The last year was a a busy and exciting one for the Toronto food scene, in which we saw electric openings that ranged from highbrow to low, including modest local joints and grand, attention-grabbing eateries.
To highlight the standout newcomers, we asked Michelin-recognized chef Ivan Castro, recently awarded a Bib Gourmand for La Bartola— a plant-based Mexican restaurant that will convert even the staunchest of meat lovers — to tell us what he thought was the best new addition to the city’s dining scene. Read on to find out which exciting spot he selected.
Chef Castro’s pick: Hawker
“Hawker is a must-try in Kensington Market for Indian cuisine,” chef Castro recently told us. “Every dish on the brunch tasting menu is full of texture and amazing flavours.”
Hawker
Remember the days when leafy greens merely played a supporting role to hearty meat and seafood dishes? Today, plant-based dishes are taking the starring role at many fine dining restaurants in the city. Hawker, in Kensington Market is doing just that: presenting artfully composed, plant-based dishes and calling it naturalist cuisine, which emphasizes that food is more than just sustenance and where diners make informed and intelligent choices. Co-owned by executive chef Jeff Merkel and Darshan Daurka, Hawker has committed itself to delivering the beauty of vegan food in a creative and colourful way. Mixing and matching authentic tastes and textures of various ingredients, each dish is a distinct creation onto itself with arboreal themes running rampant throughout. Expect small plates with romantic names like Starry Night, Creek Bed and Bushfire, a dish made with eggplant, rosemary smoke and roti. “This food is not supposed to be an indulgence, a pleasurable sensorial experience or an act of hedonism. I want it to just tear you to shreds and leave you wondering what just happened, says Merkel. “I want to put you alone in a room with God for a long conversation.” 291 Augusta Ave.
To find out which new restaurant Michelin chef Eric Chong selected, click here, and if you’re curious about what new spot Tobey Nemeth and Michael Cabello of Edulis chose, click here.
