Kaiju

Went to Kaiju for lunch on a weekday and the food court was almost empty. Ordered pork katsu curry on rice and it was really good compare to other food court type of places. The price is a little more expensive than I expected but totally worth it!

We came here for a quick bite on a Friday night… Dinner for 2 was $ 23 but we had a lot of food! Curry sauce was great, as was the fried fish… Not greasy at all… Just such a weird mall… Read somewhere the tenants were taking the landlord to court. Deff could see why… Anyway good food and a really nice proprietor!

This foodcourt stall made me sad. I wandered in here based on Unilocal reviews and was so excited to try their tofu cheesecake (didnt have it on a weekday), sambal udon and char kwai teow but they don’t serve the noodles anymore. Ended up getting the chicken karaage and chicken katsu. The curry was spicy and good, but the portions were small for their prices and isn’t really worth the hype in my opinion. I wouldnt go out of my way to go back again and there are plenty of places around youge and dundas/​eaton center for cheaper and better eats.

Another small hidden gem located right inside the Aura building at yonge and gerrard. The food court inside this buildling is quite small with Kaiju and another japanese and korean foodcourt stall. I’ve heard many good reviews about the pork katsu curry here and had to try one night after work.
The prices are fair, comes up about 9 dollars for a meal. Comes with a side of coldslaw, rice, two big heeping spoonful of curry and a piece of meat. Taste wise, it was very rich. I quite enjoyed the curry because it was the perfect thickness and it was not spicy at all. The meat was also cooked to perfection with the right amount of crispiness.
Definitely will return when craving a cheaper meal.

I’m surprised by the reviews here. I don’t normally come on to give a place a negative review, but I have to say that, given the two times I have visited, I have a few issues with the place:
* There’s too much curry sauce. It just drenches everything.
* It’s a pretty long wait for a place in a food court. (Although I must say that I was impressed that I was offered the opportunity to sit down and have the food brought to me.)
* It’s not cheap!
* The atmosphere in the Aura food court is a bit dismal.
All of that said, the taste is unique, and the service is good. I would certainly give it a try — maybe it’d be more to your liking than to mine!

Hard to find, because it’s in the basement of a building, but I hope this place sticks around! The food is unique, and the owners are so friendly!
I had the Kaiju Poutine. It was savoury, flavourful, and vegetarian! The fries were thick and crispy.

The reviews here don’t lie – Kaiju has some delicious pork katsu! The meal comes with rice, veggies, side of choice (chose pork) and a large ladle of curry on the side so the crispy pork does not become soggy. The pork is fried in front of you, right behind the counter. It was very juicy and the batter was not too thick and amazingly not oily! The curry itself is not overwhelming but flavourful. Prices are around $ 8.50 a meal, coming to $ 9.60 with tax.
If you swing by, have a chat with the owner as well. Very genuine and friendly guy.
The food court under Aura only had Kaiju open with two other Japanese shops and foot traffic through here is poor unfortunately. But do give this place a try, you won’t be disappointed.

This place is the true definition of a hidden gem considering how good the food is and how isolated it is. It’s in a barren food court at the bottom of the aura buildings and deserves a lot more traffic than it gets. The katsu curry is amazing and so is the salad that comes with it even. I tried the tori karaage this time instead and it was delicious too although I still think I prefer the katsu dishes. The portions are fair and the service is excellent too. Even though it’s in a fast food court the cashier/​owner/​cook brought out our food for us.

A little hidden gem inside the basement food court of the Aura condo building complex that contains the Marshall’s and Hard Candy Fitness gym. I didn’t even realize there was a food court in this building had it not been for my YEA that recommended it.
The staff are so nice and even brought out food out to the table in the court once it was ready. Something extremely atypical of a fast food place but the food court was literally a ghost-​town.
The Japanese style curry was thick, warm, and hearty. It was a deep brown colour and also had a nice sweetness to it as well. It really went well with the pork cutlet and chicken karaage combos that we ordered.
I especially enjoyed the fresh karaage which where skewered for easy consumption and the rice was able to soak up all that curry that was ladled into the dish.
I highly recommend you take a visit into this little tucked away treasure.

Recently, I went to Kaiju with my bf and we decided to try their Monster Combo because why not? And guess what? It was so worth it. It’s better than getting an individual meal. You get 3 mains (shrimp, fish fillet and chicken/​pork katsu) for the price of two.
My advice? If you’re with someone and wanted to try more than a type of meal, get the Monster Combo — it was delicious and filling.
PS: The owner told me he wanted to expand his business and is looking for a better location. So good luck to him and his team and hopefully they’ll find a non-​hidden place. I mean they do work hard and are very humble. That’s what I like about Kaiju :)

I met one of the owners of the restaurant when they first opened and he was handing out flyers. I didn’t get a chance to try it until quite a while later and honestly, I’m blown away by how good everything is. From the food to the customer service– it really is a hidden gem. Located in the ground level of the Aura building, it really isn’t a place you would venture to unless you were looking out for it. The food court doesn’t get quite packed so there are a lot of seats to choose.
As for the food, I will say it’s one of the best curry chicken katsu I have ever had. Just writing about it makes me salivate, I should probably keep it that to myself. The katsu was crispy on the outside and moist– which is a rare feat. Typically most places that cook katsu overcook it to the point that it’s so drying but it wasn’t the case with Kaiju. The curry chicken katsu came with sides of coleslaw and rice, and the portions were perfect.
The prices of the items on the menu were affordable and Kaiju would be a good place to come to for a quick lunch or dinner.

This place deserves all the rave reviews it gets, and my friends love this place, and I do too, but not really for their curry but for their service. I have my own favourite spot for curry, but the food here is nevertheless decent and won’t disappoint.
I hate the location of this place. It’s situated in the basement of Aura which barely gets any foot traffic and makes the entire place just seem downright depressing. I feel awful for the business owners who likely invested a lot of money into these properties and are now stuck with it. I know this is not Kaiju’s fault but I do sympathize with these people, but it’s more the reason for me to come to hopefully bring some life into this plaza. Maybe a Chatime or something can open up to attract more customers.
Anyway, the guy who always works here (at least the times I’ve been) is super friendly and is really caring. It’s a food court and yet the man brings the food to you even though he’s not even expected to! He’s always making conversation with his regular customers and I really appreciate that (even though I don’t get to come here often enough). I am a big fan of people who value good service.
The prices are good — for under $ 10 you can get a breaded Katsu curry that should be large enough for lunch, or a light dinner. For me, the curry has an odd hint of a sweet fruity taste, which sort of puts me off a bit. Not inedible by any means, but that slight hint of taste doesn’t match my palette. With that said though, the Katsu here is excellent, probably the best I’ve had in the GTA. It is not overly oily yet crisp and juicy — I would rather come here for their chicken Katsu over Hot Star down the street.
The food court is usually dead for a food court but I do see that most people are ordering from Kaiju — it’s scary to think how empty the place would be if they didn’t exist. I hope that businesses in the Aura basement will eventually thrive with more people and businesses moving to the downtown core. It would be a travesty for Kaiju to close — keep supporting them!

10 $ tax incl for the Japanese curry chicken
Great taste. Quick service. The owners are a little extra friendly. Was Perfect that they brought my food to me, but a little overboard when I was approached while eating lol but it was cute… The curry speaks for itself. A must try if you like fried chicken

Was looking for lunch in the area and happened upon this gem of a food court restaurant through Unilocal.204 reviews and 4.5 stars? Must be something special — it was, especially considering its location in what is probably the most depressing, deserted mall downtown.
We got the chicken katsu, Kaiju poutine, and a slice of their Japanese tofu cheesecake (only available on Saturdays). My boyfriend really enjoyed the katsu and I can confirm the curry was delicious — well-​seasoned and savoury with a wonderful touch of sweetness. The thick-​cut fries in the poutine were also cooked to perfection — light and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I didn’t love the cheesecake as the flavour was a little too light for me, but it was my first time trying tofu cheesecake so maybe it’s an acquired taste.
The only downside is that prices are a little bit high for portion sizes and the fact that it’s still fast food, albeit really good fast food.

I’ve been to Kaiju 4 times since I discovered this place 6 months ago through Unilocal,and I’m convinced that on the 7^th day, God created Kaiju.
Finding Kaiju in the basement of The Shops at Aura was like finding a golden treasure chest in the depths of the ocean. You’d never find this place on your own, but with the help of Unilocal Tips (The treasure map), it was really easy to find.
So you approach the golden treasure chest, and it’s beaming (with the smiles and friendliness of the owners). You shake the treasure chest to try to figure out what’s inside. After about 5 minutes, the mystical mermaids (owners) determine that you are a worthy human and unlock the golden treasure chest and present to you the Golden Chicken Katsu with Curry and Coleslaw (I’ve documented this sacred treasure in the picture below).
In all seriousness though, after you order your food, you find a seat in the food court, and when it’s ready the owners personally deliver the food to you — thus, service is top-​notch. The food is amazing as well — the chicken katsu is hot/​freshly made, placed atop a mound of white rice, and surrounded by a moat of their heavenly curry.
If you’re in the area, def. check this place out and thank me later.

+.5 for service
Don’t let the abnormally high reviews catch you suspicious, this place is for real. It’s too bad that the location is terrible, since it’s located in a food court of a mall that nobody knows or accesses aside from the regulars.
I was greeted with immediate jubilation from the husband-​wife duo, and they immediately let me try some free samples, such as the curry. The curry tasted very good, and even though I’m not a rice person I can see why it’s their specialty. They persuaded me to order the curry, but I had the Malaysian Fried Sambal Udon in mind and I stuck with it. Both of them were cool with it, and eventually the lady took my order and I proceed to take my seat.
The guy eventually brought the order to my table, which I thought was something he didn’t need to do, but I certainly did appreciate it. The portions were very large, and honestly if I wasn’t hungry there was no way I would’ve finished it. Either way, for food court quality the sambal udon was very good. It’s a little spicy, but if you request less spicy beforehand the chef will lay it easy on the spice. The fish balls and chicken were very juicy and not very tough. This place uses the cheap udon, but given the price and location factor I wasn’t neither too surprised or picky about it. For $ 8.50 it’s definitely something I would eat again, though next time if I’m with friends I will certainly introduce this place’s curry to them.
As for the employees, I eventually had a nice talk with the husband about how business is going (they’ve been in business for 2 years now), different types of Asian food, and if I had any friends or colleagues who would be interested in trying. I took a take out menu before I left, and for sure I will recommend this place to my friends, especially my Ryerson friends since the campus is across the street.
Hope this place survives though. Torontonians are really missing a gem.

Food: 3.5
Service: 4.5
Place: 2
Price: 4
After shopping at the Eaton Center, we were hungry. So we decided to have something to eat nearby. I checked on Unilocal and came across Kaiju. I haven’t heard about this restaurant before however Unilocalers say it’s good… so…what were we waiting for?!
We walked straight to Gerrard street but we weren’t sure how to get to the restaurant. It was my bad because I was very hungry so I didn’t read reviews well. I checked it again.and.ya! We found it :)
Kaiju is a food court restaurant located at the basement of AURA CONDO. The food court was very quiet and there were many empty units that were waiting to be rented. The basement looks dark and not lively! We weren’t sure if that was the reason why there were many empty units still.
When we got there, we were surprised because there were only three stores opening at the time. We went straight to Kaiju and ordered the combo for 2 ($ 19). It comes with all deep fried stuff; 1 fish fillet, 4 shrimp and a choice of chicken or pork. We got pork, shrimp and fish. The curry was different from other places I had before. However, I’m not an expert at Japanese curry. I can’t tell that it’s the best but we like it.
The best part was the service though. The guy who served us the food (he brought the food to our table with drinks we ordered), I assume he was the owner. He’s very nice and friendly. He came to talk with us during the meal. I think it’s part of his marketing and it’s a good one. He knows how to spread the words and keep customers. I’m pretty sure that one of the reasons he received good reviews is because he tries to engage conversation, introduce himself and the restaurant, also gives out a samples. He makes customers feel comfortable and want to come back again. He told me that he is from Malaysia but has been living here for more than 20 years. He gave us jam sticks to try how sweet of jam he made (–«) now I want it more. Haha.
I will go back there again to try Tofu Cheese cake. He said they sell it only on Saturday :) See you there!

I’ve bookmarked this place for awhile and always wanted to try and very glad I did. The food was relatively good and an enjoyable experience throughout. I would definitely return to try another dish next time.
Food: 4/​5, we got the big curry combo (pork, fish and shrimp cutlets with curry and rice with Malaysian sambal noodles). Very tasty but I wish there was a bit more curry or sauce for the cutlets. The noodle could’ve been a bit more spicy too.
Service: 4/​5, it’s a food court but the owner brought the food to our table and asked us how it was near the end of the meal. He was all smiles and it was an unexpected service from a food court place.
Ambience: 3/​5, not the best location underground in the aura condo shopping area but it was still brightly lit at the food court and seating wasn’t too bad.
Price: 3/​5, it came to about $ 17 per person with combo being $ 19 and $ 9 for noodles. It’s not super cheap but good.

This is a hidden gem in the Downtown Centre area. First, it’s almost impossible to find unless you actually try and look for it. Knowing there’s a small food court on the basement floor of the Aura condos/​store helps. There’s a Bed Bath and Beyond in the building as well. The restaurant itself is a standard food court restaurant where you order at the counter. For us, since we went at a slow time, they even brought out the food to our table. Not sure if that’s standard practice or not.
My family and I got the Pork Katsu, Chicken Katsu, and the Grilled Chicken plates. This comes with the aforementioned items, plus some rice, the curry, and a small salad. Speaking to the owner, she mentioned that the style of curry is Malaysian and that they’ve been compared favorably to Go Go Curry in New York. I’ve only tried the Go Go Curry in Boston and I can say for certain that the curry at Kaiju is WAY better. I don’t know what they put in it, by its worth the trek. My only complaint of the meal is that the portions seemed a bit small to me.
Service was excellent also. Seeing the other reviews, I’m not surprised. The owner is extremely friendly.

You know, I can’t believe I’m actually reviewing food-​court food lol…
Kaiju is one of those unexpected hidden gem located in the food court area of the Aura condo, and most of their items range from $ 6 to $ 10 with a few exceptions. To get here, simply go down the escalator, turn left until you see a tea store then turn right, and you will see a food court with only 3 vendors.
Being a food court restaurant, I didn’t expect good service or anything, but the owners are some of the friendliest people I have ever know. Everytime I went, they always took the time to explain the type of food Kaiju offers and made sure I have a pleasant experience.
*Chicken Katsu Curry — $ 8
The chicken katsu came out piping hot and fresh as Kaiju deep fried the katsu per order. I liked how they placed the katsu on the rice with no sauce poured over, so the meat wasn’t going to get soggy easily. Unlike other restaurants, the chicken katsu at Kaiju were lightly breaded, and left a good amount of thickness of the chicken meat, which allowed it to stay moist. The chicken was crunchy and tender on the inside, and the coleslaw was surprisingly good! The curry itself was smooth and not too thin. I also liked that the curry had a nice transition of sweetness to spiciness, and the spices didn’t get muddled among the sweetness of the curry. Overall I actually prefered Kaiju’s curry over Gyugyuya on Dundas street.
*Malaysian Char Keow Tiau — $ 8.95:
I thought this was just an average stir fried noodles dish and it was incredibly salty. My throat was craving for water after having a few bites, so I felt they used a lot of MSG for this dish :(.
*Tofu cheesecake:
Another reason why I love coming to Kaiju is their tofu cheesecake and the regular Japanese cotton cheesecake. Although the Japanese cheesecake is bigger and a bit more expensive, trust me, the cake tasted exactly the same as Uncle Tetsu’s cheesecake. However for both cakes, Kaiju only sell them by slices on Saturday, otherwise you have to place an order in advance for the cakes.
The base is a thin layer of gram crackers and brown sugar I believe. Although the base is quite sweet, the top layer of unsweetened tofu nicely balanced out the sweetness from the base. The tofu itself was really smooth and silky, it was almost like eating a pana cotta lol.