In the past 6 months, several friends have approached me on different occasions to come to this restaurant/bar. I didn't get what the rave was all about until I've paid one unplanned and surprise visit to Guu. It was unplanned and surprising since my friend wanted to bring me to one of her favourite Japanese restaurant and I was not told where and what the name of the restaurant actually was. We had an especially early dinner (at around 5; that's when they open) and it was already packed! We had to sit in the bar area because there were no tables left. Talk about the hype right?
We were greeted with the whole staff shouting some very enthusiastic Japanese once we walked in. If you hate noise, I suggest you don't come to Guu because every time someone enters/leaves the whole staff greets/bids them goodbye. This also left my friend and I wondering whether the staff lose their voices every night after work and how much they get paid for doing this or how much they got to drink before work. Don't get me wrong, I think Guu is very unique and upbeat. You'll have a new sense of appreciation for how serene and quite the world is once you leave the restaurant, as my friend likes to put it. :P
Berries sake (assorted fruits in Japanese rice wine). Didn't have this, so I don't know how it tastes, but since it was right in front of me, I could smell a very strong scent of liquor seeping out of the jar.
Ramune mojito! Ramune (right) is I guess an equivalent to sprite but way more lemony. When you pop the bottle, a clear marble falls into the bottle. Anyways, it tastes incredibly good with lime and fresh mint! In my opinion, it tastes way better than the original mojito!
Spinach covered in sweet sesame paste. To me, this did not sound appetizing at all, but my friend really liked it so I gave it a try. And I must say, it was a very pleasant surprise to find this so tasty! The combination of chilled spinach and sweet sesame does not only taste healthy (in a good way), it is also a very refreshing appetizer for a hot summer day. If you decide to pay Guu a visit, definitely try this!
All hail the heavenly bibimbap! I bow down to thee! That should tell you how much I LOVE this dish. It's Korean food with a Western and Japanese twist. FYI, the the black stuff is seaweed and the yellow stuff is cheese. Another heavenly combination. I have no idea how they made this so lip-smackingly delectable with such simple ingredients; I swear they put crack in this to get me so addicted (just kidding)! If you go to Guu, this is a must try, oh and not to mention this is their most famous dish.
How the rice looked like after you mixed everything together. Moist and steamy...yum...
Fried cheese with blueberry and mango sauce. I was flat out disappointed by this dish. I mean it's cheese! And it's melted! How can it NOT taste good?! Sigh, if you're a cheese person and you've tasted this dish, you'll understand how painful it is to witness such tragedy. They made cheese taste like unsalted mayo and the sauce at the bottom did not come to the rescue. After two amazing dishes and heightened expectations, I get this. I've tasted much better Japanese fried cheese before. Oh poor cheese, they have done you injustice... rest in peace.
If you look carefully, you can see the cheese crying in agony.
Okonomyaki (Japanese savoury pancake). I didn't like this as much as the Korean pancake. I think this is largely due to the sour/spicy mustard on top. (No, sadly the white sauce is not cheese). I'm just not fond of mixing savoury and sour flavours together. The combination tastes like rotten eggs most of the time. Not a big fan.
Deep fried soy sauce marinated chicken with garlic mayo (sadly, it's not cheese neither). We felt like we didn't order any meat so we went with this. Oh boy were we fooled by the name. This just tastes like any fried chicken you'd have in a bar and the there were no garlic taste to the mayo. The the mayo tastes unsalted; horrifically similar to the fried cheese in every way. I mean, I'm not a big fan of junk food and fried food in general, so I'm not a good judge of how successful this dish actually is. But seriously, don't order the fried cheese; it's glaringly similar to the unsalted mayo dip for the chicken.
Overall Review:
Food: 9.5/10
I believe we just ordered the wrong food since we weren't drinking. The fried dishes were meant to be bar food for those who came to Guu to drink. So I based my scores on the spinach, bibimbap and okonomiyaki. I feel that it's unjust to base their score on the fried cheese since it wouldn't be a fair representation of the quality of food at Guu. It's a good place to go with a bunch of friends since the dishes are designed to be shared.
Ambience: 9/10
Again, the score is relative. I wouldn't suggest going to Guu every week unless you love loud places like clubs and bars. One sitting probably made me lose a few ear hair cells that will never rejuvenate. With that said, it's a very good place to go on a Friday night. Even if you go by yourself, you'll be absorbed by the upbeat atmosphere and you would not feel alone.
Service: 9/10
Except for the fact that it was hard to get hold of our waitress, everything was up to par. The staff is super friendly, the food came in good speed and the staff was really helpful even though they weren't our designated waitress. I also liked the complimentary frozen grapes (even though frozen grapes is my thing). It was a nice touch to a great night. Clean washrooms is a plus!
Price: 8/10
Appetizers ~$4, "main" dishes ~$10. We paid $20-25 per person and we couldn't finish everything; however, my friend and I don't eat a lot so keep that in mind. I feel that Guu is a tad expensive for Japanese food, but hey, you're paying for the experience.
Final Verdict: 9/10
I will definitely go back and try some of their other food, especially after seeing pictures of other food they offer. If you're looking for a good time, afterwork drinks, or just a place to go on Friday night, Guu is the perfect choice! But don't say I didn't warn you; get there early! No matter if it's winter or summer, there'll always be a long lineup by 6! My friend got there on a Thursday night at 5:30 and she had to wait for 45 minutes outside in the cold to be seated. Everyone that's been to Guu will tell you that the line is crazy but in the end, the food is worth the wait.
Address:
398 Church St
Toronto, ON M5B
(416) 977-0999
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