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| - Can I get a Whopper? Not anymore...
A former Burger King at Bathurst and Bloor has become the second Toronto location for the Vancouver dynamo chain. It's easy enough to almost walk past Guu Sakabar--nicknamed Guu 2--as you travel down Bloor Street; the exterior is dark and the signage is minimal, as are the windows. Once you do see it though, the slate-coloured walls and wood accents look stunning and attractive.
Inside, things are kept just as simple and uncluttered with a very open concept dining room filled with long wooden tables. Unlike the Church Street location, this Guu has a small separate dining space where patrons are expected to de-shoe before being seated on the floor. Actually, you won't find a typical table anywhere at Guu Sakabar. In the main dining room, the idea is that you share your experience with others at large communal tables--with your friends, or with strangers. If you're uncomfortable with these seating arrangements you can sit at the bar, but fair warning you will be right in the thick of things...
This restaurant is famous for a quirky element that is unavoidable during your dining experience; from the time you enter to the time you leave you'll be subject to loud yells and cheers from the staff that boom through the whole restaurant. They boisterously welcome you when you enter, and give you a loud farewell when you leave. I would assume there are a handful of people out there who would be infinitely turned off by this, but I think it gives this place one of the best atmospheres around. I almost expected the Happy Birthday chant to be low-key as an ironic contrast, but they don't miss a beat. The entire staff literally sings a birthday song to you, even the chefs behind the counter.
With that in mind, this has to be one of the most well-trained service and kitchen staff I've ever come across. I went to Guu 2 on a Tuesday evening, and it was jam-packed. Between seating guests, taking orders, delivering orders, cooking, clearing and processing payments, I have no idea how they manage to keep on top of their enthusiastic cheers. Guu has raised the bar for what I believe a well-working service staff is capable of. I will say that a couple of our orders that I consider starters, like salads and sashimi, came out last, but the dishes are small, and if you order a few and they come out of the kitchen so fast that the sequence hardly matters. The organization and teamwork is impeccable; we sat at the bar in front of all the action and more than once, a dish would be ready to go out and the chefs would hand them right to us. It seems like everyone knows where everything goes and what everyone is doing. Awesome.
Well to me, a restaurant is worth nothing if the food doesn't hold up, so I am happy to say that the food on this Japanese Tapas-style menu does have a strong voice, even in this noisy dining room.
A variety of dishes are offered, from the expected edamame and sashimi to the more unique items like puffed octopus (a soufflé of tender octopus and creamy cheese) and fried skewers of quail egg. Each item's price point is around what I expect from a Tapas restaurant, but the servings are very substantial. The sashimi salad ($7.80) in particular is large enough to be split amongst two people heartily, or four people with ease. The sashimi pieces are definitely worthy of two bites each and you can get six in a platter for only $6.80.
One benefit to sitting at the bar is watching each dish go out. One by one we found ourselves ogling at what was going past.
Quite simply, the food is great, and you certainly get more than what you pay for. It was just a fun dining experience to be a part of; and I did feel as though we were part of it. You may have to yell your conversations across the table to be heard, but at the same time, you'll be smiling while doing it.
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