Sumptuous and immaculate bentos (COVID-19 takeout edition)
Imanishi is a contemporary izakaya (Japanese bar) and one of the top ones in Toronto. The contemporary part comes from its adaption of traditional izakaya foods like karaage (唐揚げ; deep-fried chicken chunks) and goma-ae (胡麻和え; salad with sesame dressing). They mostly stay true to the original but are plated nicer, in tapas format. Serendipitous additions like fried chickpeas and monkfish liver further differentiate Imanishi from old-school izakayas.
Well, that was before COVID-19. When indoor dining was shut down, Imanishi pivoted to donburi (rice bowls) and bento (boxed meals with assorted sides). This was perhaps a blessing in disguise because I like their bento even more than their a la carte options.
A short primer on bento
Bento (弁当) is a compartmentalized meal with rice and at least 3 or more side dishes. It’s designed for takeout. It originated from Japan and has spread across Korea, China, and Taiwan. Southeast Asia also has a similar thing but it isn’t packed as exquisitely. Hawaiian plate lunches can also be considered a form of bento if you squint a little.
For Korean bentos in Toronto, try Hawk and Chick. Taiwanese bentos are more common but I haven’t found a stellar one yet. Chi Chop and ZenQ are convenient if you are downtown. Wei’s Taiwanese for value. And as for Japanese bentos, they are everywhere. Quality varies a lot.
The food
Anything goes in a bento. Imanishi has curated the following in theirs:
- Corn croquette
- Chicken karaage x 1
- Stir-fried eggplant
- Scoop of potato salad
- Cucumber pickles
- Small container of mayo
- Dessert pudding
Unlike lesser competitors that use styrofoam or black plastic containers, Imanishi packs their bento in a shiny container. The only flaw was that the lid doesn’t seal well and they had to use a rubber band to hold it in place.
The difference in bentos is the choice of mains, from shogayaki pork (stir-fried with ginger) to shio koji salmon (laced with fermented marinade). There is a surprisingly affordable wagyu beef bento at $25.99 (including tax). No teriyaki chicken here! I picked the karashi ribs bento.
Karashi (芥子) is a type of Japanese mustard and I’ve never had it on pork ribs before. Its application on barbecued ribs was sheer genius. The ribs had a viscous marinade of soy sauce and the karashi added a floral and mildly sharp tang. The combination was potent. The meat itself was tender yet retained the right amount of chew. 8.5/10.
The accompaniments were solid too. I wasn’t expecting a scoop of mashed potato to be presented as “potato salad”, but it works. It was dusted with shichimi (red chilli spice mix) and had a decent amount of flavour. I wished the scoop was bigger. 7.5/10.
The eggplants were the least memorable of the lot. They were relatively bland, even though they were cooked to the right doneness. More sauce or seasoning would have helped. 6/10.
The corn croquette was excellent. The panko-crusted exterior was crispy. More importantly, the scent of corn was noticeable. The mashed potato interior featured a decent amount of corn kernels. 8/10.
I’ve had lots of chicken karaage in my life. While Imanishi’s wasn’t the best, it was well above-average. It remained crunchy after takeout. The marinade had seeped inside the meat and was savoury. 7.5/10.
There was a small container of mayo to dip the deep-fried dishes in. I didn’t need it. For the curious, it’s just regular Kewpie mayo.
The pickles were average. They were not crunchy like American dill pickles but rather dense. It tasted as expected—of rice vinegar and sesame, like sunomono (Japanese cucumber pickle salad). It’s difficult to impress me with pickles. 6.5/10.
The dessert was a processed pudding from Hapi. It was an upside-down crème caramel. I suppose it’s meant to be emptied on a plate to make it right-side-up but I was too lazy to bother. I won’t rate this since it wasn’t made by Imanishi. It tasted more complex than supermarket puddings and was a pleasant end to the meal, so Imanishi gets props for choosing this.
Overall, I like lots of variety in a bento and Imanishi ticks all the boxes. Every component filled in a different part of the food and flavour pyramid.
The place
Imanishi does not look like a traditional izakaya. It’s indistinguishable from the hipster eateries along Dundas Street West near Ossington Avenue: dim lighting, exposed bulbs, and random knick-knacks. Pre-pandemic, it was bustling with loud conversation. It doesn’t have space for outdoor dining, so it has been takeout service throughout dining restrictions.
Verdict
Not-your-average bentos. Well-curated selection of side dishes. 8.5/10.
Practical information
- Name
- Imanishi
- Rating
- 8.5/10
- Recommended dishes
- Karashi ribs bento
- Prices
- Karashi ribs bento: $19.21 ($17.00 excluding tax)
- Address
- 1330 Dundas Street West
- Hours
- Wednesday to Sunday 1200h – 2100h
- Date of visit
- February 2021