CLOSED - Spoon and Fork - North York (Pan-Asian)

Update 2018-Oct-9: Spoon and Fork at this location has closed (other locations still open elsewhere) but it has transformed into Robo Sushi, which we have reviewed.

Spoon and Fork is located at 865 York Mills Road, just west of Don Mills Road in North York. We'd already reviewed the Etobicoke location so decided to check this one out as well.   It has a large modern interior with almost all booth seating and nice decor. Ambiance is not too loud, but not quiet with conversation and fans.  Ordering is done via iPad menus. Chopsticks are non-disposable.  Soy sauce was not as fresh as the other location and somewhat saltier. Can pop is $2.50, fountain pop is $2, tea is $3(!) however is it is refillable.

For starters, Mishy loved the seaweed salad saying it was seasoned perfectly.  Miso soup was excellent and savory. California salad was served in a mason jar which was weird; I know they are trying to be original but this didn't work for me.   Wonton soup had excellent broth, but the wontons had a strange burnt flavor.

Garlic beef was buttery, juicy, and delicious and both Mishy and I loved it.  Beef meatballs were delicious in their sauce which was sort of "mustardy".  Chicken teriyaki was excellent and Mishy and I both loved it. Salmon nigiri was very fresh and of a good size. Sashimi was also very fresh, more so than the other location. Pepper beef's sauce was excellent. Sesame chicken was like General Tao; Mishy loved it. Chicken skewers were dry and chewy, not as good as the rest of the meal, however the satay sauce was quite good and Mishy loved it.   I also liked it. Philadelphia rolls were excellent, as good as the other locations.   Ginger beef was very good with peppers and carrots. Bean paste buns were very well-presented looking exactly like cute little hedgehogs. They were also very tasty; they and the fried creamy custard buns are the only dessert like options available at this location.

Some of the main course items had some issues, however: shrimp tempura had a "bacony" fantastic sauce, but it was slightly oily and there was still some shell adhering to the shrimp so it hadn't been peeled completely.   Shrimp ball was good, but Mishy didn't like the odour.   Hot and sour soup was good, but not as much as the other location; somewhat too sweet.   Shrimp dumpling dim sum was moist and flavorful but unfortunately had the same burnt flavor in the filling as the wontons in the wonton soup did.

Service was very fast and friendly; there were few patrons at the time. As noted, for some unexplained reason there are no desserts here with the lunch menu.  Weekend lunch price is $19.99 and, what with the gentrification of AYCEs in Toronto recently, although higher than average it's about at the price point for these newer upscale AYCEs.   However for this everything should be on-point and although there was much that was very good here and I did have a good lunch, a few sub-par items, the overpriced tea, and the total lack of desserts has to be taken into account.

Rating: 7.5/10