Best RESTAURANTS app

DOWNTOWN

Gallery Grill at Hart House MIDDAY With its vaulted wooden ceilings, wrought-iron chandeliers, forest of handsome oak furniture and leaded stainedglass windows, the room is a Neo-Gothic shrine to old money and higher learning. The rabbit “cake” is a mouth-watering, simply seasoned stack of tender and crispy meat on a bed of sweet and spicy lentils with baby spinach. Grilled Ontario trout over heirloom tomatoes and herbed crema could be outstanding, if only the kitchen removed the pin bones and served it skinside-up to retain its crispiness. Chef Suzanne Baby’s signature maple crème brûlée—made with U of T’s own syrup— may well be the silkiest in the city. 7 Hart House Circle, 416-978-2445. WE

Lbs. Restaurant SEAFOOD At this sleek room in the Financial District, cooks send out plate after plate of perfectly prepared lobster, on its own or in buttery toasted hot dog buns. An Angus

burger is slathered with sinusclearing horseradish mustard, sweet caramelized onions and sharp white cheddar—but the promised bacon was MIA. Poutine (with lobster meat and lobster gravy, of course) would be great, but the fries are undercooked and flaccid—not even the excellent truffled aïoli can rescue them. Cocktails—like the killer Negroni Slushie— are creative, and dessert—a glazed doughnut stuffed with Ed’s Real Scoop vanilla ice cream—is a delightful end to a buttery feeding frenzy. Closed Sunday. 100 Yonge St., 647-351-4747. $$$OA

Mangia E Bevi

ITALIAN The antipasto platter here—a generic assortment of cold cuts, cheeses and pickled things—is one any half-decent shopper could put together at a local grocery store. The wood-fired pizza, though, is excellent. On first glance, there appears to be an overabundance of sauce on the Napoletana,

but the sweet tomato tang serves as a perfect foil for the salty spread of anchovies, capers and black olives. A pleasant hit of rosemary makes the potato and pancetta pie another very fine option. Service is pleasant, if lacking finesse. 260 King St. E., 416-203-1635. $$WO

Piano Piano

ITALIAn When Victor Barry opened a casual pizza place where Splendido used to be, his fan base was aghast. The made-over room now features a Tim-Burton-meets-NancyReagan ’80s vibe, with graphic white bistro chairs against black floors and heavy floral wallpaper, and the wail of David Lee Roth alternating with Prince Paul. But the best part is the food. Soft and messy pizzas loaded with toppings like dandelion and bubbling scamorza, and thick bone-in veal chops are just some of the standout items. The star, however, is the stripped-down caesar salad: grilled sections of radicchio torontolife.com/ bestrestaurants

and romaine, crispy-fatty strips of roast pork belly, buttery croutons, fresh white anchovy, a slick of garlicky dressing and a liberal dusting of parm. It’s crunchy, smoky, salty and sweet—more of a marvel than any molecular gastronomy trick. 88 Harbord St., 416-929-7788. $$$WVA

Platito

FILIPINO The broad spectrum of diners that fill Platito’s two tiny floors suggests that Toronto can’t get enough of Filipino food. Communal tables of 20-somethings, older couples on dates and parents admonishing their kids in Tagalog to put away their iPhones fill this Baldwin spot, tucking into satisfyingly heavy platters of rice and grilled, marinated and fried meats. What Platito fries, it fries well: the battered skin on vinegary adobo-sauced pork sticks to the chops rather than slipping off like a stocking. Crispy bricks of fried pork belly and chopped hot peppers in the pork sisig provide crunch and heat, while an added freshly cracked egg makes it extra rich. The cake-like ube waffles come served with fried chicken or ice cream on top— they’re delicious either way: dense, soft and a striking Prince purple from the yams they’re made of. 35 Baldwin St., 647-347-0135. OE

Ricarda’s

MEDITERRANEAN Part dining room, part café and bar, this newly opened kitchen attempts to wear many hats at once. Ricarda’s excels in decor, with art deco flourishes winking from the exaggerated curves of wraparound booths, black-and-white-tiled floors, planet-shaped pendant lamps and surfeit of marble surfaces. What else works well? The bakery, which churns out crackle-crusted loaves for take-away sandwiches at lunchtime and blistery flatbreads as larger mains. However, from over-salted meatballs served with sandy parmesan to slightly congealed lamb chop crusts, the sitdown menu could use a little TLC. 134 Peter St., 416-304-9134. $$WVN

WEST

Al Pastor

MEXICAN This cozy spot—festooned with strings of patio lights and south-of-theborder-themed bric-a-brac in a crayon box of colours—is all about fast-casual Mexican standards like tacos, quesadillas and burritos. Juicy nuggets of chorizo drowning in a caramelized sea of broiled oaxaca cheese is as good as it sounds, and piquant salsas, like the habanero-spiked Taquera la Luchadora, brighten up succulent pulled chicken tinga tacos. Unfortunately, leaden corn tortillas drag all of the tacos and quesadillas down, and the flank steak within an arrachera burrito remains under-seared, under-seasoned and garnished with wimpy guacamole. To drink, there are house-made aguas frescas, including a tart and sweet tamarindo, and a fragrant pineapple and vanilla tepache with a whisper of chilies. 2982 Dundas St. W., 647-748-2982. $WV

Guu

JAPANESE The exuberant staff (and the sake Jell-O shots) are good indications of the emphasis this lively izakaya in Parkdale puts on fun. The noise level may approach punishing at times, but the volume doesn’t impair the quality of the cooking. Cured mackerel, dense and vibrant, receives a brief stint with a caramelizing blowtorch before it’s set on cubes of pressed sushi rice. In an updated twist on the classic sushi boat, a miniature staircase staggers fresh selections of sashimi. Marinated octopus with a side of nori for wrapping packs a robust and delicious wasabi bite. Okonomiyaki, a crisp seafood pancake with Worcestershire sauce, mayo and great heaps of billowing bonito flakes filling in for maple syrup, should probably be the next fried chicken. 1314 Queen St. W., 647-351-1314.

Hopgood’s Foodliner

CANADIAN It’s completely understandable that, walking into the narrow front room of chef Geoff Hopgood’s dark and cozy Haligonian joint, you might expect a whiff of briny Atlantic air. Instead, you’re greeted by staff who exude authentic East Coast warmth. The specials, like a lobster salad brightened with dollops of lemony aïoli and microgreens, are typically fresh, simple and fun, showcasing seasonal and responsibly harvested seafood from the Maritimes. Refined takes on Nova Scotian junk food round out the menu offerings, like oatcakes topped with bracing mackerel, fried sweetbreads served alongside slightly rubbery Digby scallops, and the signature garlicky-sweet donairs. Desserts are stylish and playful: a homemade toffee candy bar and a tremendous cloud of blueberry-streaked funnel cake that’s all golden-good fun. 325 Roncesvalles Ave., 416-533-2723. $$$AE

J&J Bar-B-Que

AMERICAN True meatheads are happy to stand at this no-frills, no-chairs Kensington Market bolthole for a taste of Texas-style barbecue. Brisket imbued with white-oak smoke gets top billing, but brined and smoked turkey doused in butter is great, too, as are the juicy house-made mac and cheese sausages. Pretzel Fluff Bars—made with melted marshmallows, potato chips and pretzels— are like hard-core Rice Krispie squares. 193 Baldwin St., 647-351-4227.

Masseria

ITALIAN Pizza Nova president, Domenic Primucci, is the latest to join Toronto’s never-ending Neapolitan takeover, with his new counter-service spot on King West. The room is pleasant enough, if a bit too bright, with a variety of olive oils and fresh basil plants adorning marble-topped communal tables. Staff prep the food behind a glass counter, Chipotle-style. The pies are certainly not Pizza e Pazzi or Libretto-level—the fior di latte is a little chewier than it ought to be and the ’nduja is neither spicy nor spreadable—but it’s still pizza, baby, with freshtasting tomato sauce and fine dough. The carbone option (crust blackened with vegetable carbon) looks cool, but tastes exactly the same as the standard stuff. 577 King St. W., 416-263-9999. V

Montgomery’s

CANADIAN Find the nondescript entrance, skirt around the open kitchen that looks to have been cobbled together overnight, catch the attention of a server in the gloomy rear dining room and you’re in for a treat: chef Guy Rawlings, after a pause to help manage Grant van Gameren’s restaurants, is cooking again. He douses heirloom tomatoes in a fiery house hot sauce, crowns waxy new potatoes with a bubbling mass of funky brie de Meaux and marries a silken goose creton, to be smeared on pan-fried bread, with a grainy mustard given extra oomph from a spell in the smoker. The pinnacle of the current pickling fad may be the autumnal plate of cabbage, carrots and beans, so sour your mouth will pucker for hours. Like the menu, the drinks list is to the point and dedicated to small artisanal producers. Nothing, not the thrift-store teak seating or the lumpenly luscious caramelized apple tart, is especially elegant—Rawlings is too busy chasing next-level flavour intensity to worry about pretty. 996 Queen St. W., 647748-4416. $$$A

Oddseoul

KOREAN Leemo and Leeto Han’s sophomore venture remains a popular late-night spot for sharing plates of boldly flavoured Asian fusion. The menu, served until 2 a.m., is packed with munchies that go great with boozy cocktails. The Loosey, a mini-cheeseburger made with ground brisket, processed cheese, kimchee and a kimchee-based hollandaise, tastes like a Korean Big Mac. The tempura prawns, which come drenched in spicy mayo, are unforgettable, and the squash poutine— cubes of deep-fried kabocha topped with mayo, (more) kimchee, curds and gravy— is frighteningly addictive. A draconian noreservations policy and servers who treat diners as an inconvenience are vestiges of a trend that’s lost favour for good reason. 90 Ossington Ave., no phone. $$VN

Parts and Labour

BAR AND PUB Since this Parkdale hangout opened to critical acclaim in 2010, chef Matty Matheson has become the country’s biggest food personality, overseeing a handful of Toronto establishments and hosting a TV show for Viceland. The restaurant—like Matheson—is loud, brash and unapologetically indulgent. The menu benefits from his travels, but both the Vietnamese-style beef tartare and roasted cauliflower swimming in a bland celeriac broth are under-seasoned, and fatty pork ribs come with a flat plum

agrodolce. There are redeeming qualities, though: the burger, a luscious brisket patty crowned with American cheese, remains one of the city’s best, and seared trout, paired with cured cucumbers, salt-roasted beets and crème fraîche, shows the kitchen’s potential. An extensive cocktail list and knowledgable, tattooed servers keep the place bustling with regulars, as do the exceptional desserts, like the decadent chocolate–peanut butter terrine. 1566 Queen St. W., 416-588-7750. $$$WVAE