Located in Kelowna, B.C., this Asian fusion spot specializes in a variety of ramen and rice bowls

By: Madeline Liao

T-ONE nestles at 3477 Lakeshore Rd, Unit 100, Kelowna, B.C. (Madeline Liao/CanCulture)

Taking CanCulture’s food review series outside the Greater Toronto Area for the first time, I decided to visit T-ONE, an Asian fusion restaurant in Kelowna, B.C., founded in 2020. T-ONE is a relatively new restaurant, but it has established quite a name for itself in Kelowna already. With a distinct flavour brand, a fusion of Japanese and Taiwanese cuisine, T-ONE makes a flavourful experience for guests.

I walked into the location on Lakeshore Road, greeted by warm lighting and a break from the cold outside. It was early on a Sunday evening, so the place was pretty much empty except for the staff. However, the atmosphere was still comfortable and lively, with the music playing and smiles from the chef and server at the front counter.

*The interior of T-ONE illuminates a warm and sophisticated atmosphere. (Madeline Liao/CanCulture)*

I had visited T-ONE a few times before, so I already had a rough idea of what I wanted to order. Since we were the only customers at that time, the service was quick and the chef even offered us some suggestions on what to order. After a bit of contemplation, I settled on the pork katsu bowl and the chef’s specialty rose gyoza. 20 minutes later, we were on our way home with a bag of delicious-smelling food.

The pork katsu really took me back to Taiwan and brought back childhood memories of street food experiences, as it tasted very similar to the food I would eat back home. The rice bowl was a well-rounded meal, with rice, meat, vegetables and half a marinated egg.

The rose gyoza’s appearance was also very impressive; they were hand-wrapped by the chef with a unique look from other restaurants’ gyoza dishes. Although, the portion size was a bit small — only three pieces.

*Top view of the pork katsu bowl from T-ONE. (Madeline Liao/CanCulture)*

*T-ONE’s rose gyoza. (Madeline Liao/CanCulture)*

Overall, the food was bursting with flavour and the familiarity of home. The presentation was also quite nice, considering everything was packed in takeout containers (the server also drew smiley faces on all the containers, which was a cute surprise).

The pork katsu bowl and rose gyoza came to about $20 total, with the bowl being $14.95 and the rose gyoza being $5.85. This could be a bit pricey for university students, but the pork katsu bowl, especially, was filling and had many ingredients, so the price was not extremely jarring. While it may not be the most affordable choice for nightly dinners, it is definitely a suitable way to treat yourself.

However, I would say that T-ONE is better suited for families or groups coming in to dine, as there are many menu items suitable for sharing. The variety of choices can be hard to choose from.

Altogether, I had a delightful experience and didn’t really have any complaints — T-ONE is the whole package. With excellent service, a menu with delicious choices and good portions for the price, there are many things to rave about. If you’re ever in the Kelowna area, make sure to stop by T-ONE.

By Pooja Rambaran

In 2016, Toronto was named the most multicultural city in the world by BBC Radio, and there's no doubt why that still holds true. The city boasts of over 250 ethnicities and 170 languages, with roughly half of the population identifying as a visible minority (in particular Asian, Black, Arab or Latin American), according to Toronto Global.

But Toronto's growing multicultural population goes beyond just the demographics, bleeding into the city’s culture and lifestyle. Over the years, Toronto has become a stomping ground for food innovators and food lovers alike and these unique cultures and perspectives have contributed to the city’s melting pot of a food scene, allowing it to become quite the hub for fusion cuisine.

Here’s a look into the inspiration behind one of Toronto’s biggest food trends: fusion restaurants.

Hungary Thai

Pad thai and schnitzel? Not a very common combination, but a tried and true personal favourite of many who visit Hungary Thai.

Cozy and quaint, Hungary Thai sits in the midst of the bustling Kensington Market.

About 20 years ago, Marianne Kecskeméti and her partner started Hungary Thai. With Kecskeméti handling the Hungarian dishes and her partner handling the Thai dishes, each represented their personal cultures.

“Originally, we just wanted Thai food and Hungarian food separately, but then everyone else wanted fusion so we started the fusion too,” Kecskeméti said.

Now partnerless, Kecskeméti sits in the vibrant restaurant and recalls starting the fusion of the two cuisines some three years ago.

The bar at Hungary Thai. (CanCulture/Pooja Rambaran)

Kecskeméti explained that fusion restaurants are rising in popularity because these unique combinations cannot be found anywhere else. The novelty of the cuisine brings back customers.

“If it’s good,” she added with a smile.

The Haam

A quick hop over to Entertainment District lands you at the trendy Japanese-Mexican restaurant, The Haam.

With exposed brick on one side, modern light fixtures and the bright fluorescent sign that gives you a little extra boost of confidence, The Haam brings two very distinctive flavours together.

Fluorescent sign at The Haam. (CanCulture/Pooja Rambaran)

Tristan Kwon came to Toronto from Korea 10 years ago and started working at a Japanese izakaya, a casual Japanese pub.

In 2014, he moved on to work at the Mexican restaurants Playa Cabana Hacienda and Playa Cabana Barrio Coreano before he was hired as head chef at The Haam.

“I combined these two cuisines because they are what I learned from my experience in Canada and I also like their food and culture,” Kwon said.

Camaron/Shrimp Tacos comprised of chilli shrimp, mozzarella, guac, onion, garlic mayo and queso fresco. (CanCulture/Pooja Rambaran)

Kwon believes each of the cuisines could individually appeal to a western palette, but the combination is born from all of his knowledge, skills and experience. Moreover, he wanted to express creativity and showcase a new style.

“When I create new dishes, the most important parts are their identity and character of the dishes. The taste and look of the dishes have to be something new and familiar at the same time,” Kwon said.

Samba made with yam tempura, avocado, guacamole, tortilla chips and chipotle mayo. (CanCulture/Pooja Rambaran)

Kwon has learned that it is better to consider what he would enjoy if he was the customer.

He expressed that Canada itself is multicultural and people enjoy experiencing a variety of cuisines as they are generally open-minded and respectful of the creativity.

Mother Tongue

Only a short walk away from The Haam takes you to Mother Tongue, an intimate hole-in-the-wall divided into two spaces with a restaurant on the top that continues into a moody cocktail lounge on the bottom floor that's open to customers from Thursday to Saturday.

Mother Tongue fuses Asian cuisines like Filipino, Chinese and Japanese food with North American influences.

Head chef Francis Bermejo was born and raised in Manila, Philippines, then moved to Toronto in 1997 at the age of 13.

“Chinese, Japanese and American culture and cuisine had a big influence in the Philippines and I was introduced to them as a kid growing up by trying different kinds of food,” Bermejo said.

Bermejo was familiar with and enjoyed the flavours, aromas and tastes of all the cuisines individually, but when mixed right, he loved them even more.

"An example is our bistek tataki. The technique in tataki is Japanese but the flavour profile is Filipino," Bermejo said.

Bistek tataki. (CanCulture/Pooja Rambaran)

This dish combines the tataki technique of briefly searing thinly sliced beef with the flavour profile of bistek where the beef is marinated in soy sauce and citrus juice and served with charred onions and garlic crumbs.

When Bermejo creates a new dish, he tries to focus on one ingredient, be it a vegetable, meat or fish, and decides how he would like that ingredient to be showcased in the best way possible with some supporting components.

General Tao Bao Buns made with fried chicken, lemon mayo and pickled onion. (CanCulture/Pooja Rambaran)

"Toronto is one of the most diverse cities in the world, which I think is what makes it great when it comes to different cultures coming together and embracing each other's differences," Bermejo said.

Chop & Wop Ristorante

Expanding beyond downtown Toronto, Chop & Wop Ristorante combines Italian and Portuguese cuisines in a fine dining experience all the way in Burlington.

Owner and operator Marco Rodrigues is first-generation Portuguese and his partner Giovanni Falbo is second-generation Italian.

“We wanted to combine them to honour both of our families, and his nonna (grandmother) and my bisavó (great-grandmother),” Rodrigues said.

Rodrigues explained that while Italian is a very popular cuisine, Portuguese is less so.

In fact, CNN called out Portuguese cuisine’s difficulty in reaching across borders, stating it often caters mainly to Portuguese immigrants yearning for a taste of home.

However, Rodrigues and Falbo decided to combine these two cuisines because they complimented each other very well.

“An example would be our spin on a caprese salad by adding corn and a port reduction instead of balsamic. It is a Portuguese caprese and is our best selling salad,” Rodrigues said.

The unique combinations discussed are only a few of the many scattered around Toronto and even beyond the GTA.

“I think like anything, people are looking for unique experiences and fusion gives you that while still having some traditional favourites,” Rodrigues said.

As Toronto continues to grow as a multicultural city, the desire for fusion restaurants will only grow with it. These unique perspectives contributing to the city continue to spark inspiration and we can only await for the introduction of even more exciting fusion cuisines and restaurants in the future.