Incredible Fusion at Aniq In Roncesvalles

Juicy Sous Vide Duck Breast

If you’re looking for a unique dining experience in Toronto, Aniq’s east asian fusion cuisine will delight your taste buds. In the heart of Roncesvalles, Chef and owner Eric Oh has brought together Asian and Canadian flavours, along with a ton of molecular gastronomy to create memorable and delicious dishes.  Chef Oh’s Korean background shines through, especially in their SSAM meal, also known as the “Ultimate Asian Feast.” They have taken a traditional Korean lettuce wrap dinner and turned it into a multi course experience featuring a main event platter of Korean short rib, sous vide duck breast, pork belly and juicy Gigas oysters. The Aniq menu is filled with impressive and distinct dishes like their take on a Truffle Potato Croquette, that uses a potato stuffed inari with sliced truffle, truffle oil, chanterelle, shitaake and mashed potato. However, I was most excited to try their 6 course SSAM feast.

Sweet and Spicy Beef Tartare with Smokey Black Eggplant Sauce!

The potential for variability makes the SSAM feast the perfect vessel to show off Aniq’s own style of food. I enjoyed the experience with a group of 4 friends, and there was definitely more than enough for everyone. The meal started off with some of their popular menu items that we shared. Our first dish was a sweet and spicy Beef Tartare that was popping with flavours.  A beautiful combination of eggplant, egg yolks, shallots, garlic, gochujang, sesame, pine nuts and sunchoke chips. Covered in fresh lemon zest and served with a smokey black eggplant sauce.

Arugula Halloumi Salad with Roasted Grapes

Next up was the Arugula Halloumi Salad. I loved this one, especially the use of roasted grapes in addition to grilled slices of Halloumi cheese, arugula, honey, truffle oil, balsamic caviar and toasted walnuts.

Aniq’s SSAM Platter with Duck Breast, Pork Belly, Kalbi, Oysters

The main event was next and it did not disappoint.  We were presented with the beautiful SSAM platter of meat and oysters. Meant to show off flavours from 3 East Asian countries, the platter was packed with mouthwatering slices of sous vide duck breast with orange Tare butter glaze, juicy chunks of miso and maple sake marinated pork belly roast,  Korean beef short rib (Kalbi) with house Tare bordelaise and freshly shucked Gigas Oysters. The platter is accompanied with perfectly shaped Boston lettuce and perilla leaves to wrap the meat. You can customize each bite with condiments like spicy ssamjang sauce, roasted garlic sauce, kimchi, salted shrimp and molecular gastronomy creations including powdered sesame oil, lavender sake pearls and usukuchi soy sauce caviar.

Mouthwatering Miso and Maple Sake Marinated Pork Belly Roast

Fried Brussels Sprouts with Fish Sauce

I was pretty full at that point, but of course, there was more!  We enjoyed a bowl of fried brussels sprouts with crispy onions and fish sauce, and the meal also came with our choice of Kimchi Fried Rice or Japchae- classic Korean stir fried glass noodles. The meal was topped off with a special “Aniq x Cheesecake Factory” dessert menu, where they enhanced delicious Cheesecake Factory cakes with their own homemade ice creams and creative toppings like powdered brown butter and raspberry explosions.

Japchae (Korean Stir Fried Glass Noodles)

The SSAM feast at Aniq was a unique twist that blends a traditional korean lettuce wrap meal with Chef Eric Oh’s own culinary style allowing diners to taste textures and feel flavours. It goes for $50/ person and you need minimum of 4 people.  They also have a big space that can accommodate larger groups.

Aniq x Cheesecake Factory Desserts with Powdered Brown Butter

Aniq’s Bar

Truffle Potato Croquette

Aniq x GFT (Chef and Owner Eric Oh + Me)