Kookoo for Kiko!

I'll start it off this way:

The food was good.  No, it was great.  The food was great which is exactly the reason why I'll come back here. If you like Japanese food or even just something different with quality and care,  this is a place you need to explore.   My pictures do no justice (I forgot to put my flash on my phone camera)

I'm talking about Kiko restaurant, you'll find it on Preston street in the same plaza as the heart and crown.  Little Italy has sort of branched out into housing restaurants with less-than-Italian fare in recent years and you know what? It's excellent location and as long as the restaurants are high calibre, I say bring it on!

When we walked in it was a bit dark, but nicely decorated and modern looking, a far cry from alot of Asian restaurants (Siam kitchen your Thai is wonderful but 1970 is gone...)

Hawaiian roll, must be as good
as other 'hawaiian' foods :)

The service was slow, painfully slow.  We were starving.  But the service was also very friendly.

You see we had a livingsocial coupon which was expiring in a few days and so did about 90% of the other patrons who were in the restaurant.  The chefs and wait staff were working tirelessly to keep up with the demand.  We kept that in mind and I thought you know, cut them some slack.  It's Wednesday with a Friday night crowd. 

Adam's not a sushi man, and actually he's never had sushi so far as I know.  Since I'm a sushi fan but not a connoisseur by any means, I decided it would be best to try a simple roll (instead of ordering a boat of sushi or something) and we could get other entrees, this worked out really well!

To start we got the Hawaiian roll which was: Avocado, mango, cucumber, crab stick, and red tuna topped with masago.  It came nicely plated with ample wasabi and ginger.  This was good, real good.  Adam liked it too, success!

Adam got beef and tempura teriyaki - which he said was great.  The flavour apparently really good and I have to say, I noted some fine chopstick work from my man. (the picture I took though, didn't work out)

It came with rice which we eventually got - again, cutting of slack...

Nebeyaki Udon -
The photo does no justice!



I got Nebeyaki Udon - Special Hot pot, and they weren't kidding - man it was HOT.  The temperature I mean.  But what an adventure in a bowl. (err, pot)  This thing had Asian vegetables, big chunks of chicken, crab sticks, delicious broth, perfect noodles, an egg! and topped with 2 shrimp tempura.  I ate the whole thing, I couldn't stop myself it was that good.  This is the best Asian soup I've ever eaten (sorry Pho).

One quick note and it's something both Adam and I really enjoyed:  The tempura.  Maybe it's because either of us haven't eaten it in awhile but it was crunchy, texturally very good - the food didn't get lost.  It was fried perfectly.

Apparently the sushi prices are highish I've read in other reviews, but it's not bargain basement sushi either.  It's not your bento brand loblaws or super buffet style sushi.  these guys are practically making it to order (!!) how fresh is that?

When we paid the lady at the cash did apologize for the slowness which was a nice touch.  I said we'd be back anyway, it was delicious.  I hope she believed me, because we will.

http://www.kikosushibar.com/