Manpuku $30 (1*) dishes out casually modern Japanese fare at student prices.

No sushi or teriyaki stir fries at this Village by the Grange eatery. Translated to “I’m full”, Manpuku diners slurp back thick noodle soups, rice dishes and dumplings, all in this casually modern resto crammed onto the end of the Grange’s food court. (Noodle houses like this are gaining legions of devotees; chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is churning out buckwheat bowls at his new Manhattan soba spot, Matsugen.)

Start with yakiongiri, 2 sticky rice triangles stuffed with either shredded pork or tangy pickle and grilled in miso until crisp and pleasingly nutty. Curry udon finds razor-thin strips of beef atop a mound of fat homemade noodles in a thin curry broth, a perfect balance of texture and taste. While takoyaki balls, an acquired dish, get prepared in a special pan and hide a small chewy bit of octopus at their core. Surrounded by a mushy layer and doughy casing, these sweet-and-sour pastries get finished with powdered seaweed, Bonito flakes and Japanese mayo.

Homemade pudding (think decent crème caramel) and daily cake offer a not-too-sweet ending. Increasing popularity means service is sometimes slow.

• 105 McCaul St. (at Dundas)
• 416.979.6763