Torontonians, myself included, seem to have a love for brunch. We love sleeping in on Sunday mornings, and then having a satisfying meal that’s both breakfast and lunch (how efficient!). It wasn’t long ago that we visited Yorkville‘s Kasa Moto for dinner and last Sunday we visited again to see what Kasa Moto is offering for the brunch-loving crowd.
We started off with some cocktails. First up was the Kasa Moto Caesar ($16), which uses Walter’s Caesar mix with a Japanese twist. The vodka used is infused with shishito peppers, the rim is coated in a wasabi salt, and a pickled cucumber slice sprinkled with togarashi (a Japanese spice mixture) adds the finishing touch. There was also the Morning Martini ($16), a coffee-based cocktail consisting of cold brew espresso, RumChata, Cointreau, and Montenegro. This drink was silky smooth, like an alcohol-infused iced coffee without the ice.
For the food, Kasa Moto offers some share plates and we decided to sample a couple of them. A breakfast hash is often made from leftover meats and potato. Kasa Moto’s hash ($12) does this one better by using more premium ingredients such as sweet potato and pork belly, which work well together adding the sweet and salty components, respectively. The buckwheat buttermilk pancakes ($12) came in a stack of three, topped with fresh blueberries and whipped yuzu cream, shiso, and a smoked maple syrup. The pancakes were quite filling, so definitely plan to share this with your brunch group.
There are some familiar brunch options for mains, such scrambled eggs, steak and eggs, but with some Japanese touches. Two dishes immediately jumped at us; the salmon tataki on toast ($18) was the first. The richness of the avocado complemented the fresh salmon nicely, and the wasabi cream provided a nice creaminess and tang. Three poached eggs, quail eggs at that, accompanied this dish. Then there was the breakfast bento ($19), which was my favourite dish of the brunch. The glazed pork belly was tender and sweet, and intensely flavoured. Yam tempura and an egg and salmon fried rice were the sides. It also came with a Japanese green salad topped with crispy crackling.
Kasa Moto’s brunch menu consists of many classic items with some “Japanese flair”. And then there are some truly unique items like the breakfast bento and the salmon tataki on toast. With so many brunch options in Toronto, if you’re craving something new and different, the Kasa Moto brunch is definitely one to try. Kasa Moto is located at 115 Yorkville Ave just east of Hazleton Ave, with brunch served Saturdays and Sundays from 11am – 4pm.
For more information:
http://www.kasamoto.ca/
Twitter: @kasa_moto #kasamoto
Instagram: @kasa_moto #kasamoto
Facebook: CHGkasamoto
Photos by John Tan and Nick Lee