Looking for a new place to spend your night out? We’ve got you covered. This summer, Toronto’s chefs have been popping up restaurants left and right, and July is no exception. Whether you’ve got severe food restrictions or a really strong craving for sushi served ceremoniously, there’s a new Toronto restaurant for that…
Patois
We’re expecting great things from Chef Craig Wong. After all, he was trained at The Fat Duck in Berkshire (one of only four restaurants in Britain that have three Michelin stars), and spent a decade in the kitchens of Toronto’s Canteen and Luma before deciding he wanted to create food inspired by his Jamaican-Chinese heritage. Patois is the newest destination for those seeking Asian-Caribbean street food, like a Chinese pineapple bun burger with oyster sauce mayo, hickory sticks, and yuca chips, or “dirty” fried rice with red sausage, sweet soy sauce, peas, and eggs. The flavours aren’t only Cantonese or Caribbean, however: If you’re in the mood for kimchi “pierogi-style” potstickers with bacon, caramelized onions and kimchi sour cream, or tender churrasco-style rotisserie jerk chicken, you can find it all here.
Rasa
The Food Dudes wanted to cultivate and define a high level of service, food, and décor, and combine it all into a restaurant that they themselves would want to eat at every night. Thus, Rasa was born, and it definitely clears all those hurdles. The global-inspired menu offers everything from kalbi steak-stuffed cabbage rolls to bone marrow with truffle snow, calamari Bolognese to egg yolk gnudi. Everything is prepared with the same commitment to quality that you’d expect from The Food Dudes, and the indoor urban space is perfect for dinner, snacks, and drinks before a night out.
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Signs
Signs is nothing if not original. This new spot at Yonge and Wellesley employs mostly deaf servers, and customers are encouraged to use sign language to communicate orders (there’s a cheat sheet provided, no worries). The eclectic menu has a wide array of game meats and salads, so get ready to flap two fingers like bunny ears to signify that you want to try the rabbit, or put your fingers together into the form of a beak if you’re looking to sample the chicken.
It’s All GRK on Dundas East
This contemporary take on the classic gyro-and-souvlaki joint uses all locally sourced and free range meats, and promises that everything from the olive oil to the feta is imported straight from “the Motherland.” They already have two successful locations, one on Queen West and the other in the Annex, and have just opened this new one on Dundas East so that those of you downtown can try their modern approach to classic Greek staples. The menu is simple, but incredibly delicious: four meats are served four ways with an array of lemon-tinged rice, fries, salad, and potatoes, and topped with a creamy house-made tzatizki.
Lucky Red
When we heard that a new bao shop was opening from the bros behind Banh Mi Boys, we knew we had to try it. We’re pretty sure we’re not the only ones who think that Banh Mi Boys make the best Vietnamese sandwiches in the city, and Lucky Red continues to prove that. Choose from a steamed-milk or egg-baked bun and fill it with panko-crusted tofu, bulgogi cheese steak, or fried oysters (among others). If you’re not feeling like bao, the lo-mien noodle bowls are topped with equally delicious meats, like traditional pork belly or barbecue chicken.
El Furniture Warehouse
This is the first Toronto location of the Vancouver-based Warehouse restaurant chain, and let us just say: we’re pretty glad it’s opening (on July 15th). Unless you’re buying fast food subs, sandwiches in this city can get pretty expensive, and the costs add up quick. That’s why the thought of a restaurant where every single food item costs $4.95 is both baffling and exciting, whether it’s a plate of tacos, grilled cheese sandwiches, or a plate of braised beef spaghetti. It’s almost too good to be true, considering the portions aren’t small and the food looks appetizing, but we’ll take it. See you there!
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Montecito
Ivan Reitman, the famed Canadian director behind such classics as Ghostbusters, has teamed up with famed chef Jonathan Waxman to open a massive restaurant on Adelaide West, just around the corner from TIFF Bell Lightbox. The aim of their cuisine is to highlight Canadian ingredients from coast to coast, and their menu includes such delicacies as Waxman’s amazing roast chicken, grass-fed beef, cheeses direct from nearby dairies, and shellfish from the maritimes. The menu will change daily, in order to pay homage to the best of what Canada has to offer, so you can be sure everything will be fresh and flavourful. They’re currently in soft-opening mode, but we expect them to open to the public any day now…
Yasu
Not quite as new as the others (opened May 1st) but definitely worth mentioning. Banking on the original roots of sushi service, this omakase bar uses simplicity as its key ingredient to bring out the taste of the sea. There is no menu, instead all the sushi prepared is chef’s choice, and depends on which seasonal ingredients are at their freshest. At $80 per person, it may seem like a hard sell. But while Toronto is loaded with Japanese restaurants, few of them serve sushi with the same ceremony and authenticity Japanese tradition dictates.
FEAST
FEAST (Fabulous Eats for the Allergic + Sensitive Types) is an allergy-friendly gourmet food store and prepared eats destination on Queen West. Everything is gluten-free and free from the top 8 allergens: wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. Now, regardless of any allergies and sensitivities, you can indulge in full flavoured, aromatic food, like their sweet or savory pies, cinnamon sugar sprinkled donuts, vegan pocket pies, and frozen avocado pops. Even for those without food allergies, FEAST is a worthy try – we guarantee you’ll fall in love at first bite.
Opening Soon
If the traditional, ceremonial sushi at Yasu isn’t your thing, don’t fret. There’s another Japanese restaurant coming to Toronto, and this one has menu options you can choose yourself. Kujira Japanese Cuisine will be moving into 12 Cumberland St., formerly home to Fortuna Ristorante and Lounge. Billy’s Dumplings is in the process of opening at 524 Bloor St. West, which was previously occupied by Gau Indian Village. Moving next to Nonna’s Place at 1421 Bloor St. West, The Sterling Social will be taking over Good Times Bad Times Café. The well-loved Sorrel Restaurant and Bar is taking over the former home of Pastis at 1158 Yonge St. as it relocates from Yorkville to Rosedale, and Kimchi Tofu is opening soon at 586 Bloor St. West. Lastly, Kad Banu is opening at 771 Dundas St. West and will be serving the same delicious Iranian eats as parent resto Banu, but with lower price points and a heavier focus on take-out eats.
