Isabella's Donuts — Restaurant in Toronto

Isabella's Mochi Donut Boutique - have you ever had mochi? have you ever had anything made with rice flour? Well, then you've got a general sense of the texture for these interesting morsels. Yet, I'll be honest, it's not exactly the same as a standard mochi which is known for its super soft goo feel. Nope, these Isabella's mochi donuts have a crisp firmer exterior. The interior gives off a slightly firmer mochi chew which I really like and the best part is all the different flavours. I particularly appreciate that these donuts, though well decorated, aren't too sweet. I personally am not a big fan of the regular doughnut - I find them too sweet and all I can taste is the sugar.

I've had Isabella's donuts before but this is the first time I've ever received a box of Isabella's donuts as a gift and I have to say it was such a wonderful surprise! It came in a sleek black company bag, well packaged in its signature black box, and when you open it up and see all those little works of art - sublime!

Here are the donuts featured in the images:

matcha honey pistachio double double cherry pie oolong milk tea mochi maple glaze

Each one had a nice light hint of the identified flavour. I liked that it wasn't overpowering and again, not too sweet, so I could actually appreciate what I was eating. They went well with our coffees and teas, that's for sure.

Now, this must be noted: these were the flavours that were available when I received the box but their flavours are always changing. Visit their store or website to see more current offerings. Their standards are always a good staple though - original, cinnamon sugar, and maple glaze.

One last thing - some might consider these donuts to be on the pricier end so it may not be an everyday item to go with my coffee. However, as a gift for someone or even just a treat for yourself, these Isabella's mochi donuts would definitely be a nice touch. I've been to a few of their stores as well and staff are always pleasant and helpful.

So, if you're in the mood to try something new, consider having an Isabella's...

Isabella's Boutique Restaurant? Never heard of it but a friend of mine suggested we go there. It's a cute little place in the Beach neighbourhood, with several picnic tables located in a fenced-in area on the street. It's actually quite charming

They have a simple but small menu, based on Japanese influences. We ordered the Chicken Karaage Sandwich, Japanese Cheesesteak Sandwich, Japanese Curry Poutine, and a six-pack of their Mochi Donuts.

The sandwiches, accompanied by a small salad, came two per order, made with what looked like large dinner rolls (only in appearance). The chicken, battered and fried, was tender, moist, and delicious. The tender beef was also very tender and moist. The melted cheese kept it from falling apart.

As good as those sandwiches were, the star of the evening for me was the Japanese Curry Poutine. I've had poutine before, including some really good ones, but there was something about this one that I really liked. Maybe it was the curry? Whatever it was, I really enjoyed it!

My party of three actually enjoyed the food so much, we ordered four more sandwiches (two of each)! That was overkill. We ended up taking home two.

As good as the food was, Isabella's is famous for their Mochi Donuts. They claim to be Canada's original and leading mochi donuts, made preservative free. We took a box of six to go - not home but for a walk on the beach. We were full and needed to walk off some of the food before digging into the donuts.

They were delicious! They had a nice flavour and texture, not too sweet. It was actually my first time having a mochi donut but not my last!

I'm curious to see how Isabella's handles their customers over the winter. I don't imagine the picnic tables in the street will work, especially with snow. Although I didn't go inside, it doesn't look big enough to accommodate a lot of people. Maybe I'll just have to come back to...

I Highly Recommend!!!

Isabella's Boutique Restaurant lived up to the hype. It is my daughter's birthday so we thought it would be great to try Isabella's for brunch as it was voted one of the top 10 brunches in the city.

From the beginning we weren't disappointed. The interior is quite nice with Japanese adornments such as lanterns and origami.

We ordered the following: Karaage chicken sandwich Chocolate banana mochi mochi pancakes 2 rolled Tamagoyaki omellettes (1 avocado and 1 bacon) 1 coffee 1 pot of hot chocolate (easily served 3 but probably could serve 4)

The Karaage was huge! The chicken was juicy and delicious. It was a little difficult to eat as a sandwich but, it was absolutely delicious

My daughter loved her pancakes. I tried a bite and they were very well prepared! The chocolate sauce was very nice and not Nutella or cheaply made in any way.

The omellettes were phenomenal! The egg was firm enough without being browned on the outside. The filling was plentiful enough to please and I was very happy not to have to bite into crunchy underdone onions. They were melt in your mouth. The salad that accompanies the dish was very fresh and a Japanese delight. I just love the dressing. Also on the side was a roll that was warm and fresh with a beautiful texture, butter and a jam that was fruity and not overwhelmed by sugar.

The coffee was quite good and the hot chocolate was high quality. Think of it as liquid chocolate! You can't say that about a powdered mix. It was a little potent for our tastes but, we added a little cream and it was on point!

The presentation was so amazing! A silver tray accommodated dishes that transported us to Japan.

The service? Done with a smile. Very friendly and attentive.

The owners put a great deal of time and care into EVERYTHING they do here. It shows.

We will be back...