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Swish By Han
Category: Restaurants Korean Korean [Edit]
38 Wellington St EToronto, ON M5E 1C7
Neighbourhoods: St. Lawrence, Downtown Core
(647) 343-0268
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 12 pm - 4 pm
Mon-Thu 5 pm - 10:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 2 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
39 reviews for Swish By Han
Review Highlights
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"...out some tweaks to the pork neck tacos, one of my favourite..." In 4 reviews -
"I love my shabu shabu/hot pot, but for $25." In 4 reviews -
"silken tofu with sauteed kimchi (yes." In 2 reviews
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39 reviews in English
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Review from Leah L.
Mississauga, ON
3/24/2012
This place offered some pleasant korean food to eat. We tried at least 3 dishes during our visit and loved it. If your talking about JUST THE FOOD, this place is worth the trip.
Cons:
I didn't like about it is that you are basically sharing a table with other strangers in a long dining table...I like to have my space. Plus, the loud talking and the music. It was loud enough that it towers over your own voice and you have to be a little louder than usual when talking.
And yeah, the hot pot was a bit expensive... I saw some people order it but it didn't look THAT impressive to be pricey.
Pros:
Good customer service. I think we were lucky on that day that the servers were a little upbeat. Aside that, the food was amazing. Omg, am already planning on going again when I have time. I dont really need to elaborate on that part though... just go see for yourself. :)
When the customers died down a bit when I was there... you can actually appreciate the place more and how it's unique to others. Just try not to go on a busy hour... you'll actually like it more. -
Review from Joy L.
Scarborough, ON
2/4/2012
I purchased a voucher last year to try Swish by Hanbut never got around to it until recently. Given the fact that they had enforced a 20% + tips on our bill for two, I don't think I will ever return to this restaurant. I adore Korean cuisine but there is something about the server telling me not order something because the table has to be turned around by 7:15 when the restaurant was half emptied. I want to order what I want to eat. Isn't that what people do in restaurants?
Appetizer:
Torched Mackerel $15 (4.5/5)
The mackerel was marinated with rice wine. The server torched the mackerel at our table, I can smell the skin searing. The aroma was so intense! It is making me salivate just thinking about it! It was definitely sashimi graded Mackerel! The dish is severed with sweet soy sauce, grounded ginger and chopped green onion! It delicious and simple enough for me to duplicate at home!
Spicy Pork Neck Taco $10 (4/5)
For a low low cost of $10, you get two mini pork neck tacos. The flavor of the pork neck wasn't very strong. They give you two wedges of lime to add a hint of freshness to the dish. The tacos were a hand full! I would not recommend this dish if you are on a date. You will end up with very messy hands....it will be an added obstacle if you are trying to flirt with someone ;) The dish was structured well, but to be honest, I don't think it is worth the price.
Entree:
Beef Short Ribs: "Galbi" Marinate $29 (3.75/5)
This table top BBQ set is served with kimchi trio, spicy tofu stew, and ssam box. Ssam is referred to "wrapped" in English. Leaf vegetables are used to wrapped a piece of meat. The leaf vegetable tends to cut greasiness of the meat. The ssam is paired with ssamjang (a Korean style hot sauce) and a banchan (kimchi). It is served with a grill and is meant to be eaten fresh off the grill. I think the short ribs was marinated with a little too much rice wine. It actually added a slightly bitter undertone to the dish. The soup was very flavourful. You can taste the complexity of the broth.
The overall experience was 3/5. I blame my frugal Chinese heritage. The server and the hidden gratuity had really ruined the our time at Swish by Han. Despite the fact that there were other dishes I am interested in trying on the menu, I will not be returning to this establishment. -
Review from Mary C.
Richmond Hill, ON
2/3/2012 2 photos
On a chilly night, Vicky, Justine H, and I headed out to Swish By Han to try out their food. I actually have never heard of this place, so I probably never would've stumbled upon this place if it weren't for their suggestion. It wasn't even until I sat down at the restaurant and looked at the menu that I knew they served Korean food. The eclectic dining room decor and dimly lit ambiance is very atypical of most stereotypical Korean restaurants. And the food? While they do serve some what of a fusion style Korean, it was 2 thumbs up for me!
Once we sat down, a friendly waitress handed us a clipboard with a couple pages of paper that consisted of the menu. I quite liked this over the traditional fold over menus. Swish doesn't offer a very elaborate menu, but it's sufficient and excellent for sharing!
Soo Yook - 48 hour braised beef ($12)
I wouldn't have known it until Justine (who is Korean) said so, but apparently this is a very traditional Korean dish. It was an interesting one to me. The Soo Yook is thinly sliced and served with a sesame oil heavy side salad. The beef was tender and very flavourful, and almost melted in your mouth because of how thin it was. However, I felt this dish lacked substance. Definitely not as filling as some of the other things we ordered that night.
Spicy Pork Buns ($9)
I don't think Justine H or Vicky enjoyed these very much, but I acutally really liked these. As you can see, this was just one spicy pork bun cut into 4 pieces, but they were a good size for people who just want to sample multiple items on the menu like us. The spicy pork wasn't too spicy (was actually on the sweeter side) and was very saucy. Luckly, there was the perfect amount of bun to counter it. I must admit they weren't the best thing we ordered that night, but I wouldn't rule it out as being well made and delicious.
Spicy pork neck tacos ($10)
Sauciness must be their style here, because just like the Spicy Pork Buns these tacos were loaded with toppings and sauce! It was quite a mess to eat, I don't know how you were supposed to close the tortilla! Not complaining though, it was a big pile of delicious! But be warned, if you have a weak tongue for spices like me, you'll find the pork neck very spicy. Not in painfully bad way though, and it definitely wouldn't deter me from ordering these irresistible tacos again.
Ssam sets (Grilled Pork Belly) ($18)
I just realized now how much pork we ordered that night! If I had to choose one pork dish to rid of, it would probably be this one. Swish by Han actually has a couple types of Ssam sets (rib eye, chicken, short rib), and they all come with rice, kimichi, and lettuce wraps for your meat. I usually love pork belly. In any and all forms. But this one here didn't quite live up to the expectation. What I didn't enjoy, was how burnt the pork belly was. The outsides were completely charred! The pork belly also wasn't fatty enough. If I wanted lean, I would order regular pork!
Lobster bi bim bbap ($18)
Our waitress who was so friendly the entire night, let all of us take pictures of the bi bim bbap before she mixed it up. I think as a result a lot of the rice at the bottom were crisper than the rest. I actually liked it a lot like that! Perhaps you can give that a try next time too? While I love bi bim bbap, but I wasn't jumping out of my seat about this one. I personally didn't taste any lobster and didn't find there was anything too special about it warranting the $18 price tag. Quite ordinary.
Steamed Pork Buns ($10)
After a less than impressive pork belly from the Pork Belly Ssam, I was happy that Swish redeemed its pork belly reputation with these Steamed Pork Buns! They were heavy on the sweet Hoisin sauce, and loaded with radishes, pickled ginger, and other greens. It gave a nice crunch to the fat and buttery pork belly. The bun itself was a bit cold, but not stiff or hard. But to be honest, the pork belly was just too good to even notice anything else. I would strongly suggest ordering this over the Pork Belly Ssam!
Overall, a really great experience. Would not think twice to come back :) -
Review from Olivia O.
Toronto, ON
5/16/2012
Awesome take on Korean food, it's so modern and so exciting.
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Review from Justine H.
Toronto, ON
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very Good 5: Excellent
Food: 5
Service: 4
Ambiance: 5
Overall: 4.5
Extra information:
*Open for lunch
*Big portion for Tapa style
*Closed on Sundays
Korean food and fusion style- just sounded like a disater to me. It's hard enough to impress me with Korean food but fusion? I had my doubts. However, my experience at Swish by Han completely washed away my doubts and I was more than impressed.
Inside of the restaurant is nicely lit with few chandliers and tastefully decorated with touches of Korean culture here and there. It definitely does not look like your ordinary Korean restaurant which was different.
Ordered: Iced Honey & Mint Tea 4/5
* Non-alcoholic Iced tea for $5
* Was too tired to drink alcohol so went with the Iced Tea
* Tasted like Mojito + Lemonade
* It was refreshing and went well with the meal
Ordered: Spicy Pork Buns 3/5
* Spicy pork served in Soft Buns for $9
* This was cut into 4 pieces (might have been cause there were 4 of us)
* Pork was cooked in sweet + spicy sauce with veggies with a hint of smokiness
* There was a lot of sauce inside which made it quite messy to eat because it was cut into small pieces- things started falling out of the bun
* You could def tell this had strong korean flavors built into the recipe. I would have enjoyed it if they held back on the sauce just a tad bit
Ordered: Spicy Pork Tacos 4/5
* 2 taco for $10
* Asian flavor inspired tacos are popular these days
* Comes with a lot of filling/topping such as spicy pork pieces, cabbage, kimchi and mayo
* I found this to be pretty spicy and I am Korean! So be aware if you can't handle spicy food
* It comes with lime but I didn't use it (didn't think it was necessary)
* It helps if you eat some of the fillings with your chopstick first and then wrap up the rest because they give you lots of fillings for this dish
Ordered: Steamed Pork Buns 5/5
* 2 Steamed Bun with pork belly and veggies for $10
* One of their popular dish (special of the day)
* 2 pieces of fatty pork belly inside each bun served with japanese pickle(radish), green onion, cucumbers and special sauce (GoChuJang; korean chili paste & Hoisin Sauce)
* First time I tried steamed pork buns were at Momofuku, New York and this specific dish was fusion between Korean-Chinese
* More hoisin sauce than GoChuJang (less spicy)
* Special sauce is really strong and the pork belly is fatty but the radishes and cucumbers balance out the richness of this dish
* This is a must try!!
Ordered: Soo Yook 5/5
* 48 hour braised beef shank served with salad for $12
* Nice, colorful presentation- beef is shaved thin and it goes well with the spring mix salad and green onion
* Salad is bursting with flavor (sweet tangy vinegrette with a hint of sesame oil)
* I felt like this dish was one of the most authentic tasting dish out of all
* Although it is a meat dish, it's light and would be good as an appetizer
* I would get this again, it was sooo yummy!
Ordered: Lobster BiBimBap 4/5
* BiBimBap with lobster meat served in stone bowl for $18
* Veggies (spinach, eggplant, radish, zucchini, bean sprout) and fried eggs. basically your ordinary BiBimBap with chunks of lobster meat
* They bring the dish to the table and mix it for you with the GoChuJang (Korean Chili Paste) so you can control how spicy you want this dish to be
* Because we were asking her if we can take pictures of it before she mixed it up, * Stone bowl comes really hot and this creates all the crunchy rice on the bottom
* Another dish that I really enjoyed
Ordered: Pork Belly Ssam 3/5
* Pork belly served with rice, kimchi and lettuce for $18
* Swish by Han is a Ssam & Shabu Bar, you must at least try one of them! so we chose the pork belly ssam set
* Served with 2 different types of KimChi but they both tasted the same to me
* Served with lettuce and rice, you take the lettuce and wrap up rice with the pork belly- add the spicy sauce as well as some kimchi and eat it!
* Pork belly pieces were fatty and this dish was decent but it didn't impress me that much
* Much prefer regular authentic Korean porkbelly BBQ
Overall I really enjoyed the dishes at Swish by Han. It might be because I really wasn't looking to be impressed but few of their dishes were super tasty and the flavors weren't over done. Service was awesome and both of the girls who helped us were super friendly and helpful with the menu.
Summary: If you love Korean food and is looking for something new, Swish by Han is for you. If you are new to Korean food and would like to try it but take a baby step, Swish by Han is for you as well. They serve strong, bold Korean flavors in a new, innovative way and you def want to be part of it. I've already gone back once and I will def be back again soon :)
Check out pictures on my blog:
http://foodigatorj.blo...Listed in: foodigatorJ TOP LIST
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Review from Karl R.
1/3/2012 8 photos
Went here with Slinky Woman for New Years Eve. What's with the name? Does it comfort me to know it's not Swish by Kim? I'd feel better if Han invented hanguel or the cheugugi. The restaurant is a little hard to find from the street in the dark. I was even sober. The actual name is not very prominent compared to the window lettering that identifies it as a ssäm bar. And why the umlaut? Are they Motörhead,or Deathtöngue? The waitresses are quite tattooed and have their boobs on display. Swish has the trappings of an unnecessary umlaut band in restaurant form. But "swish" doesn't conjure up much in the way of Nazareth style power ballads.
We had the swish which turned out to be hot pot. I don't recall Koreans in Korea ever calling it swish. It was usually called shabu shabu, borrowing from the Japanese name for hot pot. Although my extensive research indicates shabu shabu is Japanese onomonopia for the "swish swish" sound you make stirring up your hot pot (http://en.wikipedia.or...). Are they trying to start something here or is this more of that irritating "let's translate adequately named Korean foods into close english approximations that sound weird to everyone concerned" Korean proclivity. See my treatise at my kimbap dot com / roll dot com review. (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...)
We had the seafood swish which comprised a decent enough seafood for two. We had bi bim bap wraps on the side plus we tried to order the pork neck tacos but got the spicy pork buns instead. Bi bimming the wrap concept didn't really do much for me. The pork buns were amazing, although I'm pretty sure I could knock those off in my slow cooker no probs. Prices were okay, especially for a NYE.
It does get loud. Not the kind of place you want to discuss the future of your dating relationship with a slinky woman. If you're looking for a kind of funky Asian-y up-market gastropub type experience and you've not experienced a lot of time in Korea sitting cross legged in real Korean soju hofs, you might find Swish by Han exotic and a fun visit.
Cool washrooms. -
Review from Thu N.
12/22/2011
So I read the reviews and didn't expect much coming to Swish! Plus I'm not a fan of over paying for Korean food since I'm a regular in the yonge/finch area. Our group of friends even included a Korean who shared in my lack of expectations!
But actually....I was quite impressed with the food and presentation!! This is a Korean izakaya which reminds me of the izakaya chains in Vancouver! We shared a few plates - lobster bim bim bap, Kim chi platter, pork belly wraps, and the seafood and beef hot pot. It was a lot of food! I loved how congee was made after we were done the hot pot. I liked the quality/freshness of the ingredients and the way all the dishes were presented. I would actually come back too!
The only complaint is the service, there was attitude and my menu took a long long time to come. If they improve the service staff they'd really be 4 stars. I'd give them 3.5 for now but round up :) -
Review from Renay R.
Toronto, ON
12/26/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I'm not that familiar with Korean food but came her for lunch. I thought it was pretty good, the food was tasty, the restaurant looked good and I thought the service was good.
We started with the kimchi trio, which my lunch companion told me would have been free anywhere else. Regardless, I had never had kimchi before and I liked it. We also ordered the lettuce wrapped beef and I liked that a lot.
I ordered the Bi Bim Bbap with beef bulgogi and kimchi. I'd never had it before so I have no knowledge how it compares to anywhere else, but I thought it was really good. The rice was kind of crispy and I liked the taste a lot.
The room is quite pretty and I'd go back at night to check it out. -
Review from JC S.
North York, ON
11/10/2011
I wanted to try this place for awhile.. When I did try it, it was a disappointment.
Tried 3 dishes - steamed pork bun, pork neck taco and the swish. They were all delicious and flavorful. The restaurant also has a nice decor - a mix of the modern and the antique.
Why 2 stars?
The service was horrible. The waitress who served us talked with a condescending voice and had an annoyed look. When we received the bill, she did not say anything. Actually, we didn't even ask for the bill. She dropped it off at our table without saying anything and after we paid, no word of "Thank you" or "Bye".
The experience really wasn't worth what we paid for. -
Review from Leslie W.
1/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
BOTTOM LINE: Great ambiance and dishes marred by surly service. Oh, and avoid the overpriced swish (hot pot) bowls.
If it weren't for the poor interaction that kick-started the night, Swish would get a solid 3-star. The 2 of us were greeted by a surly server who told us it would be a 20 minute wait on a slow Tuesday night (by which I mean there were 2 empty reserved tables and an empty 4-person table). She also didn't seem impressed and gave me a dirty look when I inquired about sitting (and even sharing) at the open 4-person table. Even though we didn't feel very welcomed, we left our number anyway and headed out. We had barely walked up half the street (and about to go to Origin instead) when she called back saying our table was suddenly ready. The service, at least, remained neutral the rest of the night, though our server certainly didn't seem to be in the best of spirits. May I add that for the rest of the night, the 4-person table remained EMPTY! (I get it, you want to maximize seating and profit, but it's hard to justify that AND be snooty when half your resto is empty!)
I would recommend sharing a bunch of appetizers but avoiding their overpriced swish (hot pot) bowls - for $25 you only get 12 rolls of beef and a few slices of cabbage and bak choy, enoki mushrooms and king oyster mushrooms. If you want hot pot with more variety in soups, meats and veggies, I'd recommend going to China or Korean Town instead.
The highlight of the night was the 48-hour braised beef served on a long stone platter lined with pickled veggies. With some added mustard seed on the side, this dish was refreshing with a good kick to it. We ordered their special of BBQ pork belly buns that was done in the style akin to Momofuku's in NYC (white taco-esque fluffy bun stuffed with BBQ pork belly) which is probably the best in the city (certainly way better than 416 Snack Bar), but just not as good as Momofuku - can't wait till David Chang opens up his 3-storey resto at the Shangri-La! The pork belly seemed a bit too charred and not tender enough. Their appies were clearly the highlights and would definitely come back and try their other offerings.
Finally, they make some delicious soju-based cocktails and have a couple of beers on tap (Sapporo, Delirium Tremens, Erdinger, Oakenagen ale) that are all reasonably priced. -
Review from Tamara M.
Toronto, ON
8/23/2011 5 photos
It reminded me of a Korean version of Guu without the loud greetings in Japanese when you enter and leave. Inside decor is modern and hip, with wooden tables and floors, brick walls with artwork, exposed pipes near ceiling and hanging lights and chandeliers. They were playing some type of indie rock music that night which is usually unexpected in a Korean restaurant, but then again, this restaurant is not your typical Korean restaurant you would find in Chinatown or North York.
We tried the pork neck tacos, which were sweet (like the marinated all you can eat bbq meats) and spicy at the same time, they were delicious. Also had the lobster bibimbap, which was done nicely in a hot steaming bowl so there were crispy rice bits on the bottom, it was filling enough to be a meal alone. Lastly, we had the rib eye ssam set, which is already cooked for you, and it's served with lettuce to wrap it in.
Service was good, our waitress was friendly and helpful. Prices are a bit higher, but its to be expected in the downtown core, esp with most of the customers being professionals who work in the area. Overall it was an enjoyable experience, a unique twist on Korean food with a modern vibe. -
Review from omar k.
Toronto, ON
2/1/2012
i wanted to like this place. it looked like it had great ambiance from outside, and i love korean food.
however.
the service was slow and unfriendly. that was one server. the other server was nice, but she didn't seem to know the wine menu very well and had to tell me multiple times (after checking) that they were out of the wine i ordered.
the ambiance would've been nice, but damn, they need some acoustic damping. i could barely hear my friend, and she was sitting just across from me. we had to talk quite loudly.
finally, the spicy pork buns were EXCELLENT. the mushroom salad was mediocre.
given the price (EXPENSIVE) i was expecting it to be a lot better. but i feel like i've had just as good korean food, if not better, in koreatown, and with much better service, at 1/3 the price.
needs work. -
Review from M P.
Toronto, ON
10/22/2011
Have been to Swish twice. Overall good experience.
1) K-Food. You can tell the owners/cooks actually care about the quality and presentation of their dishes which, to me, is a breath of fresh air because many a times Korean restos dont bother too much with either or both of those important qualities.
2) Location. Strategically located at the border of the financial district so it's only a short walk from the office after work. However the resto is rather small and it gets crowded in there. With all the grills/shabua running, it gets so hot it could be slightly unpleasant. What's worse is to see your server sweating profusely =S.
3) Drinks. Have nice drink deals but they end so early in the evening many dont get to benefit from it. I guess it's a tactic to draw an earlier crowd.
4) Service. Not bad as long as it doesnt get too hot in there else your server might be sweating bullets onto your food. The girls/guys are smiley and open to chat, if desired, which is nice. The owner is actually really cool.
5) Decor. Mix of new and old = modern yet enriched with the k-culture. Check out their painting over the cashier. It is painted by the owner's grandfather. Love the significance of it. The idea of having a piece of their family there with them every day is a really nice touch. -
Review from Chris M.
7/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been in Toronto this week for work and really jonesing for Korean.
I'm staying in the wrong area for this but noticed Swish the other night while walking around.
As I walked in I was very impressed by the set up. Its small but very nice.
I was there a bit before dinner so I was the only one in the place. I took a look at the menu and was waiting for all the great items that usually come to you prior to ordering. Nope-never came. Although a bit disappointed I pushed on and ordered the short rib lettuce wraps. I won't say they were incredible or that I'd never had anything like this. They were good but I really expected them to be good.
Compared to the local rundown places I usually go to this is a bit more expensive but not painfully so. Overall I liked the place but was over the top crazy.
I'd go back if I can't find another place around. -
Review from Colleen M.
Toronto, ON
11/2/2011
This is the perfect place for cocktails and a delicious, experimental dinner before a show at Sony Centre, just 2 short blocks away. Street parking was easy to find at 5:45pm on a Saturday.
COCKTAILS were delicious! Seoul Train was a really tasty with flavours of pomegranate and lyche and the cucumber mojito was also delicious (though $10 and $12).
AMBIANCE was modern and inviting though very breezy though we sat far from the door.
FOOD was outstanding! Definitely start with the Ban Chan Trio- three little salads to perk your pallet.
-Special: Squash Kimchi Poutine!
After reading many reviews we concocted this menu:
-Silken Tofu with sauteed kimchi
-48 hr beef
-Pork Neck Tacos
Perfect medium spice level; well developed flavours. YUM! -
Review from Joanne W.
6/4/2011 5 photos
It may be possible that I've been way too used to actual Korean food that Swish by Han just didn't cut it.
The ambiance and location was nice - located at Front and Wellington. Music was a bit too loud for my friends and I to chat over. Service wasn't too bad either.
However, for the price that you're paying for Korean food (including Shabu Shabu) - it just wasn't worth it. Firstly, the kimchi trio that we got wasn't the best kimchi -- it had a strange taste to it. The silken tofu with sauteed kimchi wasn't bad - I would recommend this. The deep fried octopus with wasabi tartar wasn't worth it -- too fried and you felt like you had to "dig" to find the octopus within the batter
The swish wasn't worth it at all. I love my shabu shabu/hot pot, but for $25?! Really - that wasn't worth my money. I felt like I could've been uptown and bought myself all you can eat (and pretty much the same food) for shabu shabu at the same price.Listed in: OMNOMNOM korean cuisine
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Review from Brian T.
12/29/2011 2 photos
This cool and cozy joint near the St. Lawrence Market is serving some of the best cooking happening in Toronto, as far as I can tell. The prices aren't unreasonable, although let's hope it doesn't become a trend to charge for kim-chi and banchan. The dolsat bibimbap was really nice, with a perfect crispness to the rice on the bottom, and a beautifully fried quail egg on top.
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Review from Jessica W.
Toronto, ON
6/26/2011
One of my favourite restaurants in the SLM 'hood.
Swish by Han is not your typical Asian restaurant (massive portions, all-you-can-eat BBQ, etc.). It's a contemporary, hip, more upscale take on Korean food, as you might find in Seoul. For instance, on a recent visit, they were testing out a kim chi recipe that included pineapple (delish!) and were trying out some tweaks to the pork neck tacos, one of my favourite menu items.
It's a young team that runs the uber-stylish room, led by front of house manager Leeto Han and his bro, the exec. chef Leemo Han.
After more than a year of regular dinners here, have tried and enjoyed a majority of things on the menu, although it changes every so often to incorporate specials or try out new things. Have also had two birthday dinners here, including a special prix-fixe dinner for a large party that left everyone stuffed and in utter bliss (the slow-roasted pork shoulder was especially AMAZING).
All in all, it's a fun neighbourhood place with a great vibe, wonderfully friendly staff, appealing presentation and tasty, interactive food. I don't find the prices high, when you consider the 'hood and the creativity of the kitchen. -
Review from Frankie K.
Toronto, ON
3/22/2011
I was surprised by this place. We went here for Valentines Day and was half full, not a huge place. We got the seafood crepe things (yummy), spicy pork buns (yummy), short ribs ssam set (delicious)
I would go back! its a little much compared to usual korean places but a nice change :) -
Review from Aamy M.
Toronto, ON
4/26/2012
its a fun place for good food. not expensive just right for lunch!
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Review from Sharky L.
Toronto, ON
1/2/2011
The food was good, the ambiance was enchanting but I don't get how they can charge so much for food you cook yourself. We ordered the seafood swish, portions were decent, we were able to share but felt a little hungry afterward. This would be good for one hungry person.
This would have to be the best Korean food experience I had but paying the higher price compare to other Korean restaurants wasn't worth it. -
Review from Maisie H.
Toronto, ON
4/8/2011
In a nutshell, good korean food, slightly adjusted for the Canadian palate, at a good price range for the area.
I was introduced to this as a Korean version of Guu, so I came into this expecting for a rowdy bar style environment to share small plates with two good friends. Definitely not the environment that I found. The place is bright and natural, with a bit of hipster-modern. Other than the picture of the fermenting pots on the wall, I never would have guessed this was an asian restaurant.There is one large table where they can seat a large group, but the restaurant is small, and I would only come here with a group of 3-4 people
The menu seems to change every once in a while, so it's lucky I didn't fall madly in love with any of the dishes. Being said, almost every dish was well executed, paced well, and the service was friendly. There are a number of Japanese style dishes (the two cuisines often comingle), but looking for a more Korean experience, we tried the fried capelin, prawns with tobiko and seaweed salad, lobster bibimbap, bulkogi ssam, and the ban chan trio. The portions were a bit larger than expected. An small person could be satisfied by eating only one or two of the 'hot plates', or one ssam set, whereas you would expect to order 3-4 at any 'small plates' style restaurant.
Despite having barely any lobster, the lobster bibimbap was even larger than I would expect from a typical yonge-street korean restaurant that serves this as a main dish. The bottom was crunchy, and the flavours were bold, just the way a bibimbap should be.
The fried dishes were also well done; without any heavy greasiness, and complemented well by sauces for each. My only disappointment was the ban chan trio, the flavours were rather lacking, and the texture of the beans reminded eerily only of large black beans that are soaked but uncooked .
Without drinks, the bill came to $70 for three small-ish eaters. Reasonable price range for eating around financial district (well it's probably considered just outside), but this is the first time I've ever paid for side dishes at a korean restaurant!I wouldn't consider any of the dishes revolutionary or particularly unique, but each was made well and I would come back here again. -
Review from Robin D.
10/27/2010
Wow, this place took me by surprise. I could not tell this place was a korean restaurant until I took a closer look. But don't be deceived, this place is good and i mean good.
I like the huge cool portrait of clay pots on the wall, probably for fermenting kim chi. And I definitely need to go back to try their interesting drinks I missed out on last time.
The one waiter during lunch wears a tuque. It is really cool. I don't know why, but everytime he opens his mouth to talk, English comes out. It surprised me every time.Listed in: Where I would like to take you…
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Review from Max L.
Toronto, ON
9/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
short review: very good meal, not overly expensive, tasty cocktails, great atmosphere, attentive service, maybe a little lacking in originality though.
long review: i just got back from a meal here with a couple of friends and came away quite impressed. we made reservations (good call, every other table in the restaurant had a reserved sign on it when we arrived) and got down to ordering (after a couple of fantastic mixed drinks - they mix gin particularly well). we decided to mostly get "dishes" off the menu, as we felt that would emulate the korean tapas experience that we were going for.
here's what we ordered and then ate (along with would i order it again):
silken tofu with sauteed kimchi (yes)
kimchi'ed pears with stilton cheese (no, which is unfortunate because i thought it was the most adventureous dish on the menu)
spicy pork neck tacos (yes, though they're not quite as good as black hoof's pork tacos)
lobster bi bim bbap (yes)
soo yook (yes)
torched mackerel (no, although the presentation was cool - took a torch to the fish at our table)
steamed bun stuffed with pork belly (special of the day) (GOD YES)
grilled pork belly ssam (SUPER-GOD YES)
alberta beef ribeye bbq set (no - tasted like any korean beef bbq, not all that special)
this was more than enough food for the three of us, we probably could have made do with half as much, we just got a little greedy looking at the menu. sue us. however, reading reviews beforehand had led me to believe that the meal would be more expensive than it really was - for high quality food like this was, i think that the prices and portions were both very reasonable.
our server was very attentive and helpful, definitely made us feel welcome, and our water was never empty.
overall, delicious but not extraordinary.
note: the family behind us got a pork shoulder, which the waitress told us you have to order in advance if you want it. you should want it. it looked and smelled fantastic, and supported my thinking that this restaurant knows how to cook pork. -
Review from Kat F.
11/16/2009
OK, hold up. You're gonna charge me $20 for a bowl of four types of mushrooms and hot broth? Oh, and what the -- I have to cook it myself!? Outrageous.
Decor is beautiful - softly lit by scores of huge cathedral-worthy candles and beautiful place settings.
Service is also excellent and friendly.
But the price point is off by about $5-10. A vegetarian swish should not be only $5 less than the beef and seafood versions. The meat had to have been worth more than $5. Grossly overpriced.
I shared the veggie shabu shabu so it ended up costing "only" $10 but IMO even that was too expensive for mushrooms and broth. I'm not very adept with chopsticks and if you aren't either, this won't be the meal for you. I put on a brave face though and helped cook up the meal at the table. Many of the mushrooms were flimsy and even more difficult to pick up once they'd been cooked. The broth was nothing special so essentially at the end of it all I was just eating boiled mushrooms. I am not even that big of a mushroom fan to begin with.
This place had the makings of a great meal, but in the end (at least for vegetarians) it was just "meh." -
Review from Christine C.
Etobicoke, ON
11/5/2009
From an aesthetic viewpoint Swish by Han is a lovely, lovely room. The brick, the wood, the low lighting...it all works. There was a quietness about the room, then again, it wasn't very busy. Location wise SBH is competing with a couple of heavy hitters by having restos like Lucien and Trevor, along with a couple of bars (Pravda & the Rezzie) all competing for diners attentions. I suspect it'll be tough sledding for Swish.
The previous two reviews (Farheen and Dave. "It's all about the five stars" O.) were both quite positive. I must say I really enjoyed trying the carafe of Korean booze called Soju. We ordered the ginger infused version of it and the more I drank of it, the more I liked it. Susan forewarned though, its a hangover waiting to happen. Dave likened it to Korean tequila, encouraging me to eat the worm which was really a big hunk of ginger in the bottom of the carafe.
I enjoyed the appy's more than the actual main, Swish, itself. My fav app was the Jelly Fish salad which had lots of different things going on in terms of texture and tastes. Fareen is right, Purple Yam Frites (which looked really cool) were well over cooked. Chili Shrimp had a big bang on the first bite but the flavour and the heat waned really quick. Dumplings are what they are, you can get these pretty much anywhere these days even though essentially it works on the same premise.
The Swish itself was ok. I do find this style of food rather bland though. Essentially you are just boiling everything and for me I think it would have been more enjoyable if they had offered up a small choice of dipping sauces. They gave us each one small bowl of a sweet chili dipping sauce with the exact same flavour that was on the Chili Shrimp app. A Swish costs $25.00 and I'm of the same mind as Dave, they could have been a bit more generous with the meat/seafood. The myriad of mushrooms was great but again, I found it bland and I'm a girl who likes food that has a kick to it. I asked Susan about comparing it to the Rolling Pot and she said it was very different.
The one part that I found interesting and entertaining was when they added the rice to one of the Swish pots, stirring it until it melded into an almost Congee like concoction. Still though, I found this bland and added some of the dipping sauce to both the rice and the noodles just to give it a flavour boost.
I hope Swish does well because it is definitely a different option along Wellington Street. I'd venture back in, next time though I'd stick to small plates and middle plates and forgo the Swish altogether. -
Review from Farheen K.
Toronto, ON
11/4/2009
Sometimes I just dont wanna go to Koreatown. I love Korean food but I dont always feel like trekking to bloor west and sitting in an authentic korean restaurant with plastic covered menus and melamine glasses of water to drink out of. Sometimes, I just feel snooty and want to eat out of steaming copper pots with brass chopsticks. On those days, I suggest you head over to Swish by Han.
Our yelping group gathered at the newly put together Swish by Han to try this thing called korean food. What we ended up eating is by no means authentic korean food. Perhaps a twist of it?...a swish if you may? ok ok i'll stop.
Our "beginners" included purple yam fries, jellyfish, spicy garlic shrimps and dumplings. The jellyfish tasted fresh and slightly smokey like a seaweed salad, the purple yam fries were a tad overfried. The shrimp were what they were but with a nice spicy kick and I passed on the pork dumplings.
Then came the task of shabu shabu-ing our own food (which, as our very own Susan C. informed us, is a japanese (not korean) meal option). I sigh at fusion. I really do. Why must all japanese/korean fusion food require so much work? Shabu shabuing requires a dumping of either beef, seafood or mushrooms into a boiling broth in front of you and then playing the catch me if you can game of trying to get those buggers back onto your plate. Needless to say, Kat F. and I gave up after the first few platefuls. All this aside, our mushroom option came with 5 different types of mushrooms including shitake, portabello & crimini.
I recommend Swish by Han for a date..something about working together in unison with fire between you, paired with infused Soju (a bottle of straight up soju infused with random flavours like citrus, ginger etc.) makes this a win win situation.
Keeping that in mind, clearly i'll be back. -
Review from Evan J.
Toronto, ON
7/16/2011
I really hand a fantastic time here.
This is what a dining experience should be like. Great vibe, great staff, music was great (they where playing 90's hip hop)
and the food was fantastic. Everything we ordered was excellent.
We also ordered a drink, I believe it was JD with honey and some other mix. What ever it was, I was amazing. I couldn't stop drinking them.
This is a place that I'm glad I experienced and will for sure be back. -
Review from Dave O.
Toronto, ON
11/4/2009 1 photo
Swish is a very nice restaurant, I had a great meal with friends and the shabu shabu was really well presented and delicious. The renovated decor is really earthy and warm. They have done a spectacular job setting up the space. I really enjoyed the ambiance, if only there were some more people in the place.
We started with some jellyfish-noodle salad, yam frites with spicy mayo and some excellent pork and chive dumplings, we also had the spicy shrimp which was a little too bold and was topped with what tasted like standard bbq sauce, not the greatest flavour to mix with shrimp IMO.
The shabu shabu comes out with plenty of veggies and a modest portion of seafood, beef or mushrooms. The mushrooms were all clean and fresh, superb quality; the beef was bright and well-mottled, an excellent cut; and the seafood was fresh and delicious. They have cute little portable stoves for the broth, and the fish broth was superb, clear and tasty without a lot of salt. Once you have cooked and eaten the veggies and meat, they prepare either noodles or rice in the broth right at the table to finish.
I tried soju for the first time and it was quite good, we tried the ginger-infused and it was tasty without being overwhelming as ginger sometimes can. The infusion simply masked some of the harshness associated with soju.
Swish is a little pricey for the full shabu shabu, but it was a good dining experience, go check it out! -
Review from Sharon C.
9/20/2011
Pork Neck Tacos - amazing flavors and succulent pork will keep me coming back to this place for my taco cravings. And SPICY!
Tempura Shrimp - juicy and crunchy shrimp in a spicy sauce served with amazing cold thin noodles and some green sauce. LOVING IT.
Ssan - Galbi - yummy but tasted average. No wild crazy flavors here, but they have done simple meat flavors right.
Have more dessert on hand, for those with sweet fangs!!
Tone the volume down on the music. Keep the DRANKS coming and you have the recipe for an amazing night solo or with peeps. -
Review from Anup R.
Toronto, ON
9/14/2011
The BBQ pulled pork sandwich is amazing. I want one right now. Please don't ever publish the calorie count
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Review from Serena W.
Toronto, ON
9/13/2011
I'd passed this places many times, and decided to give it a go last week.
Somewhat modern decor, interesting menu that's a bit more inventive than the standard Korean fare, and decent service.
We had the braised beef with sesame flavored salad as a starter (pretty good), the lobster bi-bim-bap (good), and the beef swish (like a very simplified minimalist hotpot that wasn't bad, but certainly not memorable and not comparable to the flavors of a really good hotpot).
We also tried two of their speciality drinks - the yuzu lemonade drink and the mint iced tea. Both were decent, but not that special.
They advertise a late night menu, which might be interesting.
Overall, a decent place with a nice casual vibe. The food was good but not great. An ok place to go if you're in the area, but that's about it. -
Review from Aaron G.
2/25/2010
First off, if you're looking for a traditional Korean tofu house or BBQ place, this isn't it--go somewhere else. But that's not what I was after.
I've had lots of the best Korean food and eaten in my share of grungy holes in the wall that are delicious and cheap. But that's the equivalent of having pancakes with maple syrup every time you eat "Canadian". I have wanted for a long time to find a restaurant where a Korean chef uses their imagination and goes beyond tradition. This is what you get at Swish by Han.
It's an upscale place so it's not cheap. But it's not outrageous for what you get. They make their own kimchee and it's delicious. There's the traditional napa cabbage and daikon radish kimchees, and when I was there, also a baby bok choy and pineapple kimchee that was amazing! Usually I am left dissatisfied by restaurant kimchee; it never rivals what you can make at home with long fermentation. But this stuff was amazing.
Another plus was that everything is fresh. No canned sauces and dips, everything from scratch, and the flavour shows. I really appreciate chefs who watch out for the details, because that's what makes a great meal, and down to the broth for the kimchee stew (chiggae) it was totally fresh.
Other reviews I've read have complained about portion size and lack of spice, but they seem to have improved on those fronts. I couldn't finish my portion and my kimchee chiggae was plenty spicy, and I like it hot!
So, moral of the story: If you want a delicious meal that starts in Korea but goes beyond the same old same old, this is the place for you. If you want a budget meal and some comforting favourites, go to Koreatown instead. -
Review from T.H. J.
6/11/2011
Definitely. A strong four stars. I had the eponymous swish, with beef. Portions just right and you getting noodle soup out of what's left. Bibimbap looked good. Kimchi sampler was wonderful
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Review from Jennifer G.
Toronto, ON
10/28/2011
I was taken here for a birthday dinner recently and thought it was great. We had some pork tacos for an appetizer and they were amazing! The main dish was great as well, excellent BBQ garlic beef and a good selection of beverages. I have only a few complaints....not enough food for the price, as well as the tables are mostly long picnic table style and don't leave a lot of room for privacy. Also, although we had reservations, we were told that we could not have a table for two that was open because they were 'all reserved'. Seemed a little strange to me. Overall the food was great though.
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Review from Eugene L.
Toronto, ON
2/15/2011
Like others have said, if you're looking for traditional Korean fare, this isn't the place for you. If that's what you're looking for, then hit any of the restaurants on Bloor St. or on Yonge St.
That said, if you're looking for fresh, tasty and unique but still VERY Korean food with a bit of funk to it ... this is the place. I've walked by this place over 50 times since I live (& work) about 5 minutes from them but I was never keen on trying it. However, we had some out of town guests that were keen on trying Korean so we checked it out. What an experience! It's your mom's Korean cooking but just a lot more refined and a lot more visually appealing. The seafood crepe (hae mul pajon) was phenomenal. They even offer a mahkolee sangria ... not for everyone but definitely livens up a normally difficult drink.
Service was good. I think they might have been a bit overwhelmed by the amount of food we kept ordering after the fact because of how good we realized it was. And the copious amount of soju cocktails that we consumed.
And like others have said ... it's a bit pricier than the places on Bloor or Yonge but I wasn't afraid of going to the washroom and touching anything because it's not your traditional / typical Korean restaurant. -
Review from Simon C.
Toronto, ON
4/5/2010
Went to Swish the for the first time and can confirm - it's good stuff. Cannot remember the name of the meal I ordered but it had rice, veggies and crispy lobster served in a really hot bowl. Very interesting texture and great flavour. My better half had a braised beef rib over mashed potato type thing. That was excellent as well. Just to try something new, we ordered the Soju beverage, personally, I won't do that again. We'll be going back though.
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Review from Amy H.
Vancouver, BC
4/22/2010
My boyfriend and I were looking for some good asian food in the area. This is definitely the best korean fusion food I've ever had! The manago kimchi crepes are a must. The jap chae and bi bim bap roll also deserves a mention. The green tea bingu, vanilla ice cream with green tea and red bean flavours on shaved ice was SUUUUPEEEER!
We also loved the sauce that came with the Beef Swish. Yummy! -
Review from Brandonska F.
Toronto, ON
5/28/2010
I first read of Swish by Han in the Metro while going to work. The review proclaimed a new fresh and funky Korean restaurant had opened up in the downtown core - sounded intriguing. That was 8 months ago.
I have seen been to Swish by Han two times and both visits were very impressive. The first was a family outing with my mother and two of her good friends who were in town. We had arrived at the restaurant for lunch. The decor is absolutely stunning and has a very warm inviting feel. The owners have chosen to go with an industrial open wooden concept. The tables are large slabs of tempered wood supported by steel. The ceilings are high and on the back wall is a graphic print of Kimchi being made in its traditional way - outside in clay pots. The other wall has open brick and gives a rustic feel.
Now to the food. We had the bim bim bap - a traditional Korean rich dish of mixed vegetables, egg and meat. It came with great presentation - elevated in a clay bowl over a candle. The portion was a decent size and the overall blend of rice, vegetables, meat, and sauces were great - the two of use shared. Overall, it was good. The next dish was the Swish. To explain, the Swish is a do-it-yourself broth-like-soup and it comes over a portable-funky looking bunsen-burner. You can get the Swish in three variants - meat, seafood and mushroom. Each one comes with different vegetables and the broth varies. You cook the food yourself which makes for a fun and interactive experience - don't worry, the waiter explains how to do it. My mom's friends' got the seafood which was to die for - the broth was so incredibly good I drank what was left after. We got the mushroom Swish which was absolutely fantastic. I'm a big mushroom fan but I don't remember the combo of mushrooms. Regardless, they were carefully selected and went perfectly with the broth and vegetables. Once we were done with our Swish the waiter - also the owner - mentioned how the next step was one of the following with the Swish: he provides home-made sweet noodles that go into the broth or he makes a rice-like risotto out of the broth. It's not a desert but a follow-up after the Swish. We chose the risotto and the other two the noodles. Both were amazing.
I've always said I had two stomachs. One for food and the other for dessert. Now for dessert and oh-my-god was it ever good. We had this dessert called "Bingsu." I'm going to try to explain this as best as I can because its really hard fathom. It's essentially delicious chocolate ice cream, resting upon a layer of semi-sweet red beans, and is nestled upon layers and layers of shaven ice. Now, when you eat this exquisite desert the combination of the chocolate, red bean, and shave ice morphs into some culinary explosion of awesome leaving your taste buds begging for more. Lucky for all of us, this dessert is a behemoth and meant for sharing with at least two people. It's really good. Try it.
I recommend people give Swish by Han a try, you won't be disappointed.
