Toku Toku: Izakaya ups and downs

It seems that Glebe is seeing a new round of refreshing, especially eateries and bars, which is a most welcome addition. With perhaps a less stressful car parking environment than nearby Newtown and now increasingly more choices, a night out in Glebe is on the up in popularity stakes.

Miso soup at Toku Toku, Glebe Point Road, Glebe

After a Saturday afternoon/evening of drinking, we happened to remember that izakaya in Glebe that's been opening for ages where a Korean restaurant used to be. Well, Toku Toku is finally open and quite expansive from what I could see, with a winding front section, courtyard and upstairs section.

It was nice to discover the restorative properties of hot miso soup after several hours of drinking; though that's not to say that there weren't Asahi beers and plum wines at the table.

The menu is split into salads and tapas, and then sides and "desert". I don't agree with the need to name any sort of share plate 'tapas', but each to their own.

Edamame

Awesome drinking snacks edamame make, they're also great post drinking snacks while you're starving and waiting for food. (And note: dark room + fuzzy photographer = fuzzy photos).

Spicy edamame

The spicy edamame are a little lethal, especially when the liberal application of Japanese shichimi - a seriously hot spice mix - is accidentally inhaled into the back of the throat.

Salmon carpaccio

The carpaccio comes as a pretty glass plate of raw salmon slices with a citrusy, miso dressing - gorgeously light and fresh.

Rainbow sushi roll

The impressive rainbow sushi roll features sashimi salmon, kingfish and thin avocado slices draped over a futomaki sushi of crab stick. It's devoured with haste although I did note that the dab of spicy sauce on top added an enhancing touch.

Miso wagyu beef salad

The only salad we order is actually pretty impressive. Rare sliced wagyu beef mixes it up with watercress and a tangy miso dressing in a cute pile that's wiped clean pretty quickly among six of us.

Crispy pork belly

The pork belly is on everyone's want list and just seems to be one of those dishes that translates into any cuisine (as well as the next dish). This version is quite fatty with golden skin, and is served with lines of mild mustard and spicy tobanjiang bean sauce to taste.

Spicy soft shell crab tempura

The halved soft shell crabs have a slight spice to them, although it does seem to be a recurring theme through the night's dishes. It's an average rendition of the dish, from my poor memory, but it's still just one of those dishes that everyone has come to love to have on the table.

Toku Toku chicken

The juicy thigh pieces of the Toku Toku chicken is essentially a fancy teriyaki chicken, though rice would have been nice with it but of course noone thought to order it. I remember this last dish being warmly satisfying before realising someone had drained my glass of umeshu. The ups and downs of life, told in an izakaya menu selection.