Contemporary
Woodlot
293 Palmerston, at College, 647-342-6307, woodlotrestaurant.com. Located in a gorgeous two-storey garage and dominated by a wood-burning oven the size of a small igloo, ex-Czehoski chef David Haman’s extraordinary 40-seat bistro-slash-bakery is the most exciting thing to hit Hogtown since the Hoof. Two parallel menus – one vegetarian, the other unapologetically snout-to-tail – and massive portions guarantee there will be leftovers aplenty. And, no, he doesn’t do pizza. Reservations essential. NOW’s Resto of the Year 2010. Best: oven-baked French onion soup with Gruyère and caraway crouton Red Fife papardelle with either tomato-braised wild boar or wild mushrooms and boozy shallots chicken and smoked ham hock pot pie with seasonal root veggies and cippolini onion lemon ‘n’ blueberry tarts topped with roasted marshmallow merengue. Complete meals for $55 per person, including tax, tip and a pint of Duggan’s #9 IPA. Average main $23. Open for dinner Tuesday to Sunday 5 pm to midnight bakery same days 7:30 am to 3:30 pm. Closed Monday, some holidays. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNNN
Thai
Khao San Road
326 Adelaide W, at Peter, 647-352-5773, khaosanroad.ca. Cousin to Regent Park’s Sukhothai, Jeff and Nuit Regular’s boho Bangkok trat brings regional Thai cuisine to the heart of condoland. And while the digs have moved upmarket, the food’s as fiery as ever. True heat-lovers ask for everything “Thai spicy” with extra hot sauce on the side. Reservations essential for dinner Thursday through Sunday. Best: ketchup-free takes on pad thai, a monochromatic stir-fry of rice noodles, bean sprouts, scrambled egg and either chicken, beef or pressed tofu spiked with roasted chilies Khao Soi, linguini-like noodles topped with chicken or beef in bright coconut gravy vegan Pad Kee Mao with raw green chilies purposefully bland tapioca Thai Buckets – whisky, Red Bull and coke sold by the pail. Complete dinners for $30 per person (lunches $20), including tax, tip and a beer. Average main $13/$10. Open Monday to Saturday for lunch 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, dinner 5 to 10 pm. Closed Sunday, some holidays. Licensed. Access: five steps at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNN
Mexican
Agave y Aguacate
214 Augusta, at Baldwin, 647-208-3091, agaveyaguacate.blogspot.com. Think Toronto doesn’t have authentic Mexican street food? Then you’ve never eaten at ex-Torito, JKWB and Scaramouche (!) cook Francisco Alejandri’s tiny Kensington Market not-so fast food stall. The proof? Immaculately plated $5 tapas-to-go that would be worth three times the price at his former employers’. Best: made-to-order shredded flank steak salad dressed with chopped jalapeños, ripe tomato and raw red onion in lime juice, finished with avocado, fresh tortilla chips and peppery arbequina olive oil green vegetarian tostadas on guacamole with sliced tomato, organic Montfort Dairy queso fresca and guayillo chili ‘n’ tomatillo salsa lime Charlotte, a multi-tiered tiramisu finished with zest and more of that fab Spanish olive oil. Complete takeout dinners for $15 (lunches $10), including tax, tip and an iced hibiscus tea. Average main $5. Open Tuesday to Sunday 11 am to 6:30 pm. Closed Mondays, holidays, and Tuesdays after long weekends. No reservations. Unlicensed. Cash only. Access: three steps at door, no washrooms. Rating: NNNNN
