NEW RETRO – BASEMENT BAR  – 193 Carlton St. B1, Toronto, ON M5A 2K7, Canada
Country: Japan         
Must-try dish: 
Dinner guests: Hilly, Lady Ann & Pornstar Sam 
Seating: Indoor seating only.  
The high: All the dishes are small but with enough food to share as a group. 
The low: It can take a bit of time to get a drink since they’re busy. 

You could walk by this place and not even realize that it’s there as it’s tucked in the basement of a building below a sushi restaurant. But once you know where to find it, you know. An indication that something is happening are all the hip looking people that flock in daily from evening to the early hours of the morning since the doors open at 6pm every night of the week and stay open serving food and cocktails until late. There’s no better way to describe it than as a hidden gem. 

“New Retro” symbolizes timelessness. This theme is relevant to the dishes at the restaurant because they are constantly evolving, but the flavours and cooking techniques used won’t fade with new trends. It could also relate to keeping up with the times and the season, whether it be with food, society, or people. You can kind of have it all here! 

Once you step into the little cave, you can’t help but get excited. There’s an open kitchen with a couple of chefs cooking constantly on an open fire, and a few tables packed with people at various stages of their eating and drinking adventures. 

The menu is small, and changes often, even daily in some cases. This makes it fun to return since the ingredients and dishes will have likely changed. Similar to an omakase style restaurant, diners sitting at the bar get a little extra out of the experience. If the chef has time and starts to chat, these diners can order off the menu and work with the chef to evolve each dish to their palate and get totally different things as long as the ingredients are in-store.  Sadly we didn’t go this route, but hopefully next time! 

These are our recommendations: 

• Sharing Platter 
• Miso Daikon
• Shrimp
• Beef Tartare
• Uni Butter
• Roasted Duck
• Fried Rice

The Sharing Platter was an excellent way to kick off the meal since it’s a plate with five special things to sample that change daily. It’ll never be the same. There are variations of dips and vegetables to try, and enough for five people. 

Our server recommended that we order two of the Miso Daikon, and although it was nice to have a lighter vegetable dish, we would have rather had two portions of one of the meatier dishes. This being said, one order would have been perfect for our group. One portion of the Shrimp worked for us as everyone got at least one to themselves – they’re slightly coated and dressed in a saucy marinade with a little kick. 

Beef Tartare was exactly one of those dishes that we could have had more of. The quality of beef used in Japanese cuisine ensures that no matter what, a raw beef meal will be spectacular. In addition to the bovine quality, Japanese spices and seasonings are also mild enough to enhance the flavour without overtaking the taste of the meat. It’s a win-win. 

So sea urchin is the main ingredient, and therefore deterrent, from ordering the Uni Butter, and we strongly recommend throwing caution to the wind. Although it’s an acquired taste, it’s also best practice to try everything at least once, and if you’re going to do this anywhere, it should be here because this dish is  actually terrific in the basement. 

The Roasted Duck is a main fixture on the menu, it comes in thin, delicate slices that feel like seasoned silk with each bite. This is another dish that we could have done with a second order of since the whole gang couldn’t stop speaking its praises. The great thing about meats in Japanese cuisine is that despite having sauces and marinades to accompany it, the real treat is the true taste of it. 

We eat a lot of Fried Rice at restaurants from different countries across Asia, and this was our first Japanese variation. It was oozing flavour and personality without being overpowering. One portion is enough to tickle the taste buds, and get a good idea of what it’s all about, but dammit, please order one of these for yourself! 

Japanese food is a highlight in our diets, whether it be sushi, ramen, or beef, or fancier dishes like what’s served at New Retro. If a restaurant can’t do it right, then they have no leg to stand on this city with a wealth of options. Without being Japanese connoisseurs ourselves, we are Japanese food lovers, and we adored our dinner here. 

Eat with you soon, 

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)