OPEN/CLOSED: Toronto Restaurant News April 6-12, 2023
My iconic OPEN/CLOSED is THE most comprehensive resource of restaurant openings – virtual, brick-and-mortar, pop-ups, allll the things - and food/drink news in the city. No one does it bigger or better. Watch for the drop every Thursday. #iykyk
🕘 11.5 min read
This week’s 21 arrivals are all over the map - literally, and in terms of cuisines, concepts and dishes - providing a dizzying array of options suitable for spring’s customary erratic weather conditions. So yes, wintery warmups one minute, ice cream and cold brews the next.
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OPEN
A former Subway shop at the corner of Queen and Parliament is now Afghano Restaurant (344 Queen St. E., Unit 1), offering rich Afghan comfort fare. Think Lamb Shank, Kubli Pulai with Tandoori Chicken, and Koofra Kaadi - meatballs accompanied by naan, salad and sauce.
Bevy - a rad triad of cafe, shop and gallery - came on the Regent Park scene last summer. Following its east side debut, a west end counterpart was essential. After recently popping up at The Combine (225 Wellington St. W.), they’ve set up shop permanently on the second floor.
In the move to Yonge & Finch, Big Mao (5519 Yonge St.) packed the essentials: Signature Roast Duck Post, assorted Japanese don, and Handmade Ice Jelly with Brown Sugar.
Chantecler. Has. Been. Through. It. It’s a long story (stay tuned). Here’s the shortish version: Chef Jonathan Poon and restaurateur Jacob Wharton-Shukster debuted their bijou Parkdale resto in 2012 with “progressive Canadian cuisine” and elevated cocktails. Poon left in 2016 after opening Bar Fancy, and is a partner in Toronto hotspots including Superpoint, Paris Paris and Michelin Bib Gourmand awarded Favorites Thai BBQ. That year, Wharton-Shukster transformed the slim space into a French destination with quintessential fare - escargots, steak tartare, frogs legs, the whole neuf mètres - and expanded with butcher and sando shop Chantecler Boucherie next door in 2019. Not long after, fire shuttered the restaurant and store. (CB reopened during the pandemic, permanently closing last July.) During the absence of all things Chantecler, Le Phénix alighted across the street (1263 Queen St. W.) right before the pandemic. While it was always meant to be temporary, LP quickly became one of the buzziest spots in the city, garnering a large and loyal following in its short lifespan. The "forever closure” took place two years later at the end of last year, but the glimmer of hope of the return of Chantecler (aka Bar Chantecler, Chantecler 2.0/3.0), was confirmed via social last summer. For over a decade, Wharton-Shukster has kept the party going, creating magical boîtes and culinary gems in Parkdale. He’s done it again in striking new digs in Bloorcourt (798 Bloor St. W.). Don’t call it a comeback. Call it a must-visit.
Roast pork is the main attraction of Markham’s new Char Siu Manor (9255 Woodbine Ave., Unit 25) however there’s more Chinese barbecue to be had. For starters, duck, free range chicken, lou mei, marinated cuttlefish, spicy chili oil pig ear, and “soup rice spaghetti noodles.”
Cibo Wine Bar on King West (522 King St. W.) is back in business as of April 5, after a fire broke out at the address last month.
Despite being open a few months, Vaughan’s Club 216 (7777 Keele St.) claims to be “the number one Afrobeat’s club in Ontario.” The new venue is “bringing the Club 216 vibe to the 6ix” and “redefining luxury in the hospitality industry” with Gold Room Sundays, 216 Saturdays, premium services (bottle, bar, hookah), and “unique selection of West African-inspired foods.”
Hot tip: El Trompo’s famous housemade tortillas have a spot to call their very own now. Bonus: You don’t have to travel far. The “first Mexican taqueria in Toronto” and Kensington Market staple (277 Augusta Ave.) debuted El Trompo Tortilleria (279 Augusta Ave.) right next door. Fun fact: The space was previously home to Model Citizen a men’s clothing store (slogan: "You Deserve a Better Dressed Boyfriend"), a mainstay in the market in the early ought’s after relocating from from its shop on Dundas West.
Good Earth Coffeehouse launched Monday at the NE corner of Yonge and Wellesley (8 Wellesley St. E., Unit 102). It took over the former Starbucks location - a move the Canadian chain with 50+ locations already made in Western Canada with Chapters and Indigo stores and local hospitals, as well as here in Toronto and the GTA - with many more to launch this year. Grand opening festivities to follow April 20 with ribbon cutting, live music, samples, giveaway, and free brewed coffee all day.
Get in on Indo-Chinese specialties such as Cauliflower Manchurian Gravy And Soya Chaap Chilli Gravy at Mississauga’s The Hakka Hub (6970 Lisgar Dr, Unit A2). Doors open tomorrow.
Keeping Koi Café (1145 Dundas St. E.) is under new ownership. The bubble tea shop in Mississauga boasts a new interior and additional halal Vietnamese fare and drinks to previous menu selections.
Kiokii and…’s sleek shelves are lined with skincare, makeup and other personal care items from Korea, Japan and China, however it’s the Asian snacks you want to focus in on: Kitsune udon, Asahi melon cream soda, salty lychee drink, limited edition hot chili potato chips from Japan, tarte tatin chocolates, and sakura peach cake, etc. The latest outposts - CF Toronto Eaton Centre (220 Yonge St., Level 1) celebrated grand opening on March 31 and CF Markville in October 2022 - join other locations scattered throughout the GTA.
Turkish desserts, particularly pistachio festooned baklava, are the focus of North York’s new halal Turkish bakery Ma Belle Baklavacisi (1110 Wilson Ave.).
Discover the latest offering from the Zakkushi Group tucked beneath their steadfast yakitori izakaya, Zakkushi on Carlton (193 Carlton St.): New Retro, a subterranean Japanese snack bar with fusion tapas, Japanese whisky, sake, and other bevvies. Did you know? NR isn’t the first Japanese basement bar to take over the space: Imanishi Japanese Kitchen debuted Imanishi Basement Bar in January 2020.
Karan Bajwa and Balraj Chauhan’s numerous Oh Bombay locations across the GTA haven’t included Toronto. Until now. The first “upscale casual” Indian and Hakka eatery touched down near Yonge and Bloor (21 Grenville St.).
“Canada's largest Mediterranean restaurant chain” Osmow’s boasts 140+ locations. Find the latest in Scarborough at Markham and Sheppard (1780 Markham Rd., Unit O110).
Luanne Ronquillo’s premium small batch Asian-inspired custard ice creams and other goodies formerly launched as an ice cream scoop pop-up shop back in July 2018. Ruru Baked has been wildly popular ever since. Fast forward to: The first storefront at Bloor and Lansdowne (659 Lansdowne Ave.) in 2021, and just over two years later to premiering in “the largest Asian shopping mall in North America,” Markham’s Pacific Mall (4300 Steeles Ave. E., Unit E69). Grand opening is April 8.
You got the inside scoop on Broadview and Gerrard’s latest arrival last month. Supreme Taste (351 Broadview Ave.) in East Chinatown offers an array of Chinese barbecue with space for in-door dining.
The focused menu of Yun-nan flavour pork bone soup and Yun-nan Flavour dried noodles, snack and optional sides served in bowls on a plastic tray is just a part of the unique experience of Yunnan Noodle Shack (43 Baldwin St.) in Baldwin Village. The setting is wildly unique: Designed with sole diners in mind, individual wooden cubbies are minimally adorned: incense, holders for phone, utensils and napkins on top, drawer underneath to store your belongings. Then there’s the “Solitary Dining Etiquette” rules posted on the front door: “To allow for the experience of solitary dining in full, we can only welcome, at most, parties of two per table. A group of three or more will be separated and seated at different tables, subject to current seating arrangements. A situation may arise where all guests may not be seated at the same time or may sit alone at a different table.We appreciate your understanding and kindly thank you for respecting our arrangements. Enjoy your time at Yunnan Noodle Shack!”
Whitby and Stouffville’s halal Asian destination The Zen Hakka Chinese & Thai has landed at Queen and Bathurst (263 Queen St. W.).
CLOSED
Brown Brothers Meats in the St. Lawrence Market (91 Front St. E., South Market ), is closed until further notice. See news for details.
Coffee and Clothing’s Pape outpost (348 Pape Ave.) has come to a close, however not all is lost: Their expansive destination on Gerrard is just a few blocks away (841 Gerrard St. E.), complete with The Nite Owl Barber Shop in back.
This week Shawn Adler announced he’s shuttering Pow Wow Café in Kensington Market (213 Augusta Ave.) as of May 28.
NEWS
Claudette Gasparro, of Brown Brothers Meats in the St. Lawrence Market South Market (91 Front St. E.), died April 1 at the age of 75.
The federal government temporarily capped the excise tax on alcohol.
Following last week’s recalls: President's Choice Chopped Sesame Wonton Salad Kit recalled due to undeclared mustard, egg and milk; Salento Organics Dark Chocolate products recalled due to undeclared milk. [UPDATE: 07.04.23 Plantein Plant-Based Schnitzels recalled due to undeclared milk.]
ICYMI
Jahlea Henry’s impressive CV boasts award-winning finer dining establishments Scaramouche, Miku Toronto, Laissez Faire, and current role at Michelin Recommended Ten, however her favourite haunts around town are as down to earth as she is. See for yourself in this month’s captivating At The Pass to discover her go-to spots, fridge essentials, biggest influences, how she combats anxiety in the kitchen and more.
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