Petit Potato
Petit Potato is, despite its quasi-French name, a Taiwanese-Japanese restaurant. Found in the Finch-Leslie Square plaza, it offers a collection of Asian dishes and awe-inspiring desserts.
Inside, a collection of bare lightbulbs are suspended from the ceiling while light wood finishes offer a bit of warmth. It all feels very modern and welcoming.
I start with the Chicken Wings with Yuzu Sauce ($7.99) and the Shrimp and Crabmeat Salad ($8.99). The chicken wings are tender and perfectly fried, with a nice citrus flavouring from the yuzu dressing.
The salad is pretty standard stuff, but the shrimp are a decent size and the sesame dressing is on point.
A must-try is the omurice , a Japanese favourite rarely found in the GTA. I opt for the Pork Cutlet Omurice with Spicy Curry Sauce ($10.99). While calling the curry "spicy" is a bit of a stretch (Japanese curries are seldom hot), the sauce is delicious, and the velvety smooth omelette goes well with the seasoned rice. The thick pork cutlet is icing on the cake.
Staying true to its split Taiwanese-Japanese roots, the restaurant offers a selection of ramen. The Tender Pork Ramen ($10.95) is a solid bet. The broth is on the lighter side, while the pork cuts hit that sweet spot between fattiness and meatiness.
The delicious Teppan Pepper Rice is reminiscent of those found at Pepper Lunch in Asia. The dish comes in a sizzling skillet, which you then mix yourself. I recommend the smoked duck breast ($11.75), with its clearly pronounced teppanyaki seasoning that goes great with the rice.
Drinks-wise, we try a selection of creamas. An Asian beverage concoction that mixes cream with refreshing drinks, creamas are very popular in Taiwan. The Matcha and Grapefruit varieties ($5.45 each) are both good. The former is on the rich side and the latter is more refreshing.
If you're really thirsty, go for the Ice Honey Chrysanthemum and Rose Tea ($6.99). This impressive-looking drink comes in a tall clear jar and is subtly flavoured with rose and chrysanthemum blossoms, giving it a floral taste with a hint of honey.
From the dessert menu, the thing to order is the Mango Special Golden Toast ($14.99). It's a giant stack of toast (dipped in butter and sweet custard), measuring as much as 10 inches tall , and is adorned with fresh mangoes, whipped cream, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Those looking for a slightly less intimidating dessert should try the delicious Mango Pancake ($7.99). Not so much a pancake as a crepe, the dish is basically a large mango slice inside a rich mousse-like filling, wrapped inside a crepe.
The Egg Pudding in Eggshells ($6.99) is sweet and aptly eggy. These cute-looking custard puddings are served in an eggshell container and are, by far, the lightest dessert we try.
And what would a Taiwanese dessert session be without custard toast? Petit Potato's take on this is the Roasted Marshmallow Custard Toast ($5.99). It's sticky sweet marshmallows melted on a piece of hot toast - sheer poetry for my tastebuds.
Posted by Darren "DKLo" Susilo. When not writing for blogTO he can usually be found tweeting here or delaying mealtimes everywhere by posting pictures here . Photos by Hector Vasquez.