Located in Kelowna, B.C., this Asian fusion spot specializes in a variety of ramen and rice bowls

By: Madeline Liao

Taking CanCulture’s food review series outside the Greater Toronto Area for the first time, I decided to visit T-ONE, an Asian fusion restaurant in Kelowna, B.C., founded in 2020. T-ONE is a relatively new restaurant, but it has established quite a name for itself in Kelowna already. With a distinct flavour brand, a fusion of Japanese and Taiwanese cuisine, T-ONE makes a flavourful experience for guests. 

I walked into the location on Lakeshore Road, greeted by warm lighting and a break from the cold outside. It was early on a Sunday evening, so the place was pretty much empty except for the staff. However, the atmosphere was still comfortable and lively, with the music playing and smiles from the chef and server at the front counter.

I had visited T-ONE a few times before, so I already had a rough idea of what I wanted to order. Since we were the only customers at that time, the service was quick and the chef even offered us some suggestions on what to order. After a bit of contemplation, I settled on the pork katsu bowl and the chef’s specialty rose gyoza. 20 minutes later, we were on our way home with a bag of delicious-smelling food.

The pork katsu really took me back to Taiwan and brought back childhood memories of street food experiences, as it tasted very similar to the food I would eat back home. The rice bowl was a well-rounded meal, with rice, meat, vegetables and half a marinated egg. 

The rose gyoza’s appearance was also very impressive; they were hand-wrapped by the chef with a unique look from other restaurants’ gyoza dishes. Although, the portion size was a bit small — only three pieces.

Overall, the food was bursting with flavour and the familiarity of home. The presentation was also quite nice, considering everything was packed in takeout containers (the server also drew smiley faces on all the containers, which was a cute surprise). 

The pork katsu bowl and rose gyoza came to about $20 total, with the bowl being $14.95 and the rose gyoza being $5.85. This could be a bit pricey for university students, but the pork katsu bowl, especially, was filling and had many ingredients, so the price was not extremely jarring. While it may not be the most affordable choice for nightly dinners, it is definitely a suitable way to treat yourself. 

However, I would say that T-ONE is better suited for families or groups coming in to dine, as there are many menu items suitable for sharing. The variety of choices can be hard to choose from. 

Altogether, I had a delightful experience and didn’t really have any complaints — T-ONE is the whole package. With excellent service, a menu with delicious choices and good portions for the price, there are many things to rave about. If you’re ever in the Kelowna area, make sure to stop by T-ONE.