Toki (restaurant) explained

Toki
Food-Type:Korean
Street-Address:580 Southwest 12th Avenue
City:Portland
County:Multnomah
State:Oregon
Zip:97205
Country:United States
Mapframe:yes
Mapframe-Zoom:13
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Toki (sometimes Toki PDX or Toki Restaurant) was a Korean restaurant in Portland, Oregon.[1] It closed in 2024.[2]

Description

Toki was a Korean restaurant in downtown Portland, "spun off" from Han Oak and specializing in bao bun burgers and "snacky" brunch specials.[3] The menu was an expanded version of Han Oak's[4] and included bibimbap, bulgogi, dumplings, gimbap, Korean fried chicken, noodles, and a steamed bao burger.[5] [6] [7] There were three varieties of Korean fried chicken: Korean-style hot chili oil, sweet garlic soy glaze, and Han Oak's "essence of instant ramen" seasoning blend intended to taste like instant noodle flavor packets.[8] According to Willamette Week, the Gim-bap Supreme was inspired by Taco Bell and the TikTok "wrap" trend, in which "a tortilla is partially cut into four quadrants, topped with four different ingredients, folded into layers, and griddled".[9] The Buldak-ra-Bboki was described as a "creative mashup" of buldak and tteokbokki.[10] The brunch menu had doughnuts and breakfast sandwiches,[11] including a bao bun with everything bagel seasoning, koji-cured pork belly or a sausage patty, egg, and cheese.[12] Dalgona coffee was also served.[13]

History

Peter Cho, chef and owner of the Korean restaurant Han Oak, and partner Sun Young Park opened Toki in January 2021,[14] in the space which previously housed Tasty n Alder.[15] Initially, the business operated via take-out during the COVID-19 pandemic.[16] [17] Michael Russell of The Oregonian has said Toki was "fueled by tasty TikTok trends".[18]

The restaurant closed permanently in 2024.

Reception

In 2021, Michael Russell included Toki in The Oregonian's list of "Portland’s best new restaurants of 2021 (and 2020)" and recommended "noodles, dumplings, the lunch doshirak with mackerel and fried chicken in all its forms".[19] He later included the restaurant in The Oregonian's 2023 list of Portland's ten best new brunches.[20]

Toki was included in several Eater Portland lists in 2021: Alex Frane included the restaurant in "17 Spots to Grab Amazing Breakfast Sandwiches", Nick Woo and Nick Townsend included the Korean fried chicken in "14 Real-Deal Fried Chicken Spots in Portland", and Zoe Baillargeon included the Buldak-ra-Bboki in "Where to Find the Cheesiest Dishes in Portland and Beyond". Additionally, the website's Brooke Jackson-Glidden said Toki "has become a must-visit spot for downtown brunch".[21] The business was included in Eater Portland's 2022 overview of "Where to Eat and Drink in Downtown Portland".[22]

Portland Monthly included the pork belly breakfast sandwich in a 2021 list of "11 Breakfast Sandwiches to Get You out of Bed".[23] The magazine's Katherine Chew Hamilton also included the restaurant in an overview of the city's best fried chicken.[24] Portland Monthly included the omurice in a 2022 list of "The 12 Best Breakfasts in Portland".[25] In 2023, Cho was one of 18 Portland industry professionals deemed "rising stars" by the restaurant resource and trade publication StarChefs.[26] [27]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Russell. Michael. 2021-12-10. Toki's refined lunch offers a compelling argument for returning downtown (restaurant review). 2022-01-31. The Oregonian. en. 2021-12-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20211214031720/https://www.oregonlive.com/portland-best-restaurants/2021/12/tokis-refined-lunch-offers-a-compelling-argument-for-returning-downtown-restaurant-review.html. live.
  2. Web site: Wong . Janey . 2024-05-16 . The Portland Restaurant Closings to Know, May 2024 . 2024-05-21 . Eater Portland . en.
  3. Web site: 2021-08-13. COVID claimed some of Portland's biggest restaurants; others pivoted their way to the future. 2022-01-31. Los Angeles Times. en-US. 2021-08-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20210830150428/https://www.latimes.com/food/story/2021-08-13/classic-portland-restaurants-some-closed-some-survived. live.
  4. Web site: Han Oak Chef Peter Cho on opening his new restaurant, Toki, mid-pandemic. 2022-01-31. Oregon Public Broadcasting. en. 2021-05-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20210523223447/https://www.opb.org/article/2021/02/06/han-oak-chef-peter-cho-new-restaurant-toki-coronavirus-pandemic/. live.
  5. Web site: 10 Portland Dishes Not to Miss in 2021. 2022-01-31. Portland Monthly. en-US. 2021-12-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20211206011739/https://www.pdxmonthly.com/eat-and-drink/2021/01/ten-portland-dishes-not-to-miss-in-2021. live.
  6. Web site: Portland's Most Anticipated Restaurant Openings of 2021. 2022-01-31. Willamette Week. 8 January 2021 . en. 2021-07-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20210717231610/https://www.wweek.com/restaurants/2021/01/08/portlands-most-anticipated-restaurant-openings-of-2021/. live.
  7. Web site: Jackson-Glidden. Brooke. 2021-01-15. The Han Oak Team's New Downtown Restaurant Opens Today. 2022-01-31. Eater Portland. en. 2021-12-10. https://web.archive.org/web/20211210021039/https://pdx.eater.com/2021/1/15/22233124/toki-pdx-portland-opening. live.
  8. Web site: Woo. Nick. 2015-05-28. 14 Real-Deal Fried Chicken Spots in Portland. 2022-01-31. Eater Portland. en. 2021-09-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20210929002130/https://pdx.eater.com/maps/best-fried-chicken-portland. live.
  9. Web site: Where to Get Food in Portland This Week. 2022-01-31. Willamette Week. 23 March 2021 . en. 2021-07-18. https://web.archive.org/web/20210718160958/https://www.wweek.com/restaurants/2021/03/23/where-to-get-food-in-portland-this-week-17/. live.
  10. Web site: Baillargeon. Zoe. 2021-09-28. Where to Find the Cheesiest Dishes in Portland and Beyond. 2022-01-31. Eater Portland. en. 2021-11-19. https://web.archive.org/web/20211119084030/https://pdx.eater.com/maps/cheesy-dishes-portland-pizza-kachapuri-quesabirria. live.
  11. Web site: Smith. Suzette. March 18, 2021. Takeout Club: Small Details at Toki PDX Remind Us We're in Han Oak Hands. 2022-01-31. Portland Mercury. en. 2021-09-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20210906162400/https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2021/03/18/32243730/takeout-club-small-details-at-toki-pdx-remind-us-were-in-han-oak-hands. live.
  12. Web site: Frane. Alex. 2019-02-27. 17 Spots to Grab Amazing Breakfast Sandwiches. 2022-01-31. Eater Portland. en. 2021-10-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20211021220804/https://pdx.eater.com/maps/amazing-breakfast-sandwiches-bacon-egg-cheese. live.
  13. Web site: Where to Find the Food from Netflix's 'Squid Game' in Portland. 2022-01-31. Portland Monthly. en-US. 2021-11-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20211129194624/https://www.pdxmonthly.com/eat-and-drink/2021/10/squid-game-food-portland. live.
  14. Web site: This Week In Portland Food News: A New Restaurant from the Owners of Han Oak Arrives, Burrasca Says Goodbye, and Two New Breweries Are In the Works. 2022-01-31. Portland Mercury. en. 2021-12-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20211206192645/https://www.portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2021/01/22/31459258/this-week-in-portland-food-news-a-new-restaurant-from-the-owners-of-han-oak-arrives-burrasca-says-goodbye-and-two-new-breweries-are-in-the. live.
  15. Web site: Jackson-Glidden. Brooke. 2020-10-06. The Team Behind Celebrated Korean Restaurant Han Oak Will Open a Restaurant Downtown. 2022-01-31. Eater Portland. en. 2021-10-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20211011082426/https://pdx.eater.com/2020/10/6/21504530/toki-han-oak-korean-restaurant-portland. live.
  16. Bjorke. Christopher. January 4, 2021. Two Portland restaurants on list of 100 'America can't afford to lose'. Portland Business Journal. January 31, 2022. January 4, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210104231103/https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2021/01/04/esquire-names-two-portland-restaurants.html. live.
  17. Web site: Where to Get Food in Portland This Week. 2022-01-31. Willamette Week. 2 February 2021 . en. 2021-07-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20210717132329/https://www.wweek.com/restaurants/2021/02/01/where-to-get-food-in-portland-this-week-16/. live.
  18. Web site: Russell. Michael. 2021-03-20. Fueled by TikTok trends, Toki is a new downtown destination from the Han Oak team. 2022-01-31. The Oregonian. en. 2021-12-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20211214083817/https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/2021/03/fueled-by-viral-tiktok-trends-downtown-portlands-toki-is-a-new-destination-from-the-han-oak-team-takeout-diaries.html. live.
  19. Web site: Russell . Michael . 2021-12-09 . Portland's best new restaurants of 2021 (and 2020) . 2023-05-10 . The Oregonian . en . 2023-04-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230428103949/https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/2021/12/portlands-best-new-restaurants.html . live .
  20. Web site: Russell . Michael . Oregonian/OregonLive . Lizzy Acker The . 2023-05-09 . Portland's 10 best new brunches of 2023 . 2023-05-10 . . en . 2023-07-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230713214552/https://www.oregonlive.com/dining/2023/05/portlands-10-best-new-brunches-of-2023.html . live .
  21. Web site: Jackson-Glidden. Brooke. 2016-08-09. Where to Find Weekend Brunch in Portland. 2022-01-31. Eater Portland. en. 2021-12-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20211201062701/https://pdx.eater.com/maps/best-portland-brunches-restaurants. live.
  22. Web site: 2015-09-16 . Where to Eat and Drink in Downtown Portland . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220104000040/https://pdx.eater.com/maps/portland-restaurants-bars-food-carts-downtown . 2022-01-04 . 2022-08-10 . Eater Portland . en.
  23. Web site: Portland's Top 11 Breakfast Sandwiches. 2022-01-31. Portland Monthly. en-US. 2021-11-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20211105173255/https://www.pdxmonthly.com/eat-and-drink/best-breakfast-sandwiches-portland. live.
  24. Web site: The 17 Best Places to Get Fried Chicken in Portland. 2022-01-31. Portland Monthly. en-US. 2021-12-13. https://web.archive.org/web/20211213220211/https://www.pdxmonthly.com/eat-and-drink/best-fried-chicken-in-portland. live.
  25. News: The 12 Best Breakfasts in Portland . 2022-06-01 . Portland Monthly . en-US . 2022-06-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220601182040/https://www.pdxmonthly.com/eat-and-drink/best-portland-breakfast-dishes . live .
  26. Web site: Wong . Janey . 2023-07-14 . A Guide to Portland's StarChefs Rising Stars Award Winners for 2023 . 2023-07-15 . Eater Portland . en . 2023-07-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230715132141/https://pdx.eater.com/2023/7/14/23794693/portland-starchefs-award-winners-2023 . live .
  27. Web site: StarChefs - Profile - Peter Chef of Han Oak and Toki . 2023-07-15 . StarChefs . en-US . 2023-07-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230715132443/https://www.starchefs.com/profiles/peter-cho . live .

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