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Ehwa Restaurant - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Korean Korean [Edit]
5182 Yonge StNorth York, ON M2N 5P6
Neighbourhood: Willowdale
(416) 229-6719
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
12 reviews for Ehwa Restaurant
12 reviews in English
-
Review from Sunyoung K.
North York, ON
2/27/2012
Ive been to this restaurant once in north york and once in downtown. This is a pretty good restaurant. Food is okay. But i dont think this is like family restaurant but more like a pub. And the design of the restaurant is more modern so here is more for young people.
Service was pretty good. I went there with snowboarding club members and they gave us some free foods. Although it was because we ordered alot.. But still it felt good. -
Review from Lauren M.
More like 2.5 star but I will round up.
I ventured up to the "other Korea town" to meet up with some fellow yelpers for a meal. None of us had visited here before, but it looked like a promising option for a good meal.
My boyfriend and I shared a dolsot bibimbap topped with bulgogi and a "mushroom" pork bone soup.
The pork bone soup was delicious, I highly recommend trying this one. The broth was different than regular pork bone, it was kind of like Campbells cream of mushroom done Korean style. They had 3 different kinds of mushrooms added in with a few pork bone pieces. Pretty good. +1 star for this dish.
The dolsot bibimbap was pretty average. I have yet to find a place that tops Buk Chang for bibimbap (anyone?)
I felt bad for fellow yelper Elaine, as she tried the kimchijjigae (kimchi stew) and I sampled some. To me, it tasted just AWFUL and sour. (Go to Thumbs Up or House of Soon Tofu for this dish made properly, plus cheaper). Ehwa failed on that one.
The service was great at first but seemed to lack later on. They didn't have a problem with 2 of us holding a table for 6 for 30-40 minutes until everyone arrived. They were slow to bring us tea and water and I thought it was a bit cheap to give us only one of each banchan considering we were a table of 6 people.
The washrooms here are incredibly ghetto. No toilet paper, really foul smell and none of the stalls closed or had locks in the ladies room.
Decor inside is pretty nice and it seems like it's a popular place for Korean teenagers to hang out, but so did every other place on the street :)Listed in: Bibimbap Battle, Pork Bone Soup rankings
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Review from Ana W.
12/22/2010
What happened to this restaurant?
I was such a fan. The pork in their pork bone soup was actually meaty! I stopped by over the weekend and it changed to a Japanese restaurant. I wonder if they moved. -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
9/6/2010 3 photos
It's a confusing interior where you have Baseball game on display and lots of Korean young guys eating here as if it's a Sports Pub, however when they DIM the lights and it's time for the couples to pile in it becomes a dating night spot with mood lighting. When you combine both into one, what do you get? I don't know, I'm asking you!
Bibimbap, Spicy Mackerel, Spicy Snail...
Bibimbap: -1 * Stone Bowl magically makes soft FLUFFY Rice?
Spicy Mackerel: -0.5 * Fishy taste, should have been FREE as a Banchan
Spicy Snail: A-OK Snails have bite, not shrivelled up, Noodles good w/Sauce
I don't remember much anymore seriously. Don't remember the waitresses or the service. Don't remember the Food, except it was SPICY. Don't remember why they dont' turn the light at the back on. I probably won't remember to come back either.
I do remember that it was an UYE: Korean Foodage at Ehwa. Also that Elaine K. and Jennifer K. switched positions for the night like the movie Face-Off and had our waitress CONFUSED. 2.5 *Stars*Listed in: 2.5 **Stars**, Hanguk
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Review from Patty H.
North York, ON
11/29/2010 2 photos
I just went to Ehwa today for dinner. I Haven't come here for a long time, and they turn this restaurant into a Japanese restaurant.
I actually come here for Korean food and I was disapointed that they don't serve the pork bone soup anymore.
I was kinda sketchy about the Japanese food here, but we are already here might as well order. We ordered dynamite roll, Alaska roll, spicy tuna roll, deep fried California roll and dragon roll.
Before they brought on the food, they gave several house complimentary dish such as salmon skin rolls, miso soups, salad, small cold noodle dish, deep fried oyster cakes and two kimchi dish.
We were really surprised at the generous amount of side dish from the chef. The sushi roll that we ordered came on later was in really good size as well.
So at the end, each of us (5) paid 10 bucks and left. It was a very fullfilling meal. Probably the most bang for ur buck sushi restaurant around here now. -
Review from Greg C.
Toronto, ON
11/8/2009
I have walked great distances for takeout Korean in North York. Why does a block in North York feel like 5 blocks? Riddle!
i gave this place a shot because it's extremely close to my office. The kimchi jjigae was up to snuff with the other joints (Bok Chang Soon Tofu, Bulgogee House) but, sadly, no purple rice! Still wonderful and they respected whitey's request for "mild" with just enough heat from the kimchi to make it rock. The standard gross pork rinds can be removed with chopsticks as well.
Just one request: CUT THE KIMCHI! There is no sight less dignified than an office worker gnawing on a huge piece of fermented cabbage like some rabid forest creature. -
Review from Tony C.
Richmond Hill, ON
11/16/2009
I've been to quite a number of Korean restaurants in Toronto, and I can honestly say this restaurant does Korean food really well. The decor is not the typical Korean joint, they actually spruced this place up. There's a modern chic feel to this place, the only thing that gives it away that it's a Korean restaurant is the Korean pop videos playing on the flatscreens.
Similar to almost all Korean restaurants you get small plates of appetizers for free. The dinner sets at the back of the menu are good, you get a whole lot of food from $8 to $11. One dinner set in particular - Unagi, which is eel was done well. My friend ordered it and I couldn't resist stealing some of her food. I had a bibimbap, for all the bibimbap fans out there who love this Korean staple know that it has to be served in a stone bowl. This place has it and it comes out scorching hot, by the end of my meal it was still warm to the touch. One item on the menu that was particularly good is their Kanpung Chicken, a fried chicken served in a spicy chili sauce, it packs some serious heat but well worth your lips going numb! Be sure to try Hite, a Korean beer, with your meal. A refreshing tasting beer that goes down easy without the bitter after taste. -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
9/6/2010 10 photos
++++ CLOSED++++
Ehwa Restaurant has to be a major let down.
The interior so nicely deocrated, nice and chic and looks like a cool hang out place... but the bad services and so so food really makes it a mehhhhhhhh............ There are so many other choices in this area for Korean food/bar experience.
I have to echo Lauren M about the banchan! For 6 of us that ordering each a full meal we only offered 1 set of banchan?? When I go eat at other Korean restaurant alone, I have served the same amount of banchan.. And they never bother to check on us to see if we have enough?? Not that they are that good that we want more!
We have to chase about the waitresses for water and tea...for 6 of us we were only give this 1/2 litre wine jug of hot tea and cold water... hey we are also eating spicy food!
No soju/beer combo menu was offered... ok maybe I should have asked!
I could not comment on the washrooms since all the fellow yelpers was making faces about their flithy washroom so I did not even want to use it! (maybe that's the reason they don't let us drink too much liquid!)
BTW why all our food look ORANGE in colour???? -
Review from Reg A.
Ottawa, ON
5/19/2009 1 photo
One of my fav Korean resto's! Soju combos! Mmmm!
My friends and I ALWAYS go here! We get pretty rowdy too, after the endless bottles of soju and soju bombs. The food more importantly is YOM! This is how it works... go straight to the back of the menu, pick a combo. You have an option of 1 bottle of Soju, or 5 bottles of beer, along with your meal. What a deal!!
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND...
- Aged Tofu
- Seafood Pajun (Seafood Pancake)
- Kampoongi (Spicy Chicken) -
Review from Mark B.
North York, ON
2/12/2010
Nice decor and reasonable food.
Had the bulgogi hot plate dinner and copious amounts of tepid tea. The food and inevitable "fixins" (kimchi and other side dishes) were tasty. The decor was clean and modern with Korean videos playing on a few TVs around the restaurant. The service was adequate.
All in all, not a bad place. -
Review from Yoga S.
North York, ON
5/4/2010
I like the interior, even though it's worn and in desperate need of fixing/patching here and there.
The food is just ok. None of my Korean-Canadian friends consciously choose to go eat here. It's not that the place is terrible, but it's just not that memorable in terms of Korean cuisine.
When I do go, it's usually in the winter, at night, after dinner, for hot sake. It's the only place I can go for hot sake. But even then, I go grudgingly because I find the hospitality and service disgraces all that is truly Korean. Ok, I exaggerate, but man, it's really offensive to the Korean who enjoys Korean-style drinking.
There is a rotation of four wait staff from what I recall. One dude in particular is very annoying and forces me to exercise super-human self-restraint because each time he serves me, I want to ring him by the neck and deliver a hard muay thai kick to his inner thighs (those of you who are familiar with martial arts will know why this would hurt). He isn't deliberately a jerk, it's not like that. Ever meet someone who sets your hair on edge b/c they naturally have that sneaky "look"? This guys has it with a touch of attitude. And the way he communicates, with his mannerisms, drives me up the wall. I don't imagine I'm alone in this view. Surely, there must be other people in his life that have come and gone who right now are talking about a friend they have/had who is/was quite possibly the sneakest bastard in the world. Ok, I exaggerate, but only to paint an accurate picture of whom I speak. However, admittedly, I digress.
Back on track. Whenever I go to Ehwa for Korean style drinks, all I get is the alcohol and that's it. No service ahn-ju. They tell me that if I want all the service ahn-ju, I have to order the combo. It's their policy. Yes, I enjoy drinking Korea-style (see my Kokoya review if you want to know what this 'style' is) and the main reason is the "service" (this means freebie in Korean) I get as accompaniment to the alcohol. Even if I order ahn-ju on the side (three of them) I still don't get the service ahn-ju (odeng tang, creamy corn on hot plate, fries)! Why? Because i didn't order the combo. These people just don't get it. My bill for the night came out to way more than I would have spent if I ordered simply the combo. But still, no service.
I know what you're thinking. I'm being difficult. Not at all. Anyone who goes Korean-style drinking will tell you service ahn-ju is just how it's done. Examples: Sul Zip (@ Yonge and 401), Cozy Cafe (@ Yonge & Spring Garden), Kokuryo (@ Yonge and Elmhurst). Go ahead, ask a Korean! Stop one on the street - becareful not to incorrectly select a Chinese or Japanese - and conduct a survey.
In short, this is not a good Korean restaurant. It's not a bad one, but no Korean I know craves this joint, nor even goes back after they've been introduced to it FOR FOOD. Those Koreans that patron this joint, like me, go for alcohol/ahn-ju. And the only reason I go here is b/c none of the other Korean-style drinking establishments serve sake.
I cannot, in good conscience, and as a Korean, recommend this restaurant as a quality place for dining. If you're there for drinking and ahn-ju, that's different. Then I can recommend it based on decent ahn-ju. However, because of Ehwa's policy against giving "service" ahn-ju, I must state that the service is sub-par to other comparable Korean-style drinking establishments.
Give credit where credit is due:
This restaurant does one thing exceptionally well. And truthfully, I honestly think this is the ONLY place in all of GTA that serves this particular dish...[JAPANESE] CURRY GAM JA TANG (pork bone soup). And yes, it's delectable if you like Japanese style curry. I have yet to find another Korean establishment that serves a curry flavoured pork bone soup. I'll give them credit, this is the only one item on the menu that clearly stands out. However, be warned, the last time I was there, I ordered this dish and the pork was not tender (very dry).
My Chinese-Canadian male friends love this place for drinking because of the contemporary Korean music videos they play on three television sets of dancing female Korean teenagers dressed up in skanky outfits. Ok, I'll concede, this part is quite enjoyable for me as well. Curse them for serving sake and showing cool K-pop videos with hot young chics! If not for these, I'd never go back!!!! ;-) -
Review from Andie S.
Toronto, ON
10/23/2010
I have been here several times and the quality of the dining experience varies. The one thing that doesn't change are the cutesy Korean music videos they play on many TV screens suspended throughout the restaurant. The menu has a reasonable selection with all the standard choices. The beef I had was good.
