Hodo Kwaja isn't the kind of café that serves fancy or trendy desserts. They specialize in traditional Korean sweets that are simple, affordable, and comforting, and honestly, that's what makes this place so special. The moment I walked past the shop, the huge walnut cake machine caught my attention. Then the smell pulled me right inside. We ordered the red bean & rice cake bingsu, the injeolmi (almond & soybean) bingsu, walnut cakes with red bean and potato fillings, and hot Korean sweet pancakes filled with brown sugar. Everything was delicious, but more than anything, it felt nostalgic. It reminded me of childhood when I lived in Korea. The funny part is that we never meant to come here. We accidentally typed in the wrong address and ended up in Koreatown instead of Ossington. Looking back, I'm really glad we did because we probably would have never found this little gem otherwise. The service made the experience even better. The lady who helped us was so kind and caring, and you could tell the owners genuinely cared about their customers. There was such a warm and welcoming atmosphere the moment we walked in. It's the kind of place that makes you want to come back every time you're in the area. read more

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Can't believe I'm finding out about this so late in life. Walnut cakes. Easy to eat on the go. So tasty. Chun byung. Crispy wafers. Korean pancakes. Defo my favourite! Both red bean and brown sugar was fire. Not a sweet kid, but this left me fiending for more. read more

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You go here here for their red bean pancakes and small walnut cakes. Every time I want freshly baked goodies and I'm in the area, this is definitely the go to. Not too sweet, soft and delicious traditional Korean dessert. I recommend trying it out if you like red bean desserts. They also have other flavours and bingsu which is a Korea shaved ice dessert. I just prefer their classic red bean :) There are few seating areas and the service is quick and friendly. They make everything fresh on the same day. read more

Hodo Kwaja - Red bean walnut cake - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This is my first time visiting after numerous of failed attempts of visiting Ktown on a Sunday... Since it was my first time here, I wanted to try everything! I bought the brown sugar pancake that was made fresh right in front of me, the walnut cake in all 3 flavours (red bean, potato and almond) and the madeleines that was already packaged right by the cash register. The brown sugar pancake was very delicious and the texture was a little chewy. Of all the walnut cakes I bought, I still like the red bean one best. Almond and potato tasted extremely similar to me. As for the madeleines, they are buttery and soft. I personally really liked it. Next time I'm in Ktown, I will definitely pay them another visit! read more

Hodo Kwaja - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

We'd just wolfed down a delicious Korean meal and were in the mood for a sweet treat, so Hodo Kwaja seemed like the perfect choice. I'd never tried a Korean Pancake, so we decided to share the Brown Sugar variety. It was insanely hot so we took it back to the car and dug in. It's so good. The pancake is super fresh and fluffy, and the interior is this amazing, flavorful brown-sugar sauce. It's nothing short of addictive. Why did it take me so long to discover Korean Pancakes?? read more

Hodo Kwaja - Brown Sugar Korean Pancake. - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

On a short trip to Toronto, I went to KoreaTown for lunch with a few friends at Korea House (see review, separatly). Afterwards, we went for dessert to Hodo Kwaja for ho dok - "pancakes" with brown sugar & peanut filling (a favorote of mine) and walnut cookies - filled with (separately) red beans and walnuts. The pancakes are served warm, so the sugar is warm & syrupy (yummm). My first try of these cookies, they went well with coffee the next morning. This is a small carry-out shop. Simple menu - just these items, so service moves quick. read more

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It is a classic staple in the Koreatown area. I like to take a quick visit here whenever I'm in the area as they are the few places in Toronto (as far as I know) that sells a good variety of fresh Korean desserts. More specifically, I have been getting their hotteok (sweet pancake). Hotteok (Brown Sugar Pancake): On the menu, they had both brown sugar and red bean filling but only seemed to be brown sugar was available. I got the brown sugar filling, and it was quite hot. Near the end of the pancake, the filling spills out a bit, so be careful when you take a bite. It's not too sweet to the point it's overwhelming, just the right amount. I love coming here whenever I'm in the Koreatown area! Affordable and great dessert selection - hoping to try out their sherbet when the warmer weather season comes. read more

Hodo Kwaja - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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In my past visits, I would only get the walnut-shaped cakes - I usually get the ones with mashed potatoes, one flavour has walnuts mixed in and the other has almonds mixed in. Food: The walnut cakes taste the best when they are warm, however, they can still be eaten at room temperature. I saw an IG reel of someone lining up for hotteok and didn't know this shop had it til a friend told me. This is prolly the only place that makes and sells it in Toronto? It's not as thick/puffy as the ones you see on social media but the ratio between the pancake dough and the brown sugar filling is just right. I wish there was a bit more nuts but the minimal amount of it adds to the surprise when you munch on some. I love how the exterior of the pancake is lightly crisp. Be careful when eating as the brown sugar will ooze out. This is actually a nice snack to have during winter when the brown sugar won't be as liquid. I had the rectangular-shaped biscuit and it was not too sweet! Service/atmosphere: The staff here are kind and open to answering questions about their products. There is an area to sit in to eat and a washroom available for customers. This shop is definitely one of a kind! read more

Hodo Kwaja - Hotteok cooking on hot plate - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Definitely pick up a box of these fresh Korean Walnut cakes. They have a golden fluffy cake exterior that's not too thick and stuffed with very generous fillings. My favourite has got to be the Almond and then the Red bean! They reheat well at home too if you microwave for 10-15 seconds! read more

I love Hodo Kwaja! We walked by Hodo Kwaja at 656 Bloor St West while they were making hot, fresh brown sugar Korean pancakes and they smelled so good! Had to get one fresh off the grill! A delicious treat and so much better than the frozen kind you can get at Asian supermarkets. I also love the friendly service I get every time I drop by. They always ask if I have any peanut allergies (I don't) which I always appreciate. And the ambiance walking in is wonderful because of the delicious smell of brown sugar pancakes sizzling on the grill! Highly recommend! And also check their website for days and hours they make the pancakes fresh. read more

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Exceptional service, very friendly staff. Food is super tasty, can't believe the price. Affordable and delicious what can you ask more for? 10/10 read more

Hodo Kwaja - Korean pancake - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Wonderful little shop with Korean sweets, the man at the counter was very kind and offered us extra red bean. The shaved ice is shaved nicely no large chunks of hard ice. There is no flavored syrup to the ice, but it didn't need it. read more

Hodo Kwaja - Shaved ice red bean - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Given the high reviews and advertisement of this place, I was kinda disappointed. We came and got the famous walnut cakes and the pancake. The walnut cakes came in 3 flavors: red bean, walnut with mashed potatoes and almond with mashed potatoes. For the pancake we got the brown sugar filling. We got a mix of the walnut cake (2 of each flavor). I would have like it better if they were warm and fresh but these have been out for a bit. They are soft and flavor was ok, didn't really have a wow factor. The pancake texture was really good though. I definitely like the pancake a lot better. I also like the filling as it oozes out each time you take a bite. Overall, it was good to try but not something I would come back for. read more

Hodo Kwaja - Pancake - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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After looking for places to visit in K-Town, I stumbled upon Hodo Kwaja and to my surprise, walnut cakes and these korean pancakes surpassed my expectations. Service was phenomenal. I didn't look too deep into the menu and didn't know there were a variety of fillings but the staff member generously explained which fillings were available and quickly grabbed me my order. It was funny because she even knew I was from the states and we had a great laugh about how she knew. As for the walnut cakes themselves, I'm a big fan of the red bean filling. The walnut cakes are soft and the red bean filling was right up my alley. If I had the stomach for it, I would have gotten more! As for the brown sugar korean pancake, I have no words. I have a sweet tooth so I'm biased but it was just so pleasantly sweet and with the texture of the pancake, I can't think of a better combination. You know how people typically say "brown sugar" this and "brown sugar" that but sometimes it's more sugar than brown sugar? This wasn't the case, there is a strong presence of brown sugar flavor and I honestly should have bought one more. I wish it was possible to purchase these and keep them fresh just to share it with everyone I know! read more

Really great and inexpensive goods can be found here. We just happened to come here by happenstance when we were looking for somewhere to hang out. Very eye-grabbing that you could get yourself snacks starting at $2. I came in and got a pack of 6 walnut cakes with assorted flavours, coming to $3.75. These cakes have a generous quantity of filling that I very much enjoy: The service was as fast as you can ask for. Look at the menu outside, get your order, and you receive what you get immediately. Once you've finished eating and you're ready to go, the staff take your garbage. The interior has a decent number of seats. They have as decor a string of photos depicting their foods. Very nice. I give this a recommendation. read more

Hodo Kwaja - Walnut cakes (pack of six minus the one I ate). - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

So much filling in the walnuts cakes! Red bean was a bit too sweet. I do not recommend the potato ones, I didn't taste anything. Will try the hotteok (pancakes) and bingsu in the summer read more

I had been wanting to try their walnut cakes for a while and I wasn't disappointed. I tired both the red bean and mashed potato filling. Both were yummy. I also ordered the brown sugar pancake and madeleines. I really enjoyed the brown sugar pancake. It's too bad I don't live closer to the area. Otherwise I would definitely come back frequently. read more

Hodo Kwaja - Walnut cakes - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Brown sugar korean pancake - for some reason, I had never heard of this until we dropped by here. Located on bloor, this is a small unassuming shop that specializes in Korean pancakes and walnut cakes. They also have other Korean pastries. The lady behind the counter gave us some interesting history and explained what they had on menu. Apparently brown sugar pancake is traditional whole red bean is for those who want something a little less sweet. They also have some original walnut cake recipes that they created, madelaines and some crunchy looking cookies. On this occasion, we just tried the brown sugar pancake. The dough has a slight crispness though quite faint, good chew. Embedded inside is a liquid layer of brown sugar. Be warned: As you eat this, the brown sugar likely will begin accumulating to the bottom of the pancake due to gravity. Towards the latter half, you may face a sticky and delicious explosion of brown sugar as I learned in an unfortunate (yet yummy and amusing) manner. No wonder why the server encouraged me to take napkins. Price: 2.75 for the pancake which isn't too bad. Definitely will return to try other items now that I'm more prepared for sugar explosions. read more

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Still a great local pick for pastry goods. I think walnut and almond are my favourite. Still definitely recommend! read more

Hodo Kwaja - Yummy pastries - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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3.5 to 4 stars. If you're a fan of walnut cakes, definitely give this place a try. We went in the evening so the ones we got weren't freshly made but they were still decent. Would recommend reheating them at home, would definitely taste better. I assume during the day they make them fresh to order? Also ordered a brown sugar with peanut pancake to bring home. Reheated in a pan and it was super delicious! Would highly recommend and would definitely get again. They ran out of the ones with red bean so would want to try one of those next time. First time trying hotteok and I am a definite fan. read more

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Came here coincidentally while I was basically starving waiting for kbbq ... and it did not disappoint! Bought a box of chestnut cakes to share, and had 10 of each flavor(potato and almond, potato and walnut, red bean). Each mini cake was packed with flavor; not too sweet, and had a nice crunch. Great as a small eats and the carbs definitely staved away the hunger until dinner time came. I only would add that I hoped they would've came out a little hotter -- but maybe that's something I could've asked for! read more

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Very tasty and affordable korean street food desserts. Walnut cake with red bean/mashed potato with almond or walnut, almond sponge cake, korean pancake are made daily fresh. Staff is friendly. Buy more to have bigger discount and you can always mix and matcha different flavours in one order. Get more to share with friends! read more

Hodo Kwaja - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Delicious and addicting walnut cakes! Must try the mini cakes when they are steaming hot and fresh. The boss lady offered us extra mini cakes if we buy the overnight made walnut cakes. We took the offer! hahah. Although all three fillings were really good, red bean was my favorite. I love the nuts filling. Very unique combination! Walnut Cakes / Hodo Jwaja * Mashed potato & walnut * Mashed potato & almond * Red bean & walnut Korean pancakes - red bean or brown sugar filling Delicious pancakes! Be careful when you're eating the brown sugar filling. The brown sugar was dripping everywhere! The cashier did warn us about the mess and temperature, and insisted us to grab extra napkins. lol! Chun Byung (seasonal Fall to Spring) - thin crunchy waffle cookies with sliced almonds, peanuts or dried seaweed garnish. The waffle cookies were a great little sweet snack, but nothing special. It tasted like flat fortune cookies. Madeleine was kind of dry =/ Sweet and simple sponge cakes. Hodo Kwaja is a must try if you're in Toronto! read more

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I've always wanted to try Korean Street food and this place serves delicious Korean pancakes and walnut cakes! I love the vibe as the decor is low key and really the focus is on the food! I do appreciate that they have seating indoor because it was cold af outside when we visited. Anyway? Check this place out! You won't regret it read more

Support local!! I love this place, every time I'm around Korean town I always get some to bring home for the fam. Their walnut cakes are always made fresh daily, comes in a few flavors like red bean, mashp potato with walnuts, etc. They also do Korean pancakes (hotteok) that are chewy and filled with different fillings such as red bean, brown sugar with peanuts, etc. The owners and staff are amazing, friendly and super helpful. Their menu is small so you'll never have to worry about making endless decisions (like me!) I think they are cash only cause I usually always pay in cash but idk just bring some cash!!! read more

Service is great, and if you are a fan of korean street food pancakes, come here. I got the brown sugar hotteuk or pancake which was the best thing here. The red bean pancake was also pretty good and if you like walnut cakes, they were pretty tasty especially if it is freshly made and warm. They have alot of seating in the back and also more seating downstairs if you just want to enjoy some dessert. read more

I dropped by today to buy their delicious hodo kwaja in all three flavours. As usual the taste is super consistent and not too sweet compared to Kevin's Taiyaki's hodo kwaja. They did increase the price up to $11 for 30 walnut cakes. I also finally grabbed a few brown sugar hotteok (with peanuts) and toasted them which made them they even more delicious! They did restructure their service as per health regulations which is great. Kind and courteous service. read more

I rolled in about an hour before they closed for the day and they still had a good amount of cakes available. When you first enter the place, your hit with the nice smell and aroma of the batter and freshly made cakes. After looking at their reviews, I wanted to get the walnut cakes first and if those were good, I would get the red bean next time I'm in town. I got the 12 for $5 and I ate like 3 of them because they were still warm when I got to my car and they were super delicious and filling. I honestly wanted to eat more but I was too full from dinner and this was a dessert treat. When I got Home I put them in our microwave and had more of it the next day and to my surprise, they were still yummy. I thought they were going to get stale really quick but they didn't. They keep really well. The staff was very friendly and not rushing at all when I didn't know what I wanted and over all I will be back and get other flavors and also try other things on the menu besides the cakes. read more

Hodo Kwaja - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Hodo Kwaja in Koreantown does one specialty really well, and that's walnut cakes. The bakery shop has been open for over 25 years selling these affordable snacks. They even have an automated cake machine. The walnut cakes are quite simple and come in three fillings: red bean & walnut, mashed potato & walnut, or mashed potato & almond. I had an assortment of 12 walnut cakes for just $5. The mini-cakes were pleasantly crispy on the thin outer layer, and soft on the inside with the slightly sweet paste filling. The walnut bits gave a nice crunch too. Be sure to drop by to try for yourself when you're in Koreantown! read more

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Authentic Korean Walnut Cake. Korea's version of a Timbit! They have 3 filling stuffed into these soft walnut shaped pastries. Walnut and potato, Red Bean and Almond. I bet you can't just have one! read more

Finally came a day it was open!!! Not that they aren't open but schedule would never work out to accommodate their hours. Quick and easy. This cozy shop serves a number of warm Korean delights such as walnut cakes, filled pancakes, and thin cookies. The menu is clear and easy to navigate through. I ordered 6 walnut cakes for $2.75, tax included I guess, unless no tax when you pay with cash. To clarify, walnut cakes are bite sized filled pastry balls. Played a little "walnut cake roulette" - got 2 of each filling. As a result, I didn't try their red bean walnut cake. However, I have had their red bean cake from a local Korean grocer and can confirm their filling met my expectation. In general, fresh walnut cakes make a world of a difference. The outer layer had enough structure and crunch, while maintaining a soft interior. I would also like to comment on how friendly and patient the staff were when I was deciding on my order. Happy to support another local business. read more

Hodo Kwaja - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

Whenever I'm in Korean down in downtown Toronto, I always have to make stop! The madeleines are just too good to pass this storeby. Everything at Hodo are freshly made daily so it is best to enjoy these goodies on the day of. The madeleines do keep well and are still great when consumed a few days later. I absolutely love the walnut cakes especially there are 3 different varieties. My favourite is the mash potato filling with walnut. I do recommend getting a mix so you can try all the flavours. If you want a hot yummy snack, don't miss out on the Korean pancake. There is an option with the brown sugar filling or red bean. Both are delicious but I do enjoy the brown sugar one just slightly more! Looking for a snack or a sweet treat in k-town, this is the place! read more

I'm sure this place is good when they have freshly made hodo gwajas, but I was actually really disappointed after trying their food. My husband and I bought 12 hodo gwajas ($5) and one hodduk ($2.50ish) and BOTH were extremely cold. They also had tubs of hodo gwaja in the back of the store as well, so the ones we got were probably a day or two old. :( The hodduk was worse being cold. The filling was not melted enough and the texture was way too doughy. They have seating inside the store (like 6-7 tables) but the tables and chairs were pretty beat up. The restrooms downstairs were bad too... there was even a sign not to put babies on the sink (whaaaat?). Maybe it's just not the right hodo gwaja shop for me. :/ read more

Hodo Kwaja - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

I came from dinner around the area but needed to take the metro in order to make it before this place closed. I arrived about 10 minutes before closing, out of breath and eager to try them. The only flavor they had left was the red bean. The daughter, Suki, informed us that they did not have any more fresh Hodo Kwaja that day because they were closed the next day (Sunday's). She could tell that V and I were not from the area and we responded saying that we are from California and that she should consider expanding these to the States. She then proceeded to tell us about her father, the owner of this 20+ year old business and a promise he made with a competitor. We took our dozen Hodo Kwaja and Suki had given us an extra one which was kind of her! We took a bite into the goodness. Although cold (I mean we did arrive right before closing), you could taste the originality within each bite. I highly recommend checking this place out. Very humble family who really puts love and care into making their Hodo Kwaja. read more

Hodo Kwaja - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I had not been there in years. Got a warm welcome from the owners who we have known for decades. Nice family who still have the same high standards as before. They make the BEST Korean hotteok (not hotdog, folks), HOTTEOK, which is a Korean fluffy pancake stuffed with sweet, red bean paste. It is kind of like the Japanese hot-cakes made on the griddle, but stuffed with smooth and luscious red bean paste. Very decadent and they have the little stuffed walnut and red bean cakes as well. This is, without a doubt, in my estimation, the best Korean bakery in Toronto (Ontario) as a whole. The owners are also nice and welcoming and take pride in their product. Thank you for providing us with such a fantastic product, true to tradition and taste (and quality). read more

Didn't want to go home right away after a big meal, my friend and I decided to find a place for dessert that is closest to us. We found this place on YELP (thank you Yelpers!) The shop was so small! (1st impression). I stepped in and I asked my friend if they really bake some cakes here because I didn't smell any cakes (you know the smell of flour and butter and stuffs? - 2nd impression). After being introduced to all the cakes they have, we decided to get walnut cakes. I was shocked when I looked at the price (3rd impression). $2.25 for 6 hell yeah! So I got 2 of each (walnut with red bean, walnut with mashed potato, and almonds with mashed potato) Service is fast, and the staff is very friendly. She introduced their products quickly and briefly. The owner is very funny. I overheard him talking to another customer. He kept saying that his business has been here for 15 years and they should trust their cakes. I was convinced by that along with the cheap price to buy their walnut cakes. The walnut cakes were okay for me. I like them, just won't be a fan of them. They were filled and not very sweet. But they were a bit cold. If they gave me warmer and fresher ones, I may like those cakes better. Interesting desserts for a good, reasonable price tho!! We were too full to try anything else but I would love to come back here for their pancakes with both brown sugar and red bean filling. They look so pretty dang good! read more

Hodo Kwaja - Interesting Korean dessert :) - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

On a cold wintry day, this is a very good place to go. The Korean pancakes are probably by far my favorite thing here. I love the brown sugar pancakes when they're hot and steamy. I don't live near Koreatown and would still make the trip over because they are THAT good. The little walnut cakes are pretty good too. When they put it in a little bag, you're not sure which flavor you're eating (if you choose a mix of them) so each bite is a surprise. I'd come again and eat the walnut cakes but what I'd make sure I have stomach space is ALWAYS and FOREVER the hotteok. Grocery stores sell the pancake mix for this (including the filling and all) but I can never squash the pancake to be as flat so they never are as satisfying to eat. Stop wavering (if you are) about coming or not, just go already ;) read more

I adore this place. Hands down, the best place to get the walnut cakes and korean red bean pancakes. I think I'll be going there more often once it gets cold. I wasn't there when the machines were running, but the walnut cakes were fantastic. They offer 3 flavours (red bean, walnut, almond) for their walnut cakes. They also have the red bean or brown sugar pancakes. I personally like to get the walnut cakes to go, and you can walk along the street while snacking on these goodies. I would eat the pancakes in the store, they taste fantastic when they are warm. I found that the brown sugar pancake to be too sweet for my liking, but if you have a sweet tooth then I would try it. read more

Hodo Kwaja - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

So one of the oddest days on my recent Toronto trip had to do with, oddly enough, Portuguese chicken. See, during my past visits to Montreal I became addicted to the chicken at Romados, which is this delicious Portuguese style Rôti Frango that is flavorful, fresh, cheap and plenty (11 CDN can feed 2, provided that you start with 9 CDN and add a toonie for the fries-to-poutine upgrade). Me and the missus were looking for the Toronto equivalent at what-we-thought was little Portugal on Bloor street. I remembered there were some Portuguese joints near Palmerston/Little Italy...except I got the cross streets wrong. It was supposed to be between Ossington and Dufferin and not between Ossington and Bathurst. So getting off the Bloor-Danforth subway at Ossington and walking east towards Bathhurst (and not west) we got quite a shock when instead of seeing Portuguese chicken joints and cafes, we got an Ethiopian joint, a Dosa place...and signs for Koreatown? Both me and the missus did a minor double take. I thought this town is known for the Jamaican joints (oh, how we laughed when former Mayor Rob Ford was caught on camera smoking crack with a bunch of Jamaican gangbangers, may he laugh in fat fuck heaven), the Tamils, the Irish and of course, the Chinese (although judging by the recent views of the Spadina Chinatown, most of them moved north). We didn't expect to see a large population of Koreans in Toronto. Hell, I don't even see an H-Mart here. (Oh, how we were proved wrong later when we saw the location near Yonge-Dundas square). Me and the missus had a laugh. "Oh, maybe it's the Chinese branching out to do Korean food, it's probably not that Korean". Then we saw an old gentleman in a shop parking lot eating a freshly made taiyaki (you know, one of those fish shaped pastries stuffed with azuki bean paste and called bungeo-pang), then we got nervous. Eh, those are only found in large Korean supermarkets, large Koreatowns with outdoor vendors (like LA), or a dedicated bakery. "Heh, maybe they have a Korean bakery nearby" Oh boy was that an understatement. We saw the sign for Hodo (which are these walnut shaped cakes made with a pancake-like batter usually filled with sweet stuff) and we were like *meh*, they are sold in H-Marts premade, and there is a place in Murray Hill (NYC outer borough of Queens where a large Korean population exists) that specializes in it (even though they weren't that great). Then my wife's jaw dropped reading the awning - "Korean pancakes". Hottheok? We only saw them freshly made in 2 places back in the states...one is inside one of those fancy dessert places in Koreatown Manhattan...and the other is a little booth inside the LA Japantown mall. We rushed in. There is this massive industrial machine that was custom ordered from South Korea rolling out hodos using pre-made batter and fillings (wow, there's that much demand for them?!), and there is a lady in front of a griddle frying up hottheok. The missus decided to order one (brown sugar) to try along with a few of the hodos - a mix of azuki bean and sweet potatoes. The hottheok was fresh, crisp and gooey, made with glutinous rice flour batter, and filled with carmelized sugar that is melted. It was actually the best out of all the hottheoks we had so far. The hodos were okay, but nothing that we haven't tried before. Hah, imagine that. We grabbed the hodos to go and strolled down Bloor street - there's a large construction site on Bloor and Bathurst (which so happened to be the former location of Honest Ed's, a discount retailer, Toronto institution and the business that made Ed Mirvish his fortune, which began his patronage of the Canadian theatrical arts - he ended up stabilizing the old Vic in London and was given an MBE for his contribution to the theatrical arts). Walking further down the street, we saw Lee's palace. An institution of Canadian music, much like how the Bowery ballroom in New York is a part of the local music scene. My bootleg copy of The Weakerthan's "Live at Lee's Palace November 6th, 2003" was recorded here. (The Weakerthans is a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg that was formed by one of the former members of Propagandhi - possibly one of the best things to come out of the Canadian prairies since shale oil). Then I realized that the Lee in Lee's palace is a Korean surname. So yes. Toronto has a Koreatown, and it's as Canadian as it can be. And you can get some kickass eats here. So yeah, I hope to stop by Hodo Kwaja again for some hottheok the next time me and the missus are in town. read more

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Everytime I am in Koreatown, I make sure to drop by this cute little korean bakery for some Hodo Kwaja and they resemble an actual walnut. Their walnut cakes come in three types: red bean & walnut; mashed potato & walnut; and almond. I always get the red bean and walnut cakes and the brown sugar pancakes. My mom loves them as well since they aren't too sweet. They taste just like the ones I had when I was in Seoul and brings back memories of Korean street food. read more

Hodo Kwaja - Bakeries Near Me - Toronto, Ontario