OPEN/CLOSED: Toronto Restaurant News May 19-25, 2022

Photo courtesy of Burger Fiancé.

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. #ifyouknowyouknow

🕘 9.5 min read

The only way to get through this week’s epic 25 arrivals , and get caught up on last week’s insane edition - TOTALLING NEARLY 50 DESTINATIONS COVERED IN A SINGLE WEEK?! Pack in as much as you can this weekend. That extra day’s going to come in handy.

And stay tuned – more news ahead in The Tip Off, exclusively available in the TR Newsletter. 

Here’s the very latest:

OPEN

From Volcano Cheese Chicken to New Orleans Chicken Leg Bento, Thornhill’s AITaiker Taiwanese Fried Chicken (9200 Bathurst St., Unit 7) has all your chicken cravings covered. A Markham location just debuted (5990 16th Ave., Unit 218). 

The grand opening for Bake Code’s Scarborough outpost (3250 Midland Ave., Unit G108) took place this weekend. Good news: Make any purchase at the fifth location of the modern Euro-Asian bakery and café and receive a ten per cent discount voucher for your next visit.

Baomama has a lot to celebrate: The Filipino/Asian-inspired eatery kicks off their grand opening this weekend (4419 Sheppard Ave. E.) and they’re part of a new virtual lineup - see below for details.

Blessinglicious (2849 Kingston Rd.) by Chef Blessing debuts in Scarborough’s Cliffcrest today. The affordably-prices Nigerian restaurant is serving up everything from Peppered Kponmo ($10) and GizDodo - aka plantain/gizzard sauce (sm $10) to Suya Chicken (3pcs/$10, 8pcs/$20), and Jollof Rice ($15).

Vegan fast food is comin’ in hot, folks. The latest entry in the 6ix: Burger Fiancé at First Canadian Place (100 King St. W., Food Court), complete with “cheeze” burgers, fried “chick-en”, pulled “pork” courtesy of shiitake, kimchi fries, cauliflower bites, and oat shakes.

Leaside just got a Turkish Indian street food eatery. Introducing Charcoal Biryani (1595 Bayview Ave.) replacing Bombay Snack Bar, “An Irani cafe with an Indian heart,” now a ghost kitchen. 

Brick-and-mortar Gohyang Restaurant + Bar (5096 Dundas St. W.) in Etobicoke specializing in sushi and dim sum, is home to five ghost kitchen concepts: Hayasee Hajime (Japanese), Iron Wok (Chinese), Kuro Tsuki (Thai), Whorganic (Vegetarian), and RAD (plants & aupplies). Two new takeout/delivery only just joined the fam: Cha Lau: Dim Sum Emporium and Rakki: The Sushi Experience, bringing the total to ten concepts under one roof.

To celebrate the grand opening of CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice (8601 Warden Ave.) Unionville, enjoy a Large Bubble Gaga and Two Ladies for $3.99 until May 27. Conditions apply.

Cowboy's Grill (85 Kincort St.) at Keele and Eglinton offers a wide variety of comfort food from burgers and sandos to schnitzel and halal fare. The Cowboy’s Grill Smoked Plate ($35 pp) allows you to sample St. Louis pork ribs, beef brisket, chicken wings, and pulled beef, served with your choice of French or Belgium fried, pickles and housemade sauce, in one go.

Cloud kitchen Crave Food Hub (1285 Morningside Ave., Unit 7) at Sheppard and Morningside bills itself as a “New age food court concept,” with three vendors so far: Filipino-Asian-inspired Baomama, Himalayan/Nepalese The Hakka Guy, and Los Vietnamita Taqueria focused on Vietnamese Mexican fusion. 

Psst. Get a sneak peek of Florette (1168 Queen St. W.), popping up at Nuit Social until Saturday, before fully opening this summer.

Four-ounce stuffed cookies are what’s up at Foxies Bakeshop (669 Mount Pleasant Rd.) in Mount Pleasant Village. Doors open Saturday.

IKEA debuts downtown at Yonge & Gerrard on Wednesday. The 66,000 sq. ft. store occupying the first two floors of Aura Shopping Centre (382 Yonge St.) is cashless outfit and will house a new food concept, Swedish Deli, offering “modern, healthy meals and speciality beverages to eat in, along with on-the-go food options and sustainably sourced essentials to cook at home.” Swedish meatballs are of course still in effect.

Little Kitchen Academy (2052 Queen St. E.) has landed in The Beach. The “first-of-its-kind Montessori-inspired cooking academy” is suitable for three-year-olds to teenagers. 

Opera Caffe (700 Dorval Dr, Unit 100.) launched in Oakville last week. Stop by for authentic Italian eats: pizza, pasta, panini, salads, coffee and pastries.

Speaking of Italian, Penne (2761 Kingston Rd.) kicks off today near the Scarborough Bluffs with an array of pasta, gelato and coffee. 

The stunning Prime Seafood Palace (944 Queen St. W.) by chef/restaurateur Matty Matheson (Cà Phê Rang, Matty’s Patty’s Burger Club, Birria Balam, Maker Pizza in Toronto; Matty Mattheson’s Meat + Three in Fort Erie) kicked off last night. Reservations briefly opened up for June, but likely will be gone by the time you read this.

Something in the Water Brewing’s flagship brewery and café has opened in Liberty Village (151 East Liberty St), complete with patio.

Supreme Burgers joined Etobicoke’s Lockport Food Hall (20 Lockport Ave.) in March.

Bubble tea shop TasteT House just launched inside location of Basil Box Oakville (2508 Winston Park Dr.). Enjoy 25 per cent off all drinks during the soft opening.

TuckShop Kitchen (1640 Dupont St.) has been a fixture in the city’s west end (Junction Triangle) for 6.5 years. East enders now have an outpost in Leslieville to call their very own (1022 Queen St. E.) stacked with burgers, sandos, salads and sides.

Velouté Bistro left The Beaches earlier this year, but had a spot picked out at Palace Pier (2045 Lakeshore Blvd. W.) in Etobicoke. Open to residents for some time, the public can now enjoy the new digs at the water’s edge.

CLOSED

The Epicure Shop (473 Parliament St.) in Cabbagetown in temporarily closed due to fire. Details below.

There’s a new concept where Italtable (85 Kincort St.) used to be. See above.

Nuit Social (1168 Queen St. W.) is closing after service on Saturday.  After eight  years on Queen West, they’re transforming their space into something new. Details above. 

EVENTS 

The Northern Heat Rib Series returns to Yonge-Dundas Square this weekend

Street Eats Festival kicks off tomorrow night. 

Fizz Fest, “Canada’s first festival dedicated to premixed cocktails, seltzers, ciders, wine and more” by the folks behind Toronto’s Festival of Beer is happening Saturday and Sunday.

NEWS 

Another fire to report this week. The Epicure Shop (473 Parliament St.) in Cabbagetown in temporarily closed due to fire. The fire occurred in the back of the building. No injuries were reported.

And car crashes seem to be on the rise. Recent reports include COPS’ Yorkdale location and a Keg in London. 

The food recalls keep pouring in. This week includes Life Savers, Skittles and Starburst gummies and Below Zero brand Whole Raspberries IQF

While City Councillor for Toronto-St. Paul’s Josh Matlow’s push for drinking in parks didn’t pass in time for the long weekend, he has questions about Casa Loma properties, “and a quiet plan to turn a beloved publicly-owned place into a private, ‘Michelin star’ restaurant.” His post on Facebook ended with: “There are questions that merit honest answers.”

Congratulations to all Ontario winners of this year’s Canadian Brewing Awards: Amsterdam Brewing Co., Anderson Craft Ales, Banded Goose Brewing, Boshkung Brewing Co., Burdock Brewery, Cameron's Brewing Company, Cassel Brewery, Clifford Brewing Co., Equals Brewing Company Inc., Farm League Brewing, Fixed Gear Brewing Co., Flora Hall Brewing, Folly Brewpub, Four Father's Brewing, Full Beard Brewing Co. Inc., Kensington Brewing Company, Lake of Bays Brewing Company, Little Beasts Brewing Company, Merit Brewing Co., Old Flame Brewing Co., Rainhard Brewing, Ridge Rock Brewing Company, Shacklands Brewing Co., Sons Of Kent Brewing Co., Spearhead Brewing Company, Stray Dog Brewing Company, Thornbury Craft Co., Walkerville Brewery and Wellington Brewery. 

ICYM

Attention: Sandwich lovers. This IG Giveaway was made for you.

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Life moves fast: I wrote about +100 new arrivals in April alone. Catch up on previous editions of the OPEN/CLOSED.  

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