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Kultura
Categories: Restaurants Canadian (New) Restaurants Asian Fusion Restaurants Italian Canadian (New), Asian Fusion, Italian [Edit]
169 King St EToronto, ON M5A 1J4
Neighbourhoods: Corktown, Downtown Core
(416) 363-9000
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 5:30 pm - 11 pm
Fri 5:30 pm - 12 am
Sat 5:30 pm - 2 am
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
27 reviews for Kultura
Review Highlights
"Mushroom orecchiette - a MUST order."
(in 5 reviews)
"...if you are looking for a cool tapas style dining experience."
(in 6 reviews)
"Panak Paneer Naan - One of their more popular naan bread."
(in 4 reviews)
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27 reviews in English
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Review from Esther P.
Toronto, ON
9/8/2011
I pass by this place all the time and never stepped foot in because it always looked so quiet, but I finally decided to give it a try and I'm glad I did. The reason it looks so quiet from street level is because it's actually a tri-level restaurant, so I suppose the diners are spread out. The tapas style plates are great, the nan bread, samosas, cod, ribs, you name it - it's all good! It's now one of my favourite places to go, you too will be delighted.
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Review from Areej H.
Mississauga, ON
1/29/2012
We came here on a Tuesday night after work. Place was almost empty. We had not made reservations, and the staff made it clear that we should have. Found one girl in particular to be sort of rude and snotty. After making us wait a few minutes to find a table at the almost emtpy restaurant, she seated us.
Food was good, but very expensive. Might be worth it if you go with a large group of people so you can share and order more. The naan appetizer was delicious. The tandoori shrimp was also good. Way too overpriced though, probably would not return. -
Review from David D.
4/28/2011 4 photos
It was an exciting dinner experience, as I was curious as to how the dishes I ordered would turn out. It is tapas style, so the dishes are smaller and meant for sharing.
Ordered:
Mushroom orecchiette - a MUST order. The creaminess and flavour was so good. The mushrooms were delicious.
Panak Paneer Naan - One of their more popular naan bread. It was also delicious. The truffle oil really made it stand out.
Seared Scallop - Served 3 scallops. I didn't find this dish too exciting. The coconut made it a bit weird for scallops.
Twice cooked beef short ribs - Twice too salty! Really, the saltiness masked everything else.
Overall, I would come back to try out the other diff. dishes. -
Review from Tara A.
4/12/2011
Kultura is one of those places that remind you why Toronto is so fabulous. The ambience is remarkable with 3 floors of seating. We sat on the top floor which has 4 long tables for guests. We were a party of 8 and it was perfect seating. I must say we tried the majority of the Menu and every time a new dish came out, I swear it was my favourite. I wish I could recommend one favourite dish but it's in your best interest to try ALL!
The service was outstanding. Every server was friendly, and charismatic. We had a late dinner which usually means we get a server that's running out of steam but these guys were pros. Very efficient and on top of everything.
If you are looking for a place for a good night out on a Saturday night without the disco music drowning out the conversation, I highly suggest going to Kultura.. I would also suggest stretchy pants. You're gonna need em.Listed in: My Favourite Finds of 2011
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Review from Mariko M.
2/9/2011
Came here for Kultura's Winterlicious Menu. Was totally expecting an amazing overall experience due to the pouring of rave reviews.
What I ordered:
- Mediterranean Chicken Samosa w/ Asiago, Sage, Spiced Apple Gari Chutney on the side
- Mushroom Orecchiette
Malivoire Pinot Noir Pear Chutney, Aged Cheddar
- Espresso Brule
White Chocolate cream, Chocolate Malt Crumble butterscotch
I found the food to be very 'meh' and the dessert to be an 'eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek me thinks not.' For the prices that this place charges, the food should be much better. I didn't get any wonderful explanation of how the food was prepared as some Yelpers experienced.
It can't be all that bad... the decor was nice. It's multi-floored here so I thought that was cool. Where it's situated (King and Jarvis) is really a chic area too.
meh meh meh meh meh meh meh meh meh meh meh -
Review from Elle G.
Toronto, ON
1/25/2011
We had dinner at Kultura last week.
I had gotten a coupon through Dealicious and thought it would be good to partake (being that others had recommended it).
Things to know:
- not your standard menu but "small" plates meant for sharing
- has tables upstairs and down -- upstairs is warmer in the winter time-
- a bit on the expensive side, but the food is well worth it
- great modern ambiance
- street parking or lot parking nearby
Plates I would recommend:
- warm octopus salad
- beef short ribs
- ahi tuna tacos
We also had the hamachi, the naan bread and the donut holes with caramel and chocolate sauce to end. Some of the food had chili or jalapeno oil -- so a bit of a kick -- but very good!
Service was good.
They had a reasonable selection of wines by the glass. Bottles were a little on the pricey side.
Still -- I would definitely go again! -
Review from Lynn C.
5/20/2011
EXPENSIVE. Delicious, but expensive.
A small menu of sharing dishes that range from $6 to $25. Don't assume that if it's a $25 dish, it must be an entree, because the sizes are all pretty small, and you will have to order 2-3 dishes per person to feel full, regardless the price of each dish.
We had the:
- Palak Paneer Nan (truffle oil, jalapeno, peppered honey): The flavourful bursts in your mouth but a bit too sweet
- Baby octopus tampura: a bit more bland than i expected
- Chicken gnocchi: The chicken is fried and really tasty, felt like a fried pork chop, and the gnocchis are tiny, but very flavourful. Also a bit too sweet.
- Twice cooked short ribs: Really good and tender.
- Miso black cod: my favourite dish of the night. The fish was fried perfectly and the potatoes were delicious.
The bill came out to be over $85 without drinks or tips for two people even though the food wasn't filling. We probably could have used two more dishes.
Overall, I think there were too much fried food and most of the food was a little too sweet. The atmosphere and decor is extremely romantic though, so it's a great place to have an expensive date. Honestly, I don't think quality and quantity of food matches the price, but I do love how flavourful all their dishes are. -
Review from Thu N.
North York, ON
2/4/2011
Toronto, I'm really warming up to the quality of the food you have!! Kultura has all the elements that I like in a restaurant - to start it is a beautiful two level space, high ceilings, beautiful backdrop, furniture and layout. We went for Winterlicious and I was impressed with the service and the food.
So on to the food - it's the food that I aspire to cooking - combining the yummiest elements of different cultures and pushing food forward. To start we had the truffled Naan bread and chicken samosa with a really yummy sauce.
The main was the best fusion combination for a flat iron steak I've ever had - miso flavoured with butternut squash musturda, okra tempura and honey glazed rutabaga. I was blown away by the creativity and how all the flavours really worked. As for the steak quality we both agreed that it was way too chewy (not in a good way) so probably not the best cut. (Niagara Street cafe wins for my fav aged flat iron steak)
The dessert was also so creative - espresso brule with white chocolate cream (didnt look like a creme brulee at all but tasted delicious) and an chocolate torte with apple cider ice cream (i devoured the ice cream, but the chocolate cake was way too thick for my liking)
For $35, this was well worth it! I have my qualms about $9 coors light and $12 house wines at the bar but maybe this is just a toronto price I have to accept.
I'm definitely going to come back to try the Orecchiette and other things on their menu. -
Review from Eleni D.
Toronto, ON
11/22/2010
Number one reason to visit Kultura: the mushroom orechiette. Roger Mooking proves his genius as a celebrity chef with this addictive dish. It's simple really: tiny pasta in a mushroom sauce, mixed just before serving with a mild cheese that melts into ooey-gooey goodness.
On the night that I dined here, Kultura must have been having an off night. It was mostly empty even though the DJ was playing music that just begged to be danced to. It seems to be a great place for drinks, dancing and lounging, but on this night the people were just not there.
No matter to me, as long as the mushroom orechiette is on the menu, I'll keep coming back. -
Review from Jennifer C.
Toronto, ON
5/3/2011
DO NOT BELIEVE THE HYPE; Kultura is all smoke and mirrors with NO culinary substance to speak of. It tries too hard to provide upscale service as a way to mask their ultimately mediocre, and sometimes downright bad, food.
PRICE:
- For what you actually get in taste and finesse, it's highway robbery.
- For the prices that you're paying (average $17 per appetizer) you should not have to feel like they are butchering the ingredients.
- Only saving grace is that their wine by the glass selection (around $12) was quite good.
SERVICE:
- The service was fine. The host was helpful as was the waitress and the runners who described the dish to you. No one was snotty and overall it was alright.
- Only problem I had was I couldn't understand the bridging between the type of service they're trying to provide with the type of food they're sending out. They had their staff explain the dishes to you in an attempt at fine dining but from the moment you put any of it in your mouth it's such a complete disappointment that service without a description would have been less insulting.
AMBIANCE/CROWD:
- There are three areas to the restaurant. The main floor section where it's more quiet and more conducive to one on one gatherings.
- The second floor is divided into two areas. The front area that matched the downstairs area quite well but the back room area was reminiscent of what a mafia team would have put together. Brick walls, high ceilings, dark colours, bar on one side and an overall I-had-to-go-through-a-small-back-street,-through-t hree-back-doors-and-a-kitchen-to-get-into-this-sec ret-operation kind of place.
- Crowd: like as if Woodbridge exploded everywhere and was the new colour of the season. (No offense to anyone from Woodbridge). People were around mid-late twenties with too much attitude but no substance to back it up with. A lot of pretension: cold stares, uptilted chins, big hair, men's arms draped on backs of sofas.
- The majority had definitely gum-smacked their way down from the 905.
FOOD:
***WHERE DO I EVEN START TO DESCRIBE THE CATACLYSMIC CULINARY CATASTROPHE THAT IS KULTURA?!?!***
- First of all they describe themselves as a tapas style restaurant. Okay seems appealing and like a nice idea but WHAT A FAILURE it really is.
- Sun dried tomato naan ($10) was chewy and tough in ways that a flaky and airy naan bread should NOT be.
- Ahi Tuna Cornets ($14). One would think for something raw they wouldn't be able to mess it up. Think again. They smother the tuna in so much sauce that any taste of the fish is gone. Whatever happened to respecting the ingredients? Not to mention that the tuna was chopped so tiny that mixed in the sauce you wouldn't even know you had a protein in there. And then the bloody cornets that they're in?!?! I understand what they're trying to do is play with the idea of contrasting flavours; to juxtapose an ingredient with it's opposite as to bring out the best in both...but it just wasn't executed well at all. The hardness of the cornet shell with the texturally soft but overpowering flavour of the tuna/sauce was jarring.
- Beef carpaccio. One of my favourite dishes...but NOT from here. It's raw. It should be a no brainer but apparently not. First of all, it came THICK and just slightly pink in the centre so obviously it was cut from a piece of meat that has been sitting around for a while and not actually raw. Good carpaccio should be so thin that it cooks itself at room temperature. Apparently our cow had sunbathed quite a bit before going on the plate. VERY big disappointment.
- Seared scallops ($18). Three pieces. Saving grace is that the size was good and it was cooked well. Not raw. Not overcooked. Just right. Unfortunately, once again they try to do just too darn much and smothered the scallops in overpowering herbs and sauces. Rather than bringing out the flavour of the scallop, it completely masked it.
- Sesame Oil Hamachi ($14). Same old Kultura story. Too much going on. Hamachi is a beautiful fish with a very distinct flavour that is completely masked and butchered here.
- Sushi pizza ($13). In my opinion, sushi pizza is not something that can be done easily. It runs the easy risk of being overcooked. At least Kultura hit the mark on that one. Kultura over-fries the rice so that it's so crunchy that it gets stuck in your teeth and is pretty much inedible. If you need a tooth pulled, come to Kultura: their sushi pizza is bound to pull out a few for you and then some.
BOTTOM LINE: Kultura tries to be something it's not. It's not exciting. It's not new. It's not fine dining. It tries to be with it's decor and service (a la dish description) but it falls so short in its culinary skills that you're better off going somewhere else...like Canoe or Pangaea where service matches food. THAT'S fine dining. Not Kultura. -
Review from Jay W.
Markham, ON
12/11/2010
I love Kultura because their food is just like how I like to cook at home. I like foods from all walks of life and I'll cook in any style depending on what ingredients I have on hand... Maybe I'll make jerk chicken tacos or Indian curry sitr fried udon...OK... on second thought, maybe I should just go to Kultura.
I won't label Kultura as Asian Fusion or anything like that because their food is basically influenced by every continent in the world. I can see how less adventurous eaters wouldn't like this place because the flavour profile changes so dramatically between dishes. If experimenting with your palate isn't your game, then stick with the meat and potatoes because Kultura ain't for you.
If you're still reading this review, then you're going to like Kultura. There are Caribbean, Indian, Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Italian, and even French influences visible throughout all the dishes. Park your traditional expectations of what these food styles should taste like at the door and you won't be disappointed... -
Review from Saeed T.
Ottawa, ON
11/6/2010
Always nice to visit a tapas-style restaurant because it satisfies the ADD-addled side of my palate. The menu on this place seems a bit confused, though. Fusion is one thing, but here it wasn't so much fusion as a pervasive sense of "let's throw this in, why not!"
There are a few items that are best avoided. The sushi pizza was tough and one-dimensional, texture-wise. I wouldn't order the naan again, as almost any Gerrard Street hole would do it better. Same with the chicken samosas, which felt like they were partly filled with warm sand.
On the other hand, the mushroom orecchiette was superb, full of dusky flavour inside the not overly melty pasta. The cod and seabass were also done perfectly.
I would go there again, simply because the environment is very nice (clean lines and earthy textures everywhere), but I do wish they'd tweak the menu a bit, and also expand it, since if you go there with a few people (as you should in a tapas style place), you'll end up with very few actual choices to make in the end. -
Review from Jennifer N.
Toronto, ON
8/31/2008
If you like...
$20 dollar martinis that taste like regular martinis
Forgettable food that tries too hard
Hit and miss service staff
Hipster pretensions
then Kultura is for you.
A beautiful space which sorely lacks substance; disappointing and barely mediocre. -
Review from Christine K.
Toronto, ON
2/5/2010
You know what they say - a woman hides her inner ugliness behind a wall of make-up.....well Kultura hides its lack of "coolness" behind a wonderfully designed website and overpriced, watered down martinis....how un-cool is that!
I just have to say all in all Kultura is not worthy of anymore ink. -
Review from Karen G.
I had lunch at Kultura last week with a friend. We shared three of their sharing plates - the sliders, the mushroom orecchiette and the black cod. The sliders were very good, the mushroom orecchiette was to die for and the black cod was too salty even for me (and I love salt). I would go back just for the mushroom orecchiette alone. I have been dreaming of this dish ever since Friday.
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Review from Shirmee S.
Toronto, ON
8/30/2011
This was my third experience at Kultura, and before this last visit, I would have given the restaurant at least 4 stars... but this last time was such a terrible experience which left a (figurative) bad taste in our mouths.
I had received a pleasant surprise in my inbox from Kultura - a $50 gift certificate for dinner on my birthday. I invited another couple who were also fond of the restaurant to join us for the celebrations.
When we arrived, there were 2 large groups in our area, and for some reason our server was the only one handling all the tables. Consequently, the service we received was delayed and we felt like an "after thought" throughout the evening.
On previous visits, the items we had ordered (like the Edamame) was served in a large portion, more than adequate for sharing. This time we got barely a cup worth of beans.
As well, during my past dinners at Kultura, when the food was brought to the table, the servers described the item, helped serve/mix the item and there was much attention to detail. This time, the servers were bringing out our food with the items for other tables in their hands. Therefore they were just dropping items on our table, with no description or care. For my favorite dish - the mushroom orecchiette, I had expected them to introduce the item and then grate the cheese and mix up the pasta prior to serving it as they had during my earlier times at Kultura. This time the plate was dropped on the table, and the server had one hand full with 2 other dishes for another table, and attempted to put the cheese into the pasta clumsily, was unable to and just walked away - unapologetically. Furthermore, the cheese had melted in the mini-grater, a clear indication that our food had been sitting under a heat lamp/warmer.
It's not that I am incapable of serving my own food, or that I require explanations, but I believe that for the cost of the meals, there should be a level of service associated with it, especially if that level of service had been provided at a visit not even a few months before.
Beyond that, our server essentially forgot about us after we had ordered our dishes. We had to repeatedly flag her down for drink orders, and she would take one order and walk away without asking if anyone else wanted something. We waited for nearly 20 minutes for her to come by and offer us a dessert menu, and finally we again had to flag her down and request that we see a dessert menu.
Finally, the icing on the awful night was when it came time for the bill. We provided our gift certificate and received a bill with an automatic gratuity of 20%. I was appalled. We were only a group of 4 and nowhere on the gift certificate, nor the email did it state that there was an automatic gratuity associated with the coupon. Not only that, but for such terrible service there was no way we were ready to reward the service with a 20% tip.
We asked our server who stated this was a restaurant policy, and so we asked to speak to a manager. The manager finally came, and didn't apologize but rather continued to state that it was restaurant policy that a 20% gratuity is automatically added whenever a coupon is used. We had to argue that it was inappropriate that this was done if it wasn't stated on the coupon itself. Even when we had called to make the reservation we mentioned we had a gift certificate, there was no comment about the gratuity.
Finally the manager agreed to remove the automatic 20% tip, but very rudely took the receipt from our table, again with no apology.
After 2 wonderful dinners at Kultura, I was so excited to celebrate my birthday there with friends. However, the evening was ruined with poor service, disagreements on the bill and a complete disregard to attempt to keep us (the customers!!) happy and satisfied.
For the price of the restaurant, I strongly believe that there are many many better options around Toronto where you can have a good meal, at a better price and with 100% better service. -
Review from Carla D.
Toronto, ON
8/8/2010 3 photos
When perusing this year's Summerlicious offerings, my boyfriend and I both came to common ground with Kultura. We got a nice table on the second floor in the back and were able to admire the lovely interiors. Our server was attentive, helpful and informative and definitely added value to the experience.
Given that it's ultimately a tapas bar, we ended up leaving a touch on the hungry side. However we did enjoy our meal and savoured the various flavours in the dishes we were presented with. I would most likely go back with some friends for post-dinner drinks and to satisfy a non-pub snack craving, and to return to a part of town I rarely venture into. -
Review from Edwin A.
7/19/2010
No expectations going in.
My Fiancee made Summerlicious reservations for this popular place.
The place is too cool there are no address posted or restaurant sign. The sign in front is just black. lol
We were seated near the middle of second level of this three level restauarant. It was kind of loud where we were initially seated and asked to move. Our server then seated us at a nice table by the far end in the skylit room also on the second level. Ah what a releif I don't need to scream into my fiancee ear plus I can see my food thanks to the skylight. :)
For Summerlicious there's a set menu:
For me I ordered the app Sushi Pizza, main Sea Bass, and dessert Doughnuts
She had the app Samosas, main Steak, and dessert Flourless Chocolate Cake
Each item was introduced by the server, they described it's preparation and ingredients used. The presentation was great! Most importantly the dishes tastes were distinct and flavourful.
I enjoyed what we had, we shared. In the future will definately have this place in mind when visiting the St. Lawrence area.
Note: Be aware your experience can vary depending on where you sit. -
Review from Mihir S.
9/8/2009
I'll bump the stars to four since the service was excellent and fun. The decor is hip and romantic - bring a date here.
The food was delicious but the portions were meager. Yeah, I know it's tapas style but the prices should be toned down then. Each of us paid $70 and we were still hungry after we ate.
I would go back but would sit at the bar and get a couple of dishes for a snack. I recommend the Samosas, Black Cod, and Jerk Pork.
FYI - the menu on their web site is outdated. -
Review from Taylor O.
1/31/2010
Asia is large as you may know and thus Asian Fusion really isn't descriptive enough for Kultura. It's predominantly a Japanese/Indian mix, a different spin than most Eastern compounding.
Per a another consultant friend's recommendation we headed to King Street to the barely marked front of urban loft/modern nature aesthetic Kultura.
Again, Toronto astounds me with very light crowds on Wednesdays. Peak time it wasn't too busy, just a few sizable groups. Hell, I don't mind, I'm taking advantage of this week day paradox.
The cocktails were decently crafted, my Sazerac nicely done though weak on size for price; more like a shot. As to the food, it was the smaller portion, good exection style, which worked out fine. For four we ordered edamame, mushroom orecchiette, chicken samosas X2, naan, lamb loin, beef tenderloin, and gnocchi with a flourless chocolate deal to finish along with some port.
The indian spiced ground chicken in the samosas was probably my favorite flavor, second to the beef tenderloin. The flourless chocolate deal was a bit different than expected with a smaller chocolate dollop than expected and larger accessories. -
Review from Allyson C.
3/22/2011
I have been meaning to review this place since November just to tell you one very important thing - mushroom orechiette.
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Review from Earl D.
Toronto, ON
9/5/2010
I highly recommend this restaurant if you are looking for a cool tapas style dining experience. The wine list is great and the menu size is such that if you go with enough people you might be able to order everything off the menu. We did last time we were there and it was great to try so many great dishes. The space is very cool with urban lofty feel. It's the kind of restaurant decor that would make for a very cool living space.
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Review from Justin B.
Etobicoke, ON
4/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
great carpaccio,the waiter refused to serve us nan first, please teach him that nan is bread, and many of us like to eat it with food, good,friendly manager, rushed yet slow service , we enjoyed the food and ahi tuna is a must,Meal for two, one glass of wine,one dessert 116 tax included
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Review from Diana C.
Burlington, ON
7/20/2009
Great service, delicious food, fabulous atmosphere... doesn't get better than this. Went here with my girlfriend for her farewell dinner and we had the best time! Had a variety of dishes from scallop appetizer to lamb loins, everything was cooked to perfection. Love the idea that everything is meant to be shared, so you get to try 4 -5 different dishes per meal. The chef was able to integrate Asian spices and ingredients beautifully with western cuisine. Bravo!
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Review from Michael B.
Toronto, ON
2/11/2010
Just had the winterlicious menu at kultura. This place never stops surprising me. Most supperclubs either fail to be a good club or serve mediocre overly contrived food. Kultura can serve something as simple as steak and fingerling potatoes and leave you drooling like an idiot. If you've never bothered to order dinner after showing up for drinks do it.
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Review from Ryan V.
Toronto, ON
12/27/2008
Mixed drinks are a bit pricey but I find the wine to be comparable to other places around the city. A great menu to choose from with a lot of creativity and taste.
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Review from J B.
7/21/2010
Low key cool vibe, asian fusion with heavy south asian influence. Nice but not fabulous. Fairly expensive but that's what one expects with a place like this.
