Konia Kitchen and Bar — Restaurant in Toronto

The vibes? Looks like they took brought over the whole village from Vietnam and put it inside the restaurant. Immaculate to say the least.

Service was on point, Zoey our server and the other lads came by multiple times to ensure we were well taken care of.

Food was incredible and comforting, my 3% Vietnamese side was fairly content with the selection and quality of the items we ordered. However some my palette may not have enjoyed or is not used to growing up.

(Rating 4/5) Quintessence of Lotus | Gỏi ngó sen 16.95 From the crisp pickle lotus stem, prawn, and pork belly. Crispy fried shallot are tossed together with fish sauce creating a tangy sweet and sour finish.

Salty, tangy, crunchy and refreshing, the name of the dish in itself commands the elements it encompasses in finding a balance of flavors known in Vietnamese cuisine.

(Rating 3/5) Old Aged Clay Egg | Chả Cá Trứng Bắc Thảo 14.25 Deep fried fish paste wrapped around a century egg.

Off the rip not my favorite dish, not because of the century egg (I love century egg), but perhaps the ratio of fish paste to century egg was off or lacked flavor, the peanut sauce helped a bit but there was flavor lacking. (Not sure if this is a traditional dish but it is definitely unique and my first experience at it)

(4/5) DIY Platter | Mẹt Nem Bò $65

Roll your own rolls with our DIY platter with two types of sausages, variety of Vietnamese greens.

Purple rice, mint, cilantro, white rice, skewered meat balls and rice paper wrap with nuoc mam to dip. Definitely a fan favorite, interactive meal is the best meal. Flavor profile was there, hit all the elements with refreshing herbs to balance the fattiness of the pork and beef, the rice paper is a perfect vessel to deliver the goods to your face hole. The only complaint our table of 5 had was we are accustomed to eating the sausage (no glizzy jokes here) in a long format and having the meat in ball form throws the wrap off balance.

(Rating 5/5) Bún Riêu $18.95

The star of the show. Flavorful. Decadent. Very umami and comforting. Tasted like how my mom used to make (Except mom is always the best ;)

(2/5) Bún Bò Huế $18.95

The least favorite of the night. This dish for us was lacking flavor. I tried to like it and gave it multiple attempts because we did share this dish among the group and I tried my best to finish it, but I found it very hard to fall in love with because there were elements of BBH missing of how it is made in my household. Maybe missing salt/nuoc mam and the umami flavors but it was lacking.

Drinks

(3/5) Sunken Cloud $15.50 Bourbon | Disaronno | Lime | Egg White

Classic bourbon cocktail with the key ingredients, nothing particularly standing out about this one, just a good classic bourbon cocktail. Refreshing with the lime and a little creamy with the egg white.

(3/5) "Pho" The Revolution $18 Gin | Cilantro | Cinnamon | Anise | Mint Leaves | Lime | Soda Water

Strong hit of pho flavor the moment you taste it, the taste of the pho broth will surprise you at first taste but you'll have to rotate it in between with other drinks/water cause the pho taste gets kind of repetitive in a cocktail

(3/5) Nirvana's Sunset $14 Gin | Triple Sec | Aperol | Pineapple

Good balance and ratios of a Gin cocktail, not a strong pineapple flavor but very refreshing.

(3/5) Lechilicious $17 Soho | Rosso Vermouth | Vodka | Lemon | Lemongrass

On the sweeter side cause of the Soho, balanced well with the lemon and lemongrass for that aromatic flavor hit in this cocktail. (Worst asian compliment, too sweet)

(5/5) Hulk-Bae $16

Probably my favorite cocktail of the night. The coconut and pandan leaf flavors really pop in this cocktail, the aromatic flavors of the two really stand out

Not pictured: (4/5) Koko Phe (Vietnamese Coconut Coffee)

Good product, however it is akin to an iced cap from Timmies, whereby the ice to drink ratio is off and when you drink all the liquid, all you're left with is ice chunks with some flavor balls left. (If y'all can make it more slushie, this would...

Food Delight - In the realm of culinary experiences, this Vietnamese gem takes center stage. The menu, with its variety, left us in a delightful dilemma, torn between choices that all promised to be equally exceptional. Infused with a subtle twist, the Vietnamese cuisine served here offers a splendid introduction for those unacquainted with its rich heritage.

Brothless Chicken Pho was a clever deconstruction of the traditional dish, it retained all the essential elements, and the accompanying sauce elevated the experience to a crescendo of flavors.

Konia Rolls, though a tad weighty, captivated our taste buds with their soft and luscious texture. A delightful indulgence that left us savoring each bite, it was a testament to the culinary craftsmanship on display.

For those seeking a taste of tradition, the Bún Bò Huế transported us back to the authentic flavors of our childhood. A genuine homage to tradition, every bite resonated with the true essence of this Vietnamese classic.

To close out our meal, we indulge in vanilla ice cream with banana provided a sweet denouement. A perfect punctuation mark.

Service- A word of advice: reservations are not on the menu; walk-ins only currently. However, any potential inconvenience is swiftly overshadowed by the impeccable service we experienced. The staff, welcomed us warmly, attended to our needs with diligence, and seamlessly accommodated our culinary desires. Their professionalism and hard work only heightened the overall dining experience. The staff are also all Vietnamese from what I can tell and hear, which added to the charm of the place. I do love when places that serve ethic food have staff that represents that region.

Ambiance- The restaurant's ambiance effortlessly weaves a tale of natural splendor, with ample use of wood and flourishing plants creating an inviting atmosphere. The interior, a visual feast, resonates with meticulous attention to detail, mirroring the love poured into every aspect of the establishment, from the menu to the overall ambiance.

Accessibility - While the space may be snug, maneuvering around is manageable. Conveniently located near the TTC, with the restaurant situated on the first floor, accessibility is well-addressed, ensuring a seamless journey for eager diners.

For those seeking an authentic Vietnamese culinary adventure, embellished with a touch of innovation, this establishment is...

I wanted to like my experience however I was overall disappointed by the service and lack of resources.

The food quality was great. All of my friends and I enjoyed the food and drinks here, wouldn’t say it’s authentic, but it’s Vietnamese fusion and delicious.

I booked this dinner, way in advance— long story short, my table of 12 became a table of 8 due to unforeseen circumstances. The restaurant wasn’t busy at the time, and they seated my table right by the window seats which were very cold. I understand that Toronto winters are especially brutal, however if you’re going to seat ANY customers within window seating range you should’ve had the appropriate resources (like working heaters) nearby. My friends were visibly shivering and had to wear their coats inside, as they didn’t have appropriate heating for my party. The heaters they brought too, also kept shutting on and off.

In all honesty, the service was also very poor. Our server rarely came to our table, and refused to take our orders until our whole dinner party was there. Which made no sense, if there’s 18% auto grat (which I don’t think they deserved due to the poor service), it would make sense that servers would be incentivized to rack up bills and create higher bill totals. If our server was proactive and took orders before their preferred time, we would’ve ordered more drinks and food. Because they rarely visited our table, we were unable to order the amount of drinks and food we wanted. Because we were so cold, we wanted to order as many drinks as possible to warm up anyway, which we were inable to do since they rarely came to our table.

I didn’t understand why our server didn’t know how to bus our table either, I work in hospitality myself and I do not understand their training philosophy. I had to ask a server, multiple times to clear the finished plates and they did not. They finally did after I physically took the plate off the table, and asked them to take it away.

Overall I’ll give this a 3/5, I don’t know if this restaurant is worth a dine in experience, maybe it’s better suited for takeout. I definitely wouldn’t recommend dining in during the winter here, as it’s not worth the hassle or the potential to experience bad service. I’m also seeing similar 1-3 star reviews about the service, so this seems like a...