The Haam (Sushi & Taco) — Restaurant in Toronto

Am not someone who often leaves reviews. Am usually minding my business. Am don't like to get involved. A lifetime of being raised in late stage capitalism; marketed to from the cradle to the grave... I don't want it to change me. To make me think I should always expect a flawless customer experience. I know I'm not always right. We're all deeply flawed people just trying to survive, I think.

Still, there comes a time. There comes a time.

I arrived to The Hamm with a friend. A Celtic Tiger of a man who was in town on big boy business. Me? I was his breezy companion. We were in town for one night only. My companion and I are international travelers. Citizens of the world. We've been everywhere, man. Our goal that night? Get a taste of this place called Toronto. The windy city. See what it's all about.

We were immediately greeted not by a person, but an existential crisis. A curt piece of paper informed us that we should scan a QR code and talk to a website about this physical building we had just arrived to. We scanned. We consulted our devices. There was an immediate problem.

The webform. It doesn't accept American phone numbers. It doesn't accept Irish phone numbers either. Does it accept Greek phone numbers? We don't know. Because no one with a Greek phone number was with us. Does it accept Albanian phone numbers? No idea. We didn't think to check because we didn't have one of those either. Does it accept Mexican phone numbers? Yo no sé. Does it accept French phone numbers? Maybe. But probably not. Because it didn't accept our phone numbers.

I've thought about it a lot since. Too much. Sometimes I think about it for awhile and I realize I'm in a car at an intersection and the light is green and I'm driving. And people are honking at me and calling me 'Loser' and it's hurtful and confusing.

Here's the best I can figure: It only takes Canadian phone numbers. It only thinks Canadians need to eat mexican korean fusion. It doesn't think the rest of us are people, essentially.

We tried to address this problem to the person who was holding a stack of menus and walking briskly around the restaurant. We can only assume they work there. To their credit, they tried to help. But it was too late. Everything had gone too far past the point of no return in this establishment. Even the well-meaning employee couldn't help us. It was very much like Terminator 2 where the T-800 had been damaged and seemingly deactivated, leaving my companion (John Connor) in this instance and myself (Sarah Connor for the purposes of this metaphor though we are not actually mother and son), to face th T-1000 which had at that point assumed the likeness of this server.

The T-1000 and/or employee informed us that many names had already been added to the list ahead of us in the time it took to have our interaction. We were lost. Cast out. Unclean. Unfit to serve. We were offered the sidewalk. We went across the street and bought gatorade and some sun chips from the convenience store.

The gatorade was chilled and good. John Connor bought orange but somehow ended up with red. However I think he liked it and we eventually found tacos elsewhere. The Sun Chips had cheddar which was nice. 7/10 do not recommend that flavor sun chip but do try the...

Some of the best wins in life come after having input little to no effort, and especially without you deserving it. A couple days ago I not-so-earned one of these wins by having dinner at The Haam.

The Haam is a two month old Asian fusion restaurant located in Toronto's Entertainment District. What is it fused with? You tell me, but whatever it is, all fusions should take note. The restaurant is somewhat small, though it is setup for small group dining. Its warm lighting complements the rustic brick walls, and the choice of Korean & Japanese art fill the space well. Overall, it seems like a great place to bring a date, or just drop by for a relaxing bite.

But a great dining experience isn't won on decor alone. Things started off with a bang with their unimpressively named Spicy Fries. These fries are far more than simply spicy. To be honest, I can't do their seasoning mix justice, but it should suffice to say that these beautifully crispy fries will present you with a combination of unexpected flavours that you'll seldom find elsewhere. Try a couple of them naked first, and then take a ride into flavour town with their ingenious pairing of wasabi mayo.

We kept the party going with their Spider Bao. For the uninitiated amoung us, bao is an open Chinese bun, with a variety of potential fillings. Haam's Spider Bao is filled with deep fried soft shell crab, guar, picked red onion, sriracha, and hoisin. You'll be served two of these large baos, which isn't quite a meal on its own, but is a great addition to an appetizer. All of the fresh ingredients are sandwiched in between their wonderfully fluffy bao bun, which despite appearances, does a pretty good job encasing the mildly spicy filling within. This time around, the flavours are somewhat simpler, but many of them are powerful enough individually that the whole bite makes for a fulfilling experience. The one area where this bao might do a little better is finding a way to not mask the pickled red onion as much. It was tough to notice amoung the rest of the strong cast.

To not make this a novel, I won't dive deep into describing their Popcorn Shrimp, but know that this was hands down the most bizarre and fulfilling part of the meal. The killer combination of deep fried tiger shrimp, sambol, and chili oil is killer on its own, but they have the audacity to add actual popcorn (green apple flavoured) to the dish. It had us laughing and loving it at the same time.

Other items worth mention are their unique mac and cheese, their oh so comforting takoyaki (with bacon, kimchi, and bonito flakes), and their variety of atypical teas. I washed most of the meal down with coconut tea.

My only real complaint is that sitting in the aisle leaves you susceptible to the always annoying occasional shoulder bump. Aside from that, these guys are on to something special. To be honest, I was surprised how reasonably priced their food is. The cheap old man in me doesn't want to admit it, but I would certainly pay more. I often say that I'd be happy to go back to certain restaurants, yet never do, but you can bet your ass that I'm heading back to The...

Located near Adelaide and Peter, The Haam is a small and cosy Japanese and Mexican fusion restaurant. Despite its size, The Haam manages to create a lively atmosphere filled with music, rustic brick-wall décor, and wall-side coat hooks provided for convenience. The food is delicious, and the service was great!

The Haam only takes walk-ins, with no reservation option. They can accommodate about 36 people in the restaurant. They operate on a first-come-first-serve basis and require people to arrive in person for the waitlist, as they do not accept calls ahead of time. The host places your name and number on a waitlist, and while you wait, you can explore nearby areas. It's worth noting that when we arrived at The Haam at 5:30 PM, there was already a 45-minute wait for our group of 6. Additionally, they do not offer split bills and has a 1.5 hour seating limit.

The Haam's Summerlicious 2023 menu offers a delightful selection of dishes that showcase their fusion experience. They offer the $35 dinner prix option with several combinations. For appetizers, the Pico de Salsa was delicious, with very fresh guacamole and great tortilla chips. The Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche featured juicy shrimp and scallops mixed with tangy juice, guacamole, and edamame, with a slight spiciness. There was also the Hamachi plate, which came with Yellowtail and Seabass, accompanied by a zesty lime juice sauce, although some may find it a bit too limey.

Moving on to the main course offerings, our group ordered several special rolls and tacos to try. From the special rolls, we had the Butterfly Roll, Volcano Roll, Lady Bug Roll, and Rainbow Roll. Overall, their special rolls were massive, with 8 pieces per portion, and had some nice fusion touches like potato garnish, salsa, or even tortilla chips. Among the rolls, our group particularly enjoyed the Butterfly Roll and Rainbow Roll. The only flaw was that the rolls weren't wrapped too well and tended to fall apart. From the tacos, we ordered the Baja (Fish), Gochujang Barbacoa (Beef), and Monstruo (Soft Shell Crab). The Fish Taco could have been a bit more deep-fried for the fish, but the Soft Shell Crab Taco was perfectly fried and had some spicy notes. Overall, our group loved their choices and would love to try more from the menu!

Wrapping up our meal, we opted for the Oreo Churros and Matcha Ice Cream. Unfortunately, they had run out of Yuzu Ice Cream, but the Matcha Ice Cream was a satisfactory alternative. The Oreo churros were served with what we believe was sour cream and caramel dip, providing a delicious twist on the classic.

The staff takes the time to inquire about customers' preferences and any allergies. However, it is worth noting that the cleanliness of the bathroom could use some improvement. Additionally, the shallow stairs pose a trip hazard (indicated by the prominent sign at the door), so guests are advised to hold onto the railing for safety. There may also be a mildew odour present, which could be a drawback. Nonetheless, it was a great experience overall, with a quality Summerlicious...