OddSeoul, a staple on the Ossington strip for its late-night Korean small plates and chill vibe, is opening a new spot on Dupont Street later this month. The new venture, called Neon Tiger will open Oct. 28 and offer a similar Korean-inspired menu complete with boldly flavoured snacks and fun cocktails.
You may recognize the new venue as the former Playa Cabana Hacienda, popular two-story taco place known for its massive 90-seat patio and festive decor. David Sidhu of the Playa Cabana empire became a good friend of the OddSeoul team during the height of COVID-19, prompting the sale of the venue.
“We were waiting for the right time and the right climate to open. Our hope is to create a new legacy for this legendary location and make Playa Hacienda Proud,” says Naveen Chakravarti, owner of OddSeoul and Neon Tiger.
Starting with dinner service and moving to offer brunch and lunch in early 2022, the new spot is spacious, with 90 seats indoors and up to 130 available on the patio. Neon Tiger echoes the same chill energy you’d find at OddSeoul, with good music and that relaxed, effortlessly cool feel you might find at a dive bar – but now with a ton more space.
As far as food goes, eager patrons can expect a carefully curated menu of fun and approachable food and drink options that fuse Asian flavours with classic comfort food staples. Drawing inspiration from its sister restaurant, the menu is stacked with savoury small plates like scallop tacos – a Western take on the Vietnamese salad roll or simple but refreshing drinks like the Soju and 7 – a Korean twist on the classic highball cocktail typically made with whiskey.
Executive chef and food industry veteran Wes Haines, whose culinary credits include Gusto 101, Mildred’s Temple Kitchen, Bar Centrale and Little Portugal pizza place, Prohibition Pie, is running the show in the Neon Tiger kitchen. He hopes the new spot serves as a nod to the hipster charm of OddSeoul, bringing some of that same energy just north of Bloor.
“OddSeoul is an institution and with this new venue, we are still serving many of OddSeoul’s classic dishes, like the fan favourite bulgogi cheesesteak, but also trying to branch out and offer more pan-Asian flavours and try new things.”