Located in North York, the restaurant is run by Esther Mordecai, a single mother and social activist, and head chef Mahmud Allahverdiyev. The pandemic-borne eatery allows Torontonians to experience a taste of the operators’ home by way of traditional and upscale takes on Azerbaijani food. The menu features an array of rare dishes that showcase the cuisine found in southern Caucasus and the surrounding areas within — a cuisine Mordecai says only one restaurant was serving when she first immigrated to Toronto. Opt for the Shah Ploh, Azerbaijan’s national dish, which is made with basmati rice, dried fruits and chestnuts and a choice of beef or lamb. It’s then wrapped inside a flatbread called lavash.
