Tokyo Grill
582 Yonge Street
416-968-7054
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and 2 non-alcoholic beverage: $35 (cash only)

At the corner of Yonge and Wellesley, tucked between a Chinese restaurant and an adult video store, sits an unassuming, pink-trimmed eatery that has been a trustworthy refuge for homey comfort food. Tokyo Grill is one of the few Japanese restaurants run by Japanese folks in the city. It has a tightly packed dining area that is separated into two halves by a narrow kitchen. Stay in the traffic heavy front to get cozy with a neighbour’s table and enjoy the chill of the outside wind blowing through the well worn entrance doors or head to the private-feeling, nearly secluded back room.

Once seated, friendly and ever polite servers pass out quaint laminated menu cards. The lack of raw fish or sushi may surprise many, however the kitchen excels in the preparation of day-to-day dishes found in many Japanese homes. Vegetarians can note the many non-meat choices; the health conscious may choose to substitute their meals with brown rice ($1 extra). And if proof of authenticity is required, a quick glance up from the lacquered table reveals the vast number of language students of Japanese descent bonding over steaming bowls at this home away from home. Jazz FM enthusiasts may appreciate this station’s airtime over Tokyo Grill’s speakers; those who love Christmas may find last year’s garland still hanging from the ceiling.

For kicks, I’m tempted to ask for the Calpico/Calpis or Poccari Sweat, beverages that sound too much like bodily fluids, but cower at the last minute and order a hot green tea ($1). The wakame salad ($3.75) arrives soon after. Crisp chunks of straight cut iceberg lettuce are showered with umami (clumps of rehydrated seaweed), shredded carrots and purple cabbage, but it’s the lip-smacking ladle of miso ginger dressing that wakens the sense, making this otherwise boring salad a refreshing balance of tangy, savoury, and sweet.

Futo-maki ($4 for half or $8 for full roll) is reasonable enough to satisfy any carb-filled cravings (if one enjoys hours-old sushi), while fluffy pucks of croquettes ($4.50) - crumb-dusted balls of creamy mashed potatoes with small bits of meat, or ika fry ($4.50) - super moist and tender rings of squid covered by a thick and crunchy shell of panko breading - are glorious tributes to all that can be battered and fatified. I fail, however, to appreciate the tsukemono ($3) - a couple of limp slices of briny turnips and coloured eggplants; kimchi ($3) - not as spicy nor tasty as their Korean counterparts; miso tofu ($2.50) - a bland and pasty block of soft tofu topped with a smidgen of saccharine miso paste; or the blander-still hiya-yakko ($2.50) - chilled soybean cake of sadness. Folks who enjoy fermented soya beans may take delight that natto ($3) can be ordered here; I, on the other hand, leave this slimy option alone.

Chalk-inscribed specials rotate daily, accessorized by a bowl of miso soup. Of the mains, scrawny gyu-don ($7.50) wishes that it can grow up to be a cast iron pot of sukiyaki ($8.95). Fantastic on a cold winter evening, this hearty meal involves thinly sliced beef blanketing dense cubes of soft tofu, sautéed bean sprouts, spinach, onions, and springy shirataki noodles in a lightly sweetened broth. The hidden treasure is the poached egg, which is a perfect accompaniment to the side bowl of rice.

Donburis may involve a soul warming combination of hearty chunks of chicken breast (oyako-don, literally, mother and child - $7.50) or crisp and aromatic fried pork steak (katsu-don - $7.50) with soupy dashi-simmered egg and vegetables over rice. Delicious and filling vegetarian options would be the tasty tamago-don (egg - $6.95) or mild tofu-don ($6.95). While some may be attracted to the insanely filling egg wrapped tofu steak ($6.95), beef, chicken or salmon teriyaki ($6.95-8.95), the chicken katsu ($7.95) wins this diner’s heart. Thick cuts of deep-fried chicken breast remain tender and moist under a crisp and crunchy layer of panko breading (do we see a trend here?), while the tart and sweet katsu sauce send happy shivers down the spine.

Other popular choices include soup noodles, including thick and chewy udon noodles ($7.50) topped with wakame, chicken, curry or shrimp tempura (nabeyaki udon). Superior to the ubiquitous supermarket version, springy ramen egg noodles ($4.95-5.95) are served in chicken broth, and topped with beef, chicken or mixed vegetables; wait three more months and combat the summer heat with hiyashi chuka ($8.95) - a mountain of chilled ramen noodles are piled high with shredded ham, cucumber, and egg. Don’t skip out on the disturbingly red strips of pickled ginger, hot mustard and soy dressing, as these elements add depth and character to run-of-the-mill ingredients.

On the last Saturday of the month, homemade soba ($7.50) is available. Served room temperature with chopped scallion and wasabi garnish, these springy buckwheat noodles are satisfying, low-fat, and contain a host of vitamins, and minerals. Best slurped up after a quick dip into the accompanying tsuyu (soy and dashi based) sauce, a periodic dose of soba may be a delicious way to detoxify the system.

Ultimately, I can think of nothing better than to cuddle with a plate full of curry rice ($7.95; $9.95 with katsu) or an unctuous bowl of unagi don ($10.95). With no relation to the spicy versions from India, the former is likened to a viscous stew - its golden pool of fragrant sweetness perfectly coating each rice granule. The latter, albeit not the best version in the city, is slathered with a sweet and sticky soy-based sauce. Each bite of the slightly smoky and oily barbequed eel with the pearls of rice clinging to it from below send foodies into culinary heaven.

Stuffed, I decide to wrap up the bill (cash only) and opt out of a sweet ending with an unappetizing looking ball of ohagi (sweet rice covered with azuki beans - $1), or a bowl of green tea or sesame ice cream ($3). As I step back out to the chill of winter, I’m already planning on my return.

Renée Suen is a graduate student at the University of Toronto, specializing in cardiovascular sciences. She has an insatiable appetite and can often be found searching for the tastiest and best dishes in the city with her camera. You can view her dining escapades at her Flickr site.