Sharpfle Waffle’s new menu, Korean Beverages and a new(ish) Korean food purveyor

Good morning,

Today’s edition is about all things new(ish) and Korean. 

A favourite Korean-owned coffee shop is back with a fab new catering menu and some new Korean beverages have hit the shelves at the LCBO. There’s also a Korean takeaway shop with both cooked and prepared meals for at-home cooking.

It’s a pretty tasty tour, so let’s get to it. Before we do, we want to wish those in the Muslim community a blessed and joy-filled Ramadan. Ramadan Mubarak.

Ralf Joneikies, food and drink editor. [email protected]

A few weeks ago James Choi, owner and master barista of Sharpfle Waffle, reached out to some media and influencers to sample new menu items. Of the savoury variety.

With his erstwhile business partner/chef Jay Lee back in Korea, James’ brother David is masterfully at the kitchen helm. 

At this point we rely on Sharpfle Waffle for fine coffee and tea creations, but they are clearly interested in becoming known for delicious meal options.

Most folks are familiar with the great kitchen staple miso. While it makes for a deeply satisfying soup, Chef David gives it an extra depth by adding clam broth. More remarkable is that while it was very satisfying, at no point did it feel like a seafood broth – it was just pure umami.

We routinely think of salads as the requisite healthy part of a meal. It’s almost an obligation we feel we need to choke down. Luckily, at many restaurants, this is an antiquated notion with salads demonstrating invention in both textures and flavours.

David Choi’s vegan salad will make you forget about labels. It was an exciting contrast of textures featuring spiced cubes of sweet potato, pickled tofu skin, baby kale and quinoa swaddled in a deeply flavoured sesame dressing.

This was a flavour bomb that didn’t respect boundaries. Anyone of any culinary persuasion would enjoy this dish and learn a few things along the way.

Speaking with neighbouring Apt 613 food writer Kiersten, we both agreed that the slow-cooked braised pork ribs were a master stroke.

The meat had been saturated with a sweet soy-based sauce that was neither too salty nor too sweet. It was also impossibly fall-off-the-bone tender. No chewing required.

With a coffee and tea-centric mandate, people in the know expect Sharpfle Waffle to deliver superior edible treats. Their new Halal marshmallow offerings will make you collapse in submission.

One is dusted with cocoa powder and filled with crunchy pistachio, and the other is filled with Lotus Biscoff biscuit crumble. It’s early days, but is this a dessert to end up on the year's best list?

Sharpfle Waffle was launching these items as new on the menu, but also as part of their expanded offerings. 

If you’re of an adventuresome disposition and a health-conscious philosophy, it’s worth experiencing uncommon and traditional Korean food without compromise

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In Korean, “Naru” means a port for the arrival and departure of ships. The same word in Japanese is a verb meaning “To become.” Clearly, the former is more apt.

Naru at 1896 Prince of Wales Dr. opened approximately a year ago, and from my visit, late on a Saturday afternoon, I was astonished by the number of people streaming in and out. It’s a small space, so it got crowded rather quickly.

They specialize in freshly made banchan (Korean side dishes) as well as warm, cold and frozen meals, which is ideal for the level of convenience you might need on any given day.

It appeared to attract many regulars who’d been wise enough to order their warm dishes in advance. I’d intended to go for something from the kitchen, but it would have involved a wait and that didn’t fit the schedule.

Instead, I settled on thinly sliced and marinated pork and a side of sesame-scented fresh and crunchy sprouts. 

The label read “spicy,” and there was a slight tingle once the pork was cooked, but nothing so hot that it obliterated the layers of delicious flavour. 

The accompanying vegetables were colourful and had been cut to cook al dente once the bulgogi was done. For $12, this was a bargain and sufficient to feed two. 

I added my favourite banchan, the marinated sprouts, to the meal and for under $20 dinner was done in minutes. Naru is a go-to for quick and easy-to-prepare meals that also happen to be fresh and healthy. If you need a beverage pairing, a perfect choice would be Korean makgeolli.

Canmak original makgeolli elevates the makgeolli experience for those who have been curious about this famous Korean beverage. 

Makgeolli is a low alcohol fermented rice drink with an unmistakable, cloudy appearance. It accompanies a variety of dishes and is most commonly consumed with savoury Korean vegetable or seafood pancakes

Unlike some makgeolli sold in plastic bottles, Canmak is sweetened with sugar rather than aspartame. For some, that’s a good thing but if you’re avoiding sugar, this drink is not for you. 

I find it a nicer drinking experience than other makgeolli usually available. It has the aromatic delicacy of a good sake and is less viscous, making drinking easier. 

There’s also a peach version, which is quite pleasant with a mild rather than bombastic peach character. A great summery drink for those who follow a gluten-free diet and want something different.

Hallasan Watermelon Soju (375 ml - $10.90) is the newest soju from Korea to land on LCBO shelves. 

Soju, meaning “burned liquor” in Korean, is distilled to various strengths from 12% to above 50% alc.  The bottles we commonly see here have spirit at around 12% making it easy to sip neat. 

It’s most commonly made with rice but can incorporate other grains and even cassava (tapioca). It has a flavour not dissimilar to vodka, albeit a lighter version.

If you’ve enjoyed soju, it was likely a flavoured option. I admit that the watermelon soju from Hallasan is the nicest I’ve had. The flavour does not feel manipulated at all and the mouthfeel is a little rounder due to the sugar used.

I do wish that the LCBO would add the sugar content of these products to their site as they do with wines. The Hallasan isn’t cloying at all but I was surprised by the profile and it would be good to know what I’m drinking.

So you can certainly enjoy this on its own or add one ounce of 100% agave blanco tequila to three ounces of watermelon soju and an equal amount of sparkling water for a fab long drink. 

May spring be around the corner.