Fin Izakaya (@FinIzakaya) located near the intersections of Yonge St & Eglinton Ave, is a type of Japanese pub that serves tapa dishes (small dishes) presented in an appealing manner.
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Before visiting Fin Izakaya, I have read a bunch of mixed reviews so I didn’t know what to expect. Some dishes were better than others – so it wasn’t all too bad. The great thing about Fin Izakaya is that they accept reservations and there is also free parking =D Basically you have to call the restaurant when you arrive and one of their staff members will come outside and lead you to their private parking area!
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The atmosphere is not much of a loud drinking and cheering dining experience you would expect from Guu – rather it is much more of a calm dining experience.
Takoyaki Octopus Balls ($5.75)
- Crispy deep fried octopus balls with dancing bonito flakesserved the old fashioned way
- One of the best Takoyakis’ I’ve had in Toronto
Bonito Tataki with Crunchy Garlic ($9.50)
- Seared bonito sashimi with garlic chips and citrus ponzu sauce
- The tataki was really yummy! Great texture and cut to the perfect thickness
- Tataki was beautifully seared on the edges and the garlic chips gave the dish that extra crunch!
Tuna Namero ($8.75)
- A Japanese Fisherman’s Dish – chopped Tuna with green onions
- It was one of their Fin’s specials and not on their regular menu.
- This dish was really yummy- I’m not a big fan of green onions but it went SO well with the marinated tuna and the crunchy chips!
Miso Tuna Tartar ($8.95)
- A Japanese fisherman’s dish – chopped tuna marinated with Fin’s signature miso paste
- The Tuna were thinly sliced – great texture and well marinated with their signature miso paste
- My eyes were literally salivating at the sight of this
Certified Angus Beef Stone Grill ($19)
- Angus beef sirloin and vegetables grilled on sizzling stone plate, a choice of citrus ponzu or teriyaki sauce
- The meat was incredibly flavourful – really enjoyed the flavours of the broth
- I also like how you can cook the meat to your liking – I can eat it medium rare or super cooked because I like different textures
Hokubei Mori Sushi ($18)
- 8 pieces of Nigiri sushi and a choice of one uramaki
- For the uramaki we opted for spicy salmon roll
- We all thought that the nigiri sushi and the uramaki were just mediocre
- It wasn’t all that bad but just nothing amazing or special compared to the other dishes we tried that night
Even though Fin Izakaya has a noticeably different atmosphere compared to Guu, I still enjoyed my dining experience here and loved their tapa style dishes especially the Takoyakis’! I would love to come back again and try more of their sashimi and seafood tapas but not so much their sushi.
I wouldn’t say this place is necessarily better than Guu but its still a great alternative especially since they accept reservations – so don’t forget to call!
Photo Credits: Andrea Y.
