aKin Restaurant

Atmosphere

aKin brings a modern twist to Asian cuisine and elevates it through many different flavours. The space is beautifully designed with the millenial green colour and warm lighting. The plating was also very aesthetically pleasing.

The Food

The food is amazing, with a lot of different flavours and textures. We had a taste of a bit of Vietnamese banh mi flavours in the beginning and then ventured into Korean and Singaporean street food as we went along. The dishes are well-balanced and the flavours are well-executed. In addition, the presentation was excellent!

The cocktails are well-balanced and the flavours are well-executed.

Service

Everyone was attentive without being intrusive. The pacing of each meal was spot-on. We had multiple waiters attending to us, water was always refilled and the waitress was super knowledgeable about the wine pairings and was super fun to talk to.

Favorite Memory

The Master Chef legend himself came out to our table and I was able to take a picture with him!

Restrooms

Honestly, I was very surprised by the restrooms. They were very clean and well-maintained which was evident by the fact that staff was always constantly around making sure it was spotless and always had the toilet paper folded into a triangle. These small little details really make a difference in the dining experience no matter how small.

Critique

One small critique is that main courses felt very heavy compared to the beginning dishes. The octopus cooked in duck confit was cooked to perfection, but paired with a dough ball stuffed with cheese felt really heavy.

It would be nice to have some type pickled daikon or radish on the side to complement the octopus. We had ordered the additional wagyu beef on top of the fried rice which was delicious, but felt the rice tasted a bit too salty.

For the price, I'd have to bring the value down a bit. After having dined in a few other Toronto restaurants like 20 Victoria, I felt aKin was a bit overpriced for the value. I've read online that you definitely wouldn't feel full after dining here but for me thats definitely not the case, however, your experience may vary.

Final Thoughts

aKin manages to honor traditional Asian cuisine while making it feel fresh and contemporary. The combination of excellent food, warm service, and vibrant atmosphere makes it a must-visit. A well-deserved Michelin star for sure!