The Bowl

The Bowl Fine Asian Cuisine (522 Yonge Street, Toronto)
416-920-2695
Hours:
Mon - Sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Sun & holidays 3 p.m. - 10 p.m.

There are daily specials listed on a giant sign hanging on the window, and you can get 10% off your meal with a student card. Some of the specials such as Asian BBQ bowl and green thai curry sound more exciting than others like General Tao chicken (What is that?). The restaurant has a pretty casual feel when you walk in, and it's most likely catered to the students in the area.

Thai Fresh Young Coconut Juice ($3.50)

The juice is good. I wasn't expecting the slices of coconut, and I really wasn't expecting the texture of said slices. The pieces might have been soaking in something for a while because the softness was slightly harder than the white part of a hard-boiled egg. I thought coconut meat was supposed to be crunchy, but maybe I just don't eat them enough. All that being said, I liked the soft chunks in my drink.

Chicken Pad Thai

This is the Monday special. It's $1 extra as dinner. I found the noodles to be less oily than other places I've eaten at. The crispy edible bowl that it came in was pretty novel, but the bottom of the bowl was a bit weird as it became a mushy, stretchy skin that was a bit awkward to eat. There was a good amount of chicken in mine, but Renée complained that she didn't notice any in hers.

Renée also said her Pad Thai tasted like burning, and I didn't find mine to be spicy so much as having a hint of spice. I also requested that mine be spicy and she asked for hers to be without. Renée looked concerned when our server came with the two plates not knowing which one was which. I taste tested both and decided that mine was only slightly hotter than hers.

I appreciate how our server kept discreetly coming by to check on us without interrupting us.

Would I go back? Maybe. The food wasn't super amazing, but it was pretty filling and reasonably priced. I think I'd first try the location on Bayview since it looks like the classier sibling of this restaurant.

Total damage: $15.