Mira Nabulsi at Ultra restaurant in Toronto.
This Opinion article is part of a Narcity Media series. The views expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
A new Toronto restaurant just opened its doors to the public and it's unlike anything I've ever seen before.
Ultra is a Pan-Asian restaurant with a menu curated by Executive Chef Kihyun Kim, who previously worked at Toronto's Akira Back. But, more excitingly, the interior of this spot is inspired by British designer, Alexander McQueen, so as you can imagine, the Toronto restaurant is super lavish and gorgeous.
"From the moment guests step into Ultra, they will be immersed into an elegant and seductive world, inspired by the creative and unique mind of Alexander McQueen," said Charles Khabouth, CEO and Founder of INK Entertainment Group, in a press release.
I checked out Ultra on June 6 and honestly, I was very impressed. From start to finish, I was immersed in a world that transported me away from the busy streets of Toronto into an elevated yet quiet and luxurious environment.
Here's a first look at one of Toronto's newest and most exciting restaurant openings, Ultra.
The Space
Ultra is located at 12 St. Clair Avenue East, close to Toronto's Rosedale neighbourhood. Unlike its counterpart, which used to live in Queen Street West back in the 2000s, the spot has a pretty elevated feel. The supper club has three rooms with completely different vibes, but all have an Alexander McQueen theme.
The Ochre Room at Ultra Toronto.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
The Ochre Room, where I sat while enjoying my meal, is gold-themed and embraces McQueen's edgy yet sophisticated look. The walls were covered in gold-coloured drapes, while a massive and extravagant-looking chandelier hung from the octagon-shaped room.
Luxurious chairs, sofas and ottomans filled the room, making the space feel more welcoming than intimidating.
The Onyx Bar at Ultra Toronto.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
The Onyx Bar, where the cocktail magic lives, is much darker than the Ochre Room. However, this space did remind me of McQueen's gothic and dark designs.
Mineral Lounge at Ultra Toronto.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
The Mineral Lounge lies on the restaurant's rooftop and is a massive patio with colours and designs that feel like a 1980s retro Los Angeles film. The large turquoise-blue umbrellas with handling tassels, blue and white couches and spectacular views are perfect for a summer getaway.
Regardless of where you sit in Ultra, the restaurant looks truly stunning and it's like nothing I've seen in Toronto.
The Food
Simply put, the food at Ultra was delicious and I will certainly be going back.
Chef Kim told Narcity it took him and his team eight tries and two months of experimenting before they perfected the meals I was eating on Tuesday. The chef said it was a challenge but one worth pursuing.
The flavours featured on the menu draw from many different Asian cultures, as Kim offers up plenty of twists on traditional eats like salmon tataki and wagyu steak.
Appetizers at Ultra.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
Some appetizers I enjoyed include the raw seafood options like the Ultra Tart Trio, $35, Bluefin Tuna Tart, $18 and Organic Scottish Salmon Tataki, $26. Even though many of these were only a few bites on the plate, each dish was enough to satisfy me, thanks to the restaurant's ingredient choices.
The tarts were crispy and thin. Meanwhile, the seafood was light and refreshing. I've never had bluefin tuna before, but I can tell you it tastes great in a tarte. Also, the salmon tataki had apples, wasabi oil and crispy lotus as some of the ingredients and I found it to pop with flavour, which I enjoyed.
Oddly enough, even though I'm not one for salads, Ultra's one salad option deserves to be the only one on the menu because it was the best bowl of greens I've ever had.
If you were wondering what it is, don't worry, I'll tell you. The Yuzu Green Goddess Salad, $19, is a dish with avocado, edamame, buttermilk gel, goat cheese and arugula. Simple yet delicious.
Main courses at Ultra.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
Now, for the main dishes, there are so many options to choose from, but some of the items I ate included Lobster XO Fried Rice, $28, Australian Wagyu Striploin, $76, Ginger Orange Heirloom Carrots, $17, and Wagyu Roll, $31.
My ultimate favourite dish from my evening at Ultra was the Miso Black Cod, $45. If you like flavourful, bite-sized fish that melts in your mouth, do not miss out on this menu item.
Dessert at Ultra.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
Last but not least, dessert. Don't skip out on the delicate and refreshing bites. The dessert menu has a range of items that may seem familiar at first, but the flavours are not.
I ate the Coconut Lime Tart, $18, and Paris Brest With Injeolmi, $20.
The first was delightful because it was light, refreshing and quite lemony, perfect for a warm summer day. The creamy textures worked quite well with the crunchiness of the tarte. Overall great.
The latter was super interesting and I've become entirely invested in injeolmi. For those who don't know, it's a variety of tteok or Korean rice cake. It's made from roasted soybean powder, which is naturally sweet and resembles a peanut butter taste — but not really.
Before I tasted it, I had no idea what it was, but after I bit into the dessert, the injeolmi had a texture similar to a Turkish delight but not quite. Also, the injeolmi was cut into cube-like pieces paired with a pare a choux, praline cream and injeolmi mochi.
The Drinks
Ultra's mixologist, Vitus Wight, previously at Gladstone House, drew "inspiration from the many different cultures and flavours of East Asia, infusing select herbs, traditions and techniques for innovative cocktails to suit a modern palette," as stated in a press release.
Drinks at Ultra.Mira Nabulsi | Narcity
The drinks perfectly complimented the dishes, as they were also modern twists on the classics with Asian inspiration and ingredients.
Some of the drinks I tried would be perfect for patio sipping, including the Seaside Cabana, $21 and Nimbus Martini, $18.
The Seaside Cabana is made of rum milk punch, Flor de Cana 12, peach schnapps, blackberry tarragon syrup, lemon and disaronno foam.
Meanwhile, the Nimbus is made of pisco, lychee liquor, cold-pressed lemon, lavender syrup and egg white.
Other notable drink menu items include the Hanoi, $22, Onyx, $18 and Eastside, $18.
Ultra
Mira at Ultra in Toronto.
Price: 💸💸💸
Cuisine: Pan-Asian Restaurant
Address: 12 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto
Why You Need To Go: To try different Asian flavours and ingredients mixed into various dishes and to escape from everyday reality while enjoying the blissful interior, inspired by Alexander McQueen's art.