CALLED TO THE BAR
Sensei Bar brightens the Beltline with cocktails, bao, and diverse culinary references
Karan Seth has had his hands in several restaurants over the years. He and his business partners often deal in the behind-the-scenes world of franchises and chains, including the big Via Cibo location on 14th Street S.W., which has done well very for them. But Seth wanted to create a new spot that speaks to the kind of food and drink that excites him most on a personal level, which led him to dream up the concept for the brand new Sensei Bar.
Sensei Bar sits in the southeast corner of the Via Cibo building — it's intentionally a little hard to find, giving it a hint of a speakeasy feel, with just 30 seats on the inside (an upcoming addition at the back of the building will add another 20) and another 42 on the patio. Seth and his brother/co-owner Kunal tapped chef Ryan Blackwell, best known as the name behind the now-defunct Elbow Room, to partner with them on the project. After the Elbow Room closed in 2019, Blackwell was cooling his jets and waiting to join in on a new project in the restaurant's former space in Britannia, but COVID-19 put that business on an indefinite pause, leaving Blackwell looking for a plan B.
Despite the restaurant's Japanese name, both Seth and Blackwell are adamant that they are not positioning Sensei as a traditional Asian restaurant and they see their concept as a melange of their favourite kinds of food and flavours. Like most contemporary Canadian chefs — ranging from those at chain restaurants like Joey to local favourites like Lulu Bar — Blackwell has long worked strong multicultural elements into his menus. He says that incorporating a diversity of culinary references has given him the tools to flex his creativity, resulting in a selection of large and small share plates that are near and dear to both his and Seth's hearts and palates.
“There needed to be a level of rebelliousness in the food because we didn't want to be categorized as an authentic Asian restaurant, which is not what we are or what we are trying to be,” Blackwell says. “We decided to go Asian-forward on the front side of the dishes with a French influence and technique coming through.”
What you end up with is a selection of bao buns ($4.75 each) filled with luxurious things like chicken rillette and watermelon radishes, ebi prawn with kohlrabi, or AAA beef with cheddar and secret sauce as a play on a Big Mac. Blackwell's other small plates include rich bites like wagyu tataki with taro chips ($14), albacore tuna with foie gras and yuzu truffle ($13), and delicate truffle dumplings filled with pork and shrimp ($15). Those with larger appetites can opt for still-shareable entrees including an impressive potato-crusted miso cod with crispy coconut polenta ($32) or char siu with kimchee bokkeumbap and bao ($38). The combinations are meant to be fun and playful, but Blackwell's handle on flavour and presentation shows a sufficient sense of culinary seriousness.
If this all sounds like food that is meant to be paired with a proper drink, that's why the word “bar” is in the name of the restaurant. General manager Steven Hagan just happens to be a Japanese-trained sommelier and his drink list is filled with selections of sake, Japanese whisky, and non-asian wines as well as local beer and, of course, signature cocktails. Flavours like ginger and plum give the cocktails a bit of an Asian flair with some added bells and whistles suitable for multitudes of inevitable Instagram posts.
Sensei Bar is located at 1520 14th St. S.W. and can be reached at 403-230-4388 or senseibar.ca. The restaurant is open daily from 4:30 p.m. to midnight.
In other restaurant news, Roy's Korean Kitchen has had to come into the world slowly over the course of the pandemic. Chef Roy Oh's post-anju restaurant started as a takeout-only affair run out of the kitchen at Melo last year and has since moved into a new space in Mission where Oh has gained considerable attention for his takeaway pantry items during the pandemic. With restrictions lifted, it's now onto its next phase and is offering modern Korean food and snacks to patio diners.
Oh says that his indoor dining space should be ready to go within the next few weeks, but for now, fans of his deliciously flavourful food can patio it up with plates of yam fries gochugaru aioli, crispy tofu with sesame maple kimchee and pork belly, or Korean barbecue. I'll keep readers updated on the full opening, but for now, get your sneak peek on the patio — reservations can be made through Tock and are highly encouraged.
Roy's Korean Kitchen is located at 2024 4th St. S.W. and can be contacted at royskoreankitchen. com.