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Food Food & Drink

Fresh Dish

Give me liberty

Aidan Pascoe appears surprisingly calm. The 28-year old chef’s newly launched Liberty Belle Bistro (133 Jefferson, at King West, 647-352-3553) is only halfway through Sunday brunch and the joint is slammed.

“When you do it right, it looks like you’re doing nothing at all,” says Pascoe. “Regardless of how much shit hits the fan, you keep your cool. It takes years of practice to look this effortless.”

He needn’t worry. The 30-seat Belle – not to be confused with nearby Liberty Bistro – has only been open since early January, and it’s already taking sleepy Liberty Village by storm. Little wonder when the ex-Le Sélect vet’s stellar steak frites goes for all of 22 bucks. And what frites these be!

“Me and the deep fryer are old friends,” laughs Pascoe, who started out as a tempura chef at chi-chi Ki on Bay Street straight out of George Brown. “I’ve been stunned by the fryer many times. I had so many scars and scabs on my arms, people used to mistake me for a meth addict.”

Pizza pieces

Fresh from its recent drug bust, long-running NOW reader fave Pizza Gigi (189 Harbord, at Borden, 416-535-4444) is back in business. And, yes, Gigi still delivers every night till 4 am. Make sure to ask for extra mushrooms. A few blocks south, Fresca Pizza & Pasta has opened in the burnt-out Massimo’s at 302 College, the latter having relocated post-fire to 376 College.

Changri-la

Worst-kept secret of the week? Manhattan enfant terrible David Chang is set to unleash two new Momofuku-style restos next year in the still-under-construction Shangri-la Hotel at Adelaide and University. Why? Because Toronto is “cool.” Who knew?

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