Food Review: Memories of Japan

In Toronto and around the GTA there are just a million Japan type restaurants. But who's to know which one are the good ones?

Well, like most, they offer very similar entrees and similar medium priced food. I was actually very surprised to see Memories of Japan (located on Don Mills Road between Lawrence and Eglinton Avenue East).

From first glance, you can tell that this is a much older restaurant. Inside is the same. One thing that brought me back to my childhood in Windsor was this paper place mat (photo below).

Memoirs of Japan has 2 dining areas, 1) regular dining area and 2) Teppanyaki

At first, the manager sat us down in the Teppanyaki without even asking where we wanted. First strike!

However, we did get to have a look at what was on the Teppanyaki menu. I haven't been to one in a while, so I had always assumed it would be pricey due to the 'extra' show they do for the customers. 

Turns out it can be as low as $9.95 for a show and a tasty teppanyaki meal. But as it was, we decided to go to the other dining area to eat.

For lunch, their set menus were not too shabby. For myself, I ordered a chicken terriyaki bento box. But unlike most bento box orders, this also includes ice cream. 

For $8.95, you get:

3 pieces of salmon sushi

3 pieces of  cucumber sushi

miso soup

Bento box (salad w/ dressing, fried tofu, chicken  terriyaki, steamed rice, steamed broccoli)

ice cream (choice from vanilla, green tea, red bean, mango)

Overall, the food was good. Nothing out of the ordinary. The salmon sushi seemed pretty fresh.  But it was the amount of food (and dessert included in most bento sets) for that price made it well worth it. The atmosphere was pretty nice as well, with our party we had 7 people, so we sat in one of their more private rooms. 

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Here's a view of other food items they offer with the prices, if you're interested and in the area (photos below).

Overall, the experience was okay. The service there was not too great though. Some of the waitresses were really hard to understand and the manager there (who sat us without asking where we wanted to eat) had no customer service whatsoever... not even a smile. 

Price .................. 3.8/5

Taste ....... 2.9/5 (good, normal)

Location ............... Lots of parking

Atmosphere .............2.5/5 (still very old fashion, but clean)

Service .................. 1.5/5

Maybe next time I'll come here for their Teppanyaki. =0)