The Original Ka Chi on St Andrew St, Kensington Market in Toronto, Ontario (Canada), not to be confused with similarly-named Ka Chi on Dundas St, is a bit of a whole-in-the-wall sikdang (diner) that is sure to have something for everyone’s palate. Spicy, savory, mild, it’s all there, in their expansive menu, and signs on the walls. The restaurant boasts a legacy of over 20 years, and a hundred thousand customers served. With a reputation like that, it’s worth trying!
The banchan selection at the beginning of the meal was the best we had in Toronto. Nice and sour kimchi, crispy cucumber, spicy daikon radish, savory braised potatoes (gamja jorim), and crunchy bean sprouts were kimchi’d to a level we’ve become accustomed to in the greater Boston area. We also opted for a good gimbap (featured image), which had egg, carrots, cucumber, and a bit of crabmeat, with a nice sesame oil finish on the gim (seaweed). I also appreciated that the portion size was manageable.
My dining partner selected the grilled mackerel. The fillet cut was just right for a fall-off-the-bones experience, making it easier to eat. The mackerel was not too oily, but enough to make the crispy finish in the photo. The portion size was also adequately large for a piece of fish.
My partner coupled the mackerel with a kimchi jigae as their set offering. It was meatless, so a bit less savory than some pork-based offerings. This kimchi jigae was certainly among the most sour I’ve had, which imparted a lovely flavor, but is not for everyone. Other than that, it was a standard jigae and hit the spot on a cold day.
I opted for the gamjatang, aka pork bone soup, as spicy as they would make it. The gochugaru on top of the bean sprouts was their attempt to assuage my spice need. Original Ka Chi gave me three huge pieces of pork that were truly fall-off-the-bone, to make one of the meatiest versions of the soup I’ve had. The gamjatang broth, usually slow cooked for many hours, was indeed very rich, flavorful, and complex, everything you could want from a cold winter’s day soup.
What else is on the menu? It’s quite expansive, in true sikdang style. Korean pancakes, tempura, mandu (dumplings), rice cake and noodle dishes, bulgogi and squid, and hot plate ribs and beef/chicken/pork are among some offerings. The stews were really quite exceptional, with the gamjatang and kimchi jigae that we had, along with meatless, meat and dumplings sundubu jigae (soft tofu stew), yukgaejang (beef stew), galbi tang (beef rib stew), and samgyetang (cornish game hen ginseng stew). There’s the usual bibimbaps, dolsot (hot stone) or regular, and the mackerel combos, stir-fried rice, and jajangmyeon (black bean noodles). While not their specialty, they also offer at-the-table BBQ, but the ventilation is not really set up for that much. Rounding out the menu is a little bit of sushi, teriyaka, dongassu (katsu), and chicken wings.
Original Ka Chi is set up for a quick bite or a longer meal to share with friends, coworkers or family. Again the banchan was on point, the stews were delicious, and the price point was quite reasonable. If you’re looking for Korean food in the Kensington Market area, I’d recommend stopping by!
