Okay Dokey

Shoyu ramen

Asian cuisine is a standard fare for many North American kitchens, with ingredients or quick prepared frozen entrees available in supermarkets. But A-OK Food is probably one of the few restaurants in the city that offers Asian food not staffed by Asians.

This second-level walk-up at Queen and Shaw sported the open-space, communal tables found in most recent restaurants. In contrast to the clean, hip look, the dishes are served on cheap, kitschy Chinese plates, perhaps as a nod to the street-food origins of their short fusion-esque menu.

Before I headed on out to catch various outdoor performances associated with NXNE, perfect on a pleasant Saturday afternoon, I dropped by A-OK for a quick lunch. I opted for the Bulgogi Torta ($7.50), a bowl of Shoyu ramen ($10.50), and 5-Spice buns ($5.00). The Korean grilled beef came out in burger form, with a side of pickled celery and green peppers, and a bottle of house-made sriracha. The beef was moist and tender, with the slightly sweet taste of Korean BBQ sauce. I thought the avocado and provolone topping wasn't a good match, as their strong taste masked out the Bulgogi's distinctive flavour.

The Shoyu ramen came in chicken stock, but the duck fat and garlic confit made it as rich as other ramen spots in the city. The house-made noodles were softer than the others, still retaining a nice toothsomeness. I particularly enjoyed the tender pork slices with just a layer of fat for some richness. The egg didn't have the oozy runniness typical of this noodle dish. There was a slight citrus undertone to the soup because of the inclusion of yuzu.

Bulgogi Torta

5 spice buns

Usually 5-spice buns come out as appetizers, stuffed with meat. Here, they have been interpreted as a dessert. As such, 3 pieces of fresh deep-fried buns came out, accompanied by some earl grey cream. The buns were hot and golden-brown, sweetly coated with "5 spice sugar" that carried a hint of cinnamon. This was a nice way to end the meal, but I couldn't help treating them as a fresher version of a timbit.