OPEN/CLOSED: Toronto Restaurant News May 13-19, 2021

Photo courtesy of Sara Restaurant.

My iconic OPEN/CLOSED is THE most comprehensive resource of restaurant openings (virtual/brick-and-mortar/popups/allll the things) and food/drink news in the city. No one does it bigger or better. Watch for the drop every Thursday. #ifyouknowyouknow

🕒 14 min read

Toronto/GTA, you never cease to amaze me. This week’s discoveries include a lot of firsts (and not in the way you might think), which is shocking considering I’ve been doing this every week for eons.

Also shocking: I uncovered not just the 25 arrivals below (which as you know by now is a staggering amount for a single week), but I’ve got heaps more. HEAPS.  

And to all those celebrating, Eid Mubarak.

Here’s the very latest:

OPEN 

I was thrilled to tell you all about The Abibiman Project earlier this year, so I’m stoked about this weekend’s pop-up at Sara featuring chef Rachel Adjei. Expect flavours from Nigeria, Angola, and Seychelles on the menu. But you'll have to act fast.

How cool is this? Midtown just got a Ethiopian and Eritrean restaurant. From Calgary, of all places. The Toronto offshoot of Abyssinia YYZ landed at Yonge & Davisville (2038 Yonge St., where The Pan Seared used to be). On the menu: meat, vegetarian and vegan dishes. 

Grand opening celebrations for Allwyn’s Bakery new Vaughan location (3222 Steeles Ave. W. Unit 5) took place over the weekend.

Speaking of Vaughan, Baba Calzone (7600 Weston Rd., Unit 37) just arrived, with 12 signature Mediterranean calzones including BBQ Chicken ($11.99), Cheesy Donair Calzone ($11.99), Veggie ($9.99), and Meaty Calzone (chicken, beef, pepperoni, donair, coleslaw, garlic sauce ($12.99), in addition to a build-your-own option, and array of apps, falafel, donair and kebob pitas, platters and combos.

You might know Markham’s Golden Lion Restaurant (539 Bur Oak Ave.) but their new on-site concept Ban Ban Sushi is still largely undetected.

Grocery shopping can be such a chore these days. It’s anything but at Sandra and Bernardo’s foodie destination Barcelona Gourmet (777 Danforth Ave.) offering a combination of game-changing pantry items (paella stock, gazpacho, Mumut!), alongside traditional prepared foods from Spain and Mexico (Paella, Bagetin, Tamales, Cochinita Pibil!). And whatever you do, don’t leave without housemade desserts. See you there.

BEAR Steak Sandwiches (319 Palmerston Blvd.) by Ricardo Barrientos and Aki Erenberg is many things, but none that you might expect: 1) The menu centers on a single item: made-to-order steak sarnies featuring locally sourced flank steak (grilled medium rare) and housemade chimichurri on a Portuguese-style bun. 2) There’s only one day a week to get ‘em: Sundays (though pre-orders must be in by Fridays). 3) You don’t up your order in a restaurant, shop, or even commercial kitchen: Head to a backyard in Little Italy. For now. Stay tuned.

A father and son duo is behind meat-centric Char’d Grill (925 Rathburn Rd.) in Mississauga.

Psst. Noods are a necessity in regular times, but these days? Absolutely essential. So don’t sleep on this weekend’s stellar pop-up at The Emmet Ray (924 College St.) featuring Cheng’s Noodle Shop and Strati Lasagne. 

I’ve been chronicling the launches of Chung Chun Rice Dog across the GTA for years now. So naturally, I had to let you in on their latest (1169 Central Parkway W.) in Mississauga. 

Chef Oskar Díaz Rios-Piñeiro and chef Aaron Okada’s Don Chingón at The Depanneur (1033 College St.) is all about weekend Mexican brunch/lunch. Think tacos, tortas, tamales, totopos, and elotes. Soft opening is this weekend with a la carte items available for pickup and brunch boxes for pre-order. Re: Brunch Boxes. It seems everyone's doing them these days (I was onto these long before TikTok and the first to tell you about this new spot) - I predict these will sell out like that.

El Jefe De Pollo (3585 Keele St., Unit 9) in North York is all about halal chicken. Sandos, tenders and wings, to be exact.

Standard ice cream sandwiches are fine, but will you still love them after homemade creations by Julia Haist – aka Ernie’s Icebox – like the PB&J: vanilla brioche “toast” ice cream swirled with homemade raspberry jam between peanut butter cookie? Or Black Forest Cake: vanilla ice cream and tart cherries on a chewy double chocolate brownie? Unlikely.

I suspect your feed will soon be flooded with charcoal ice cream and cherry blossom pics as iHalo Krunch brings its signature ebony swirl - along with pints and cakes - to the High Park ‘hood (2114 Bloor St. W.). Doors open Saturday.

Island Oysters (3 Bartlett St.) just landed in Bloorcourt, two blocks east of Dufferin.

Late night concept Kitsune Friar by Markham’s Tanuki does yoshoku fare - wings, poutine, snacks - available on weekends until 6am. Read about chef/owners John-Francis Dugas and Chris Samaroo in At The Pass.

Matt’s Smokehouse just moved into Little Italy’s Nightowl (647 College St.). The new southern BBQ spot by owner/chef Matthew Horowitz and executive chef Sam Levy is a pop-up for now, but could turn into a full-time space. Stay tuned. 

Mixtura Cocina is by husband and wife team Samantha and James. Both are industry – Samantha, FOH - server, and James BOH – chef (establishments include George Restaurant). “When the pandemic hit, we both lost our jobs and decided to combine and use our talents,” Samantha says. “That's why we started selling food from home.”  The roots of the food are mainly Mexican, but “every now and then we decide to make something completely different - that's why our menus change every week.” This week, for example, focuses on dishes from Northern Thailand. Pre-order for pick up on Saturday and Sunday in the Bathurst & St. Clair area.

Radar alert: If you’re not already on One Night Only Pizza’s email list, you’ve missed out on the frenzy to get their porch pies. (I would have told you about it earlier, but they’ve been selling out for months.) Good news: They’ve softly opened a brick-and-mortar spot in Riverdale (581 Pape Ave., where Tamayo Pizza and Variety was). Bad news: Pre-ordering has already sold out. Good news: You know about it now. More good news: Watch this space.

Ombretta Cucino + Vino (121 Lakeshore Rd. W.) in Port Credit recently underwent a full-on renovation, while adding on new concept Pizzeria Rosso - the “GTA’s first glass roof covered pizzeria patio,” according to the owners.

Shawarma Royale (398 College St.) debuted Tuesday. In honour of the grand opening, customers will receive 50 per cent off the entire menu until Friday May 14.

How’s this for original backstory - Carmen started Sumo Fish as a side hustle while on mat leave. With in-laws in the seafood industry, she had “been blessed with a lot of great seafood eating opportunities” and wanted to share that with others. So she started selling wholesale “sashimi-grade” products to “those who love sushi as much as I do.” She says, “It been super hard with Covid and not being able to visit restaurants, so my goal with sumofish is to be able to bring the experience of DIY sushi home to my customers, all while providing high quality sashimi-grade products.” The ’homakase’ experience is available fresh and frozen for pickup in Markham.

Sunnyside Provisions (287 Roncesvalles Ave.) debuted this week with insanely affordable, including Fish & Chips ($7), Meatball ($4) and Turkey Confit ($7) Sandos, Devil’s Food Cake ($2.75), and Soft Serve ($3.75 or $2.75 for kids). Doors reopen Tuesday.

A second Sweetie Pie just landed at Queen and Palmerston (654 Queen St. W.).

Wallace Espresso added to the fam this week with a sweet spot two blocks east of  St. Clair and and Old Weston Road (70A Hounslow Heath Rd.). Psst. In addition to fab coffee, Blackbird pastries and other baked goods, they’ve got Shaw’s and Scotsburn ice cream.

CLOSED

Good Neighbour’s Beaconsfield Village cafe (181 Dovercourt Rd.) is making way for something new. Stay tuned.

Hounslow’s House Coffee shut down their IRL shop (70A Hounslow Heath Rd.), but you can still order their coffee beans, hot chocolate, and cookie dough online.

Little Italy’s Salumi Bar (593 College St.) has shuttered.

EVENTS

1 Billion Breaths is a campaign led by some of the best Indian restaurants in the world to raise money and awareness in support of “the country that got us here.” Restaurants from across the globe, including Toronto’s own Curryish, will be offering meals May 23-30 priced to supply 10kg of oxygen.

NEWS

Restaurant workers were finally given the go-ahead to get vaxxed on Tuesday, just as Astra-Zeneca got axed.

Restaurants Canada is calling on the federal government to provide a sector-specific support package.

The group that owns Milestones and East Side Mario's just acquired local chains The Burger’s Priest and Fresh.

Three Michelin star Eleven Madison Park will be vegan when it reopens June 10. Chef/owner Daniel Humm message on the website reads, in part: “I’m excited to share that we’ve made the decision to serve a plant-based menu in which we do not use any animal products — every dish is made from vegetables, both from the earth and the sea, as well as fruits, legumes, fungi, grains, and so much more.”

Speaking of New York, indoor dining increased to 75 percent capacity on May 7, and according to Eater, “will open at 100 percent capacity (with social distancing or partitions in place) on May 19. Ontario residents meanwhile, pray for patios.

Speaking of the States, Tim Hortons south of the border celebrated Mother’s Day is a rather perplexing fashion.

And will the U.S. chicken wing shortage affect us? Stay tuned.

A few months ago, Premier Ford and Mayor Tory spoke out against the high fees third-party delivery companies charge restaurants. They seems all but forgotten, with the yesterday's announcement of DoorDash’s new engineering site here in the 6ix.

ICYMI

Lucy Kirby - aka Breadhead Bakery - just celebrated her first work anniversary. A pretty big deal normally, but after the kind of year we’ve had? Epic. Just like her perpetually sold out creations - aka The Tie Dye Confetti Cake, Strawberry Basque Cheesecake, The Bagel Bomb, The Birthday Cruller, etc. Discover her hidden talent, favourite spots around town (soon to be yours if they’re not already), a few mottos you’d be wise to hang onto + much more in this week’s crackerjack At The Pass.

Keep up. This was the city’s newest pizza last week.

A cocktail kit for you AND a friend from Toronto Restaurants and Drinks On Friday?! Get full details. Psst. Did you miss the exclusive cocktail kit discount code for TR Newsletter subscribers? Better not take a chance this week. Subscribe now.

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Life moves fast. I wrote about +110 new arrivals in April alone. Catch up on previous editions of the OPEN/CLOSED.  

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