Trio of Toronto Tastes
Trio of Tastes: three varied Asian dining options in Toronto
I've had the occasion recently to dine at a variety of Toronto establishments which offer such a spectrum of tastes that I decided to share them with you, dear readers
Whether you’re blowing through the “The Big Apricot” (I've heard Toronto compared to New York City in the 50s and 60s) or living here, I’d suggest dropping by the city’s latest Persian offering, Banu, located on the ultra-hip Queen Street West section of town.
Newly opened in the spring, Banu’s sleek, shiny interior hardly raised an eyebrow on the trendy strip. What opened everyone’s eyes was a review by Franz Ferdinand singer Alex Kapranos last April in The Guardian newspaper. Kapranos, a former chef, writes a weekly food diary for the broadsheet and one night, finding himself in need of nourishment after a round of drinks, he stumbled into the Iranian eatery. A star was born.
The list is kebab-heavy but super-delish. Mains circle round offers of beef tenderloin, lamb, fish, saffron-inspired chicken, butter-flied quail and koobideh (minced beef), all served with a side of either lentils or salad and sitting on flatbread. Grab a hunk of meat, some veggies and do your own roll-up. What’s great about Banu’s meat is that it all comes from the Healthy Butcher, an organic butchery. The lamb I had was slightly sweet, juicy and had my tastebuds singing show tunes.
You may also want a taste of Banu’s heart and lamb’s testicles (organic, too) marinated in vodka. I must go back with heartier souls to try it out.
Stick around for the cocktails, beer and martinis - the place has a nice vibe.
A YUMMY VEGETARIAN OPTION
After all this meat-eating you may want to drop by what some call Toronto’s No. 1 vegetarian resto, Café 668 on the edge of Chinatown. The Southeast Asian vegetarian fare includes delectable salad with deep-fried tofu, cucumber, carrot and grilled cashews as well as the typical spring roll stuff. There are mains that go from “duck” to “fish” to “chicken.”
The duck tasted like flakey chicken but the fish was really something to write home about. Sauteed in a sweet and sour concoction, my vegan friend couldn't say enough about the dish and exclaimed: “Wow! Unbelievable. This is so good.”
Other things to try include the massive noodle dishes such as Veggie-BBQ Pork and Bean Sprout on Fried Noodle and House Special Lor-Hon Style.
Bring cash, most dishes run around $10. A word of warning, this veggie boite is often full as it seats only 20. And, if you are in Chinatown, our trusty gourmet food writer Jacqueline Church has a restaurant suggestion for dumplings.
While you're downtown, you can also check out some options for lunch through Cooking Resources.
Finally, if you’ve had it with going out, I highly recommend an almost healthy take-out option not many people are attuned to here in Toronto.
The Curryer offers fresh, spicy Indian dishes delivered to your door in about 45 minutes from the time you order.
Delicious $11 options include Chicken Tikka, Lamb Korma, Lamb Vindaloo, Chicken or Lamb Achari Gosht (a slow-curried dish of yogurt and whole spices). The $9 Chicken Curry can feed two, by the way. Choose from a long list of hearty sides ($7) such as Saag, Daal, the potato-and-cauliflower Aloo Gobi and a particularly fine mix of eggplant, cauliflower and carrot called Subzee. Toss in some basmati rice ($4) and a bit of naan and you have a feast!
The Curryer is run out of a home kitchen in the west end of Toronto and is also available for catering. You can taste the fresh spices and meat – as if you were having a meal in someone’s home.
Details:
- Banu, 777 Queen Street West, Toronto. 416 777 2268
- Café 668, 668 Dundas Street West. 416 703 0668
- The Curryer. 416-533-3535
While we're on the subject of restaurants, you might want to drop in for seafood at New Sky in Toronto or check out Malaysian food at Tropika located in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary.
