Ehwa Uptown, a restaurant and bar at Yonge and Sheppard, is merging old-world Korean soul with new-world Korean flair. 

While this is a sister spot to downtown's Ehwa J Bar, the newer North York location is straying away from its counterpart.

Where Ehwa J Bar feeds into the popular and common aesthetic of a grungy Korean bar, Ehwa Uptown is aiming to be your glam night out spot.Stepping into the corner spot won't feel akin to many other places in the neighbourhood.

Instead, Ehwa feels reminiscent of somewhere you might find in Yorkville or West Queen West, thanks to its incredibly playful yet sleek interior. 

Shades of red and blue, inspired by the Korean flag, beam from funky overhead lighting and bounce off glinting gold wall fixtures; throne-like velvet seats give the space a regal feeling, intentionally inspired by Korean royalty.Ehwa — which means "flower" in Korean — is packed with a fresh and vibrant beauty, intentionally crafted by its owners, who wanted to create an elegant atmosphere.

While you sit awash in glows of pinks and reds, admire the stunning mountainous wall motifs reminiscent of Korean hillsides.  

Just like with its interior, the menu at Ehwa Uptown is highlighting traditional Korean culture, while giving it a generous dousing of modern flavours in familiar formats.Ehwa operates both a lunch and dinner menu, with only a handful of items spanning across both.

"We have a variety of customers; in the afternoon, any age will come and then at night, it's more of a bar's type," shares Joyce Kim, a representative for Ehwa Uptown, on why there's slight differences in the menus available at differing hours. 

The all-day dishes seem to cater towards a heartier style meal, excellent for popping in with family for a satisfying platter.The traditional Spicy Pork Hansang ($19.99) is an excellent example of how well Korean fare simplifies the consumption of a dish whilst highlighting star ingredients in a no fuss manor. 

Juicy marinated pork comes with sauteed vegetables, and a generous amount of sides — which are known as banchan in Korea. Customize each mouthful, from steamed rice or egg, to creamy macaroni salad or brightly pickled radishes.

Fusion-style pasta dishes are available all day, to please the crowds eager to slurp something saucy.

The Pork Belly Chilli Cream Pasta ($20.99) showcases Ehwa Uptown's ability to adapt Korean ingredients into more commonly known dishes. "To adhere to newcomers who haven't tried Korean food, we do have fusion dishes," Joyce says, about the pasta dish that has an obvious Italian background; "But we also want to bring in more traditional Korean food."

The dish is drenched in an unctuous creamy and cheesy truffle sauce, and is topped with an impressively spicy green chili spoonful.

Though aforementioned newcomers might have to remove the (still pleasant) chili topping, the comforting dish would feel highly familiar to anyone.For noodles that leans more traditional, the Ttukbaegi Pasta ($23.99) comes in a powerful and zesty garlic-tomato sauce with a generous seafood medley, consisting of shrimp, squid, mussels and crab.

Still reminiscent of popular Italian dishes, the slightly bitter and fermented-tasting spice brings that unique Korean palette to the dish.

Come their evening menu, the dishes at Ehwa Uptown seem to get a bit more playful, as well as easily shareable — excellent for groups of friends looking to line their stomachs before a night out. 

The Four Flavours Chicken in One platter ($29.99) is easily imagined as a crowd favourite. Looking like something you'd find at an American baseball game, the heaping rows of crispy Korean fried chicken are piled high with varying flavours to appease all ends of a crowds’ spectrum.  

Conveniently (and maybe unsurprisingly) right next to the french fries, the two flavours to the right of the platter seem to lean down a more mainstream profile path.

Sugary corn and cheese top one row, and a sweet and spicy yangnyeom sauce consisting of gochujang, garlic and sugar make up the vibrant next row. 

A simple and familiar soy sauce and green onion combo top the row on the far left, whilst the second middle row is best reserved for the adventurous eater in your group.

Topped with both wasabi mayo and pickled jalapenos, it's an ideal bite if your sinuses are looking for a swift kick.

Though classically Korean, an increasingly common dish available in the evening is the Rosé Tteokbokki ($20.99), which Joyce shares is her personal go-to dish on the menu. 

Rosé Tteokbokki has become a fan favourite dish, practically globally, within absolute reason: the chewy, wholesome rice cakes are dressed in a sweet creamy sauce — though Ehwa's comes with a light punch of spice at the end, of course. 

However, my personal favourite dish of the night wasn't the tteokbokki but instead, the Hanpan Yukjeon ($22.99), which is a Korean-style pancake featuring battered beef.

Not to be confused with a European or North American pancake, don't expect something doughy or bready, and there's certainly no syrupy topping here.

Instead, a Korean pancake (or buchimgae) is eggs and a lighter batter pan-fried in oil and stuffed with a range of ingredients.

Ehwa Uptown offers seafood or kimchi stuffed ones as well, but Joyce suggested we try the beef — and it was an excellent recommendation on her behalf. The salty beef pairs perfectly with the crispy yet fluffy egg, and an acidic salad tops it all off to balance each bite; frankly, it would make the most phenonemal hangover cure.

The whole, fantastic menu at Ehwa Uptown can be washed down with one of their impressively refreshing highball drinks ($12.99). Carbonated soda is mixed with fruit jellies, in traditional flavours such as Yuja (citron, the fruit lemons originate from, whose flavour is drier), Hanrabong (clementine), and Grapefruit. 

If you're visiting in the evening and are looking to maintain that playful tone Ehwa Uptown so effortlessly gives off, Joyce suggests you order the Honeycomb Makguli ($5.99) — which not only provides you with a distinctive, traditional drink but quite the show as well.

A box of fresh honeycomb arrives to the table, scooped up right there for the optimal Instagrammable moment, and swirled into a cup — sourced by the owners from Korea — to coat it. 

The honeycomb-filled cup is then topped up with makguli, a potent Korean rice wine. Sweet and musky, it's quite the drink to leave you feeling like you're sailing down a mountainous hillside. 

At the back of the restaurant, an illuminated picture of a gisaeng — a Korean woman trained in the arts — is a glowing beacon of light in the crowded, dim space.

Joyce explains that the image is the perfect personification of what Ehwa is evoking: adorned in traditional clothing, honouring her heritage, the figure in the picture happens to also be holding an iPhone and designer bag. She's a woman of the modern world, yet she's proud to bring her culture into the new light with her.

And with a visit to Ehwa Uptown and a feast on their delicious eats, you have the chance to step into this photograph's light — and world — too. Ehwa Uptown is located at 4866 Yonge St.