Eat Yet – 409 Spadina Ave., Toronto, ON M5T 2G6
Country: Taiwan   
Seating: Only indoor seating
Must-try dish: Rice Bowls
Dinner guests: Dirty D, Dani P, Suited Sebastien & The 4th 
The high: The menu is concise, making it quick to decide on what to order. 
The low: Several items on the menu were out of stock. 

You’ll want to make sure that your phone is charged before going for a meal at Eat Yet because the menu and the ordering process are all done through a mobile device that makes a cart of the items ordered and you pay at the end virtually. There are staff members who deliver the food and clear the table, but the diners are for the most part left to their own devices. 

Eat Yet has a small and approachable menu, making the virtual ordering process straightforward. All the appetizers are sharable for a group, while the main dishes consist of various styles of bowls that are better eaten by each individual. 

Before making any big decisions, a round of sharing plates were delivered quickly. The Smashed Cucumber Salad was first to arrive, and successfully acted as a palate cleanser for  the dishes that followed. Although the flavour was balanced, it was quite spicy, even for spice lovers. If you’re feeling brave, order at your own risk! 

The Jumbo Veggie Spring Roll is indeed accurately described for its size, but lacked any originality in taste, while the Pan Fried Pork Buns were bite-sized and packed with flavour. The minced pork balls inside of the dough were seasoned with local spices that made them good on their own but also tasty with a dipping sauce. 

As for the main dishes, the Rice Bowls are the name of the game. It allows for each diner to pick the protein and spice level desired, mixed with a hard-boiled egg, veggies, and topped over rice. The portions are generous for the average person, but a hungry person could finish one to themselves. 

The Lemongrass Pork Chop Rice Bowl has the most exciting flavour profile with the dominant presence of lemongrass dressing the tender pieces of pork. Although it’s well seasoned, there’s a mild spice level unlike in the Pork Belly & Shishito Pepper Rice Bowl that has a kick to it. The pork belly in this dish was fattier that the other meat options, which made it less appealing overall but still top notch in taste due to the black bean sauce. 

To switch gears, the B.B.Q Chicken Rice Bowl is saucy and tastes like it came straight from the barbecue to the bowl. Whether you like chicken or not, this is going to impress you because of the sauce and the tenderness of the meat. There’s also the option to substitute the chicken for beef. 

For the red meat lovers in the house, the Red Wine Beef Stew Rice Bowl is exactly as its described: slow-cooked brisket with onions, carrots, and potatoes in a rich wine sauce. You would almost expect to see this on a French menu under the title “Boeuf Bourignon” with the addition to asian flavours. 

The cuisine of Taiwan has once again impressed us, and we look forward to tasting more dishes from the island country soon. 

Eat with you soon, 

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)