. And ooh, ghetto blasters and stacks of vinyl records as decor: check.
- Irreverent rustic and vintage/salvage decor; exposed original building brick at every centimetre possible: check (though the bar taps made from an old ammo can is awesome)
- And EXTRA BONUS points for not having a phone number. This is the first eatery I have been to ever, where they don't have a business telephone. It'll actually say on your bill, "Phone No: NO PHONE." They're too cool for landlines, yo. Or even a website.
Holy geez. Unless there's some other place nearby I have never heard off, quite frankly this is the most hipsta restro/bar I have ever been to in Toronto-land. Maybe that's enough of a turn-off for some, but try to not let that detract from the food experience they present here. Sure it caters to strictly a young crowd, but despite the too-cool-for-you vibe, I never felt any stuck-up douchebaggery throughout my meal--the service was generally patient, pleasant and highly attentive, but also not warming, which I can live with.
I have heard that Oddseoul gets crowded tight deep in the night, but in the early evening right when it opens, it's all clear and more quiet and tame. Tapas-scale food served tapas-style to share. Then again, about a good third of what we ordered went into only one stomach: mine. Heck, most of the grub is served on plastic Chinese restaurant-style plates and bowls much like what I have at home.
Their wings ($7) were sweet, sour, spicy and crazy all at once. Damn! Literally finger-lickin' good, because that's what you will be doing as you knock your socks and glasses off from its ass-kicking succulent flavours. The $8 kimchi fried rice was a great mix of spicy and umani. And the tempura chicken ($14) were alright, a decent mix of meat with an overdose of fat from the deviled eggs and mayo.
If there was such a thing as a Canadian purity law for poutine, Oddseoul would violate it with their squash poutine ($7). Sorry purists. A fun fusion interpretation of the poutine nonetheless: squash in place of potatoes, some form of cheese somewhere, and a Japanese curry style gravy... it is impressive, this interesting mix of kimchi, gravy, squash and whatnot that melts your brains out. Who'd knew? And the $6 mackerel should come delivered to you in a fixie bike. Instead it arrives fresh, and your server torches it right before your eyes. Makes for a good table show, but it was light and somewhat underwhelming in taste.
Overall food-wise, Oddseoul is an interesting show of Korean spiciness mixing with equal doses of Western spice, fat and balance. I'd make it a once-in-a-lifetime foodie experience, where with a stomach half-empty, one could do easily a satisfying $25/person meal.
{TTC: the Ossington prison bus to Argyle St. You can figure out the rest.}
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