| rev:text
| - I'm like 3.5 stars? I really like a restaurant with some polish, and this place is a bit drab ... you can tell it's been around for a long, long time. I know I've been hearing about it for a while. It's worn around the edges. But it really does deserve that half star because the food is quite good and it's surprisingly affordable, though not necessarily *cheap.*
Plenty of seating. Quiet on a Tuesday evening. Very casual. The service is fine -- polite, some servers are more friendly than others, and could be a bit more prompt, but no complaints.
Two of us had:
- Gyoza ($6 for 5)
They gave us options of deep-fried or pan-fried, and we took pan. They were good -- again, not too greasy.
- Chicken soba
- Tempura udon (2 shrimp, 3-4 veggies, including a lettuce leaf ??? which was surprisingly good)
Noodle bowls ran something like $11-14. The udon was good -- thick, springy. The boyfriend thought the soba was thinner than he was used to, but he liked it. The broth was great ... not too strong, but clean-tasting and not too salty at all. It didn't feel .. industrial.
I just wish they had more carnivorous options for the noodles -- most were vegetarian. Still, that's what ordering a side of yakitori is for, right?
- A beer for him
- A vodka and soda for me w/ lemon
They gave me a whole half lemon and a lemon squeezer! All their mixed drinks are pretty cheap. I wish they had a website, but if I recall correctly, mine was only $5.
We finished off with ice cream. They have green tea or ginger (two good-sized scoops a serving) for $2, or sesame (which is one scoop for $2 or two scoops for $4.50).
Our total with tax and tip was just under $55. Nice. They don't take debit, but they do take credit.
Thinking back to the menu, Ematei seems to charge for their food, not their drinks or desserts. I notice some other reviewers say their sushi is not worth the price; I did remember seeing somewhat high prices for the sushi.
Throughout the meal, I kept thinking how I wish I had ordered more food ... yet when I was done with my ice cream, I was perfectly stuffed.
Back when Toronto had far fewer options when it came to izakaya-style food, I can see how Ematei stood head and shoulders above all, especially downtown. I think now that Ryoji, Guu, and Hapa are in town, their impact has been lessened.
I may not be in love with the decor, but I'd still be back for their cooked food. They have yakitori skewers for $2 and a variety of other small dishes for $5-8. The couple right next to us had hot pot ... maybe I'll try that next time. Or omakase (still $48)!
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