Open/Closed: Toronto Restaurant News December 12-18, 2019
This week’s 14 arrivals are all over the map, both in cuisine and geographically speaking. Which is a good thing, because wo/man cannot live on frozen pizza and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos alone.
Here’s the very latest:
OPEN
In the mood for Montreal-style bagels? Bagels On Fire (426 Queen St. W.) just west of Spadina, has got you covered.
Chef Paul Kim’s DOMA (50C Clinton St.) was an elevated Korean restaurant with creative tasting menus boasting French influences and techniques. He’s since transformed it into Boonsik (50C Clinton St.), specializing in more casual Korean street food. Doors opened Tuesday.
The Butcher Chef (8 Harbour St.) took forever to open. And no, I’m not exaggerating: Their first logo was uploaded back in 2015, so it’s def been a minute. The new steakhouse, located near Scotiabank Arena (and even closer to another meat HQ, Harbour 60), is courtesy of Dabic Hospitality Group, the folks behind carnivore-centric spots Michaels on Simcoe and Oakville’s Oliver’s Steakhouse.
Casablanca Supper Club (1108 Dundas St W.) at Dundas and Ossington debuted last night. On the menu: Tapas, cocktails and champagne.
Last week, I told you about the rebranding of Church’s Texas Chicken. The newest location to get the Lone Star State treatment? Their Scarborough outpost at Midland and Eglinton (2510 Eglinton Ave. E.).
Art gallery Cry Baby Gallery (1468 Dundas St. W.) comes with its own cocktail bar, making it feel like opening night every night.
Look up from your comic book/graphic novel/video game: The Good Sweets (1162 Queen St. W.) bakery/café with “a delightfully geeky twist” (think Star Wars, Doctor Who, Harry Potter and comic book-themed cakes, cupcakes, etc.) opens today, with a grand opening event to follow on Saturday.
Hooked officially opens its shop just off the South Kingsway (18 Ripley Ave.) today. Look for it across from Cheese Boutique.
Kinton Ramen opens its 11th location (110 Harbour St., Unit 108B) on Saturday, right next to sister spot Kinka Izakaya that debuted two weeks ago.
Authentic Taiwanese resto Mabu Generation landed in Markham (First Markham Place, 3235 Highway 7 East., Unit 23-26) over two years ago. Don’t want to hike all that way? Head to their new digs downtown at Yonge and Wellesley (578 Yonge St.).
Piano Piano (623 Mount Pleasant Rd.) launched their Mount Pleasant Village venue Monday in what was once home to Birch Bistro, Mar Bar, Célestin, and at one time, a branch of CIBC. This is the second outpost for the buzzy pizza/pasta eatery.
Oakville’s Por Vida, home of “Mezcal and Mexican” (2330 Lakeshore Rd. W.) celebrated its grand opening last week.
The Taverniti Group (Trattoria Taverniti and Rosina Ristorante) just added Tav’s Resto Bar (589 College St.) - a “gnocchi bar” with pizza, pasta and gelato - to its growing portfolio.
While it’s well outside the city limits, it’s worth nothing that long-standing southern Italian food destination 7Numbers, with iconic Mama Rose at the helm, launches the Prince Edward County outpost (161 Main St., Picton) tomorrow.
CLOSED
A grease fire Tuesday at Earlscourt BBQ (1278 St Clair Ave. W.) has shut down the restaurant. At least for now. No injuries have been reported. They hope to reopen in time for their New Year’s Eve Pig Roast. Stay tuned.
There’s been a lot of movement on Yonge between Bloor and College this past while. The latest to shutter: Le Chanceux Ice Cream & Tea (526 Yonge St.), later renamed Le Chanceux Nitrogen. Debuting just months ago in July, it’s now papered up.
The Wickson Social (5 St. Joseph St.) is temporarily closed due extensive water damage “from a failed water pipe in the condos above,” according to owner Andrew Carter. The space has to be totally rebuilt, hopefully in as little as three months. In the meantime, you can visit his other location, British gastro pub The Oxley (121 Yorkville Ave.) in Yorkville.
EVENTS
Nog Your Socks Off kicks off tomorrow with an all-night nog crawl!
Miss Thing’s is holding a month long Aloha Christmas Cocktail Party in their Coconut Room.
Head to Exhibition Place on Saturday for Toronto’s first annual ugly-sweater themed I❤BEER + Mac & Cheese Festival.
Union Restaurant’s Christmas Market takes place on Sunday. On the agenda: hot drinks, spiced nuts, holiday-themed movies, and a “special guest.”
Pai Northern Thai Kitchen is celebrating the season with a Holiday Market on Dec 14 and 21.
PSST - TR EXCLUSIVES
Keith Pears (Delta Toronto) has been named Executive Chef for the W Hotel (90 Bloor St. E.) launching this summer.
The Dine & Dim sign has gone up at what was recently Pearl Court on Gerrard, with plans to open before year’s end.
Amber nightclub in Yorkville closed after 20 years just two months ago. The venue has been scooped up by Andrew Carter of The Oxley and The Wickson Social, with an opening date tentatively set for March.
NEWS
Farm Boy just announced they’re adding five more locations in Toronto and GTA.
Beyond Beef has arrived north of the border, but has the moment already passed?
It seems like a lot of work went into the new Pizza Pizza Special Edition Raptors GameBoxes.
Non-alcohol CBD-Infused drinks, Everie by Fluent Beverages, are coming soon, with ready-to-brew teas set to launch in December, and sparkling beverages to follow in 2020. To brush up on what to expect by way of cannabis and CBD food and drinks, read this.
In more hotel news this week: The Hazelton Hotel is undergoing another major renovation and The Westin Prince Hotel will soon be Pan Pacific Toronto.
ICYMI
In this month's At The Pass, get to know Executive Pastry Chef Jill Barber of newly renovated - and just reopened - Paradise on Bloor.
Intimidated by cooking fish? Especially whole ones? All you need is this simple, yet enticing recipe by Alison Roman from her new cookbook, Nothing Fancy.
Introducing The Tip Off.
FYI
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