I was invited to a media dinner at Noka a few weeks ago. We tasted a selection of amazing specialty rolls and I was impressed enough to return in order to eat “Chirashi”. I have been eating Chirashi at Ichiban (in North York) for well over a decade and was curious to check out the Chirashi at Noka. I went on of of those nights when I had nothing in the fridge (sound familiar)?
Our meal started off with a decent bowl of salad and miso soup. I appreciated the addition of some mushrooms in the miso soup and the salad was crisp with just enough dressing.
A great start to our meal.
Then the “main” attraction appeared at our table. If I were handing out Presentation Points…I would be giving this dish a 10/10. The chirashi arrived with a bed of perfectly seasoned rice and 12 pieces of sashimi. I had called in advance to see if they would accommodate our needs: (no shrimp, eel etc) and the chef gave us exactly what we wanted: 8 pieces of salmon and 4 pieces of salmon. Bonus points to Noka for amazing customer service.
Stunning.
Speaking of “special requests” – if you are a vegetarian then you are going to love their selection of rolls. Check this out:
Impressive selection of Vegetarian Options
Seeing as I am on a carb free diet, I just nibbled on the chirachi (ie the fish) and ordered their Spicy Salmon Salad:
Spicy but Nice.
I really enjoyed it but then again I like spice and can understand why it’s a popular item on the menu.
Sadly I didn’t take a picture of the space but Noka is really inviting, clean and comfortable. Seeing as there are so many sushi restaurants on Bloor St. – these small things make a difference. Not to mention that they have gluten free options available as well as gluten free sauces and salad dressings. Plus they are nut free and vegetarian friendly.
One more thing: they totally “get” social media. Super impressed to see them on twitter (@nokatoronto) and on facebook. On my way out I even noticed a contest that they are running on their facebook page.
Noka 513 Bloor West, Toronto 647 351 1188
