Japanese restaurants—much like pizza places—are a dime a dozen along the Bloor Street West Village. Stretch that strip from High Park Avenue to Dundas Street West and you’ll find even more of them. Some offer all-you-can-eat dining, others serve strictly à la carte, and a few offer both. In restaurants that do both, diners choosing the à la carte option are usually seated at the far end of the table.
When our family goes out for Japanese food, my kids almost always prefer the all-you-can-eat option. It lets them indulge in their favorites—shrimp and vegetable tempura, teriyaki, and plenty of sushi. My wife and I join in, of course, but we’re not nearly as voracious as they are. Age and metabolism are not on our side.
That said, there are times when we choose à la carte instead of all-you-can-eat simply because it’s more affordable. At $30 per person, an all-you-can-eat meal for our family of five quickly adds up to around $150—before beverages, tax, and tip.
So whenever we decide to go the à la carte route, the first Japanese restaurant that comes to mind is Kenkou Sushi.
Kenkou Sushi is located at 2370 Bloor Street West in Toronto. It’s a small place—easy to miss if you’re not paying attention. The restaurant can accommodate around 20 to 25 guests at a time, though many customers order online and simply stop by to pick up their orders. Our family has been lucky: whenever we decide to dine at Kenkou Sushi, there always seems to be enough seating available for us.
We usually start with the green salad and miso soup. The service is excellent and efficient. After placing our order, the appetizers arrived in less than five minutes.
Takoyaki—crispy fried octopus balls drizzled with Japanese BBQ sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, and topped with delicate dried tuna flakes—is my wife’s favorite, so ordering it is a must whenever we visit.
Just a few minutes later, our main dishes arrived: breaded pork chop, salmon teriyaki, and a sashimi combo—each one perfectly prepared and beautifully presented.
Going to Kenkou Sushi is always a wonderful and intimate dining experience. The servers are consistently gracious, and the food is always perfectly prepared and beautifully presented. I would recommend Kenkou Sushi to anyone looking for a Japanese restaurant in the Bloor West Village area. To make the dining experience even more memorable, it doesn’t hurt to end the meal with a frozen grape as a palate cleanser.