Posted by Renée Suen in japanese, restaurant profile, snack food on September 10, 2008 at 8:16 am

Manpuku
105 McCaul Street, Unit 29-31
416-979-6763

There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other." - Douglas H. Everett

Most who dream wake up the next morning, rub their eyes, brush their teeth and carry on with their daily grind. But others like Sidney (who goes only by his first name) and Sakiko Ichihara, the owners and chefs of Manpuku, made their dream into reality. Japanese for "I ate to my satisfaction/until I was gratified," Manpuku was the brain child of Sidney who was inspired by the good non-sushi-centric food he had on his twice yearly trips to Japan. "Sid couldn't find anything like this when he wanted it," notes Kinnon Yee, a friend and part-time staff member "so he opened one up himself."

After three years of planning, sharing his ideas with his girlfriend/co-owner Ichihara and friends in Japan, the pair were able to secure an open two level dining area in Village by the Grange. The split level room was built in a mere three weeks: fully licensed, the upper level has a bar; chefs at work can serve as built in entertainment at the lower level's U-shaped kitchen bar. Still casual, the eatery is a nice escape from the neighbouring food court both in look and feel, while the prices remain competitive, with quick service to accommodate the crowds.

Sidney is serious and hardcore when he insists that the food at Manpuku is authentic; the restaurant is even equipped with a customized timer based noodle cooker and a takoyaki grill imported straight from Japan. Inspiration for the menu comes from Osaka's great and inexpensive street food. It focuses on grilled or stewed items, with careful attention paid to flavour and texture, without a sacrifice on cost. This translates to a simple list of options that's highlighted with seasonal specialities including the oft-sold out rice burger.

Manpuku serves a handful of hot rice and udon noodle bowls, snacks like onigari (triangular-shaped rice patty) and the much praised takoyaki (grilled pancake balls surrounding a bite of octopus). Cold items include the chilled hiyashi kitsune (cold udon noodles topped with strips of sweetened bean curd skin), and a delicious trio of ice mochi (chewy thin rice flour dough surrounding either green tea, mango or red bean ice cream). Other dessert options are original creations from Sidney and Sakiko that are meant to complement the warm dishes, including the matcha white chocolate chip cookie, and matchayaki (sweetened pancake ball with a green tea tapioca ball centre).

Contrary to what most Torontonians classify as "Japanese food," Sidney and Ichihara have accepted the challenge in breaking down this city's stereotype of sushi and teriyaki. Although some still come seeking sushi, they end up embracing the casual fare wholeheartedly because the food is good. The pair encourage new diners to try the shigure don, curry udon, and/or the takosen (a takoyaki served on a senbei, topped with takoyaki sauce and mayonnaise) - a snack from the Kansai region, Ichihara's home area - as these may be the best representation of Manpuku's unique cuisine. For others who are familiar with this type of street-style food in Japan, the restaurant gives them the opportunity to fulfil their cravings.

The ambiance is informal - allowing customers to grab a quick meal on the go without having to resort to a food court. Like the ramen shops found in Japan's train stations, Sidney notes that everyone is able come and go at their own pace. Even though Manpuku's style caters more for the lunch crowd, it is also very busy at dinner, especially by those who want to dine on no-fuss food with a beer. That's right folks, Manpuku sells a wide variety of Japanese beers, sake and spirits. Can cheap eats in Toronto get any better?

How has this all translated for business? Very well. In fact, Manpuku has yet to place an ad on any form of media outside of its walls and website. Demand for their products and attention have become so great that they recently hired new staff to help them manage the six-day-a-week operation. Sidney and Ichihara are both astounded that all the hype surrounding their restaurant has travelled via word of mouth - leaving customers to do the talking while they focus on what they do well - that is to provide no-fuss friendly service, and good quality food. Being four months into the business, the pair have turned down a couple of franchising and expansion offers, solely based on their interest in working to establish the Manpuku reputation as a unique eatery. Sharing his altruistic goal with TasteTO, Sidney reveals that Manpuku is more than a restaurant; it is really a place for people to connect and/or meet new friends. He has found that the U-shaped kitchen bar was encouragement enough to formally introduce upstairs Grange residents to one another; that a strong community bond has started to develop between staff and customers, where even the recent departure of a regular was a loss felt by all. Sidney reveals that "it's not about expansion, as much as it is about what feels good," however he and Ichihara do tease with the notion that if they were to expand, they would look into other culinary experiences.

At the end of the day, the equation for Manpuku's rising star success may be the combination of community and food, where the motto inscribed on the staff's uniform is all that matters: eat, drink, enjoy.

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 with her camera, searching for something tasty to eat. Her visits to Manpuku and other places of good eats can be found on her Flickr site.