Looking for some delicious comfort food? A renowned Vancouver-based Vietnamese restaurant just opened in Toronto, offering a variety of authentic dishes and soups that they change up every day of the week.
The Lunch Lady opened earlier this month at 93 Ossington Ave., bringing its “world-famous” Vietnamese street cuisine to the heart of the city’s downtown.
The restaurant’s opening date was postponed by about a month after its Michelin-awarded chef Nguyễn Thị Thanh, internationally known as the Lunch Lady, tragically died right after landing in Toronto’s Pearson Airport ahead of opening the Toronto restaurant.
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The Lunch Lady’s restaurant was originally a street food stall located in the popular Vietnamese destination Saigon St., which was featured in the Emmy Award-winning series “No Reservations,” led by late celebrity chef and food critic Anthony Bourdain.
The feature led to a partnership with Vietnamese-Canadian entrepreneur Michael Tran, who brought Thanh’s yummy signature flavours to a Vancouver location of the Lunch Lady, which holds three consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards, featuring the location under “best value for money restaurants” since 1997.
Now, the new location in Toronto has already started winning the hearts and stomachs of foodies in the city, who have already been flooding the restaurant’s Google reviews with compliments.
“What a breath of fresh air for Toronto. The food was incredible. Flavours so fresh. The value was great. I’m stuffed and happy and I didn’t spend an arm and a leg,” one user wrote.
“The food was phenomenal. It was full of flavors and stories,” another user added.
“Lunch Lady is such a fun, lively addition to Ossington — exactly the kind of spot we’ll keep coming back to! Everything exceeded our expectations and the dishes were unique, bold, and super flavourful,” a different foodie said.
Meanwhile, if you still haven’t had a chance to check it out, here is a preview of what you can expect to taste at this new mouthwatering restaurant.
CUA LỘT CHIÊN GIÒN – SOFT SHELL CRAB
This appetizer is perfect for those who like to open up their palates with some crunch. It features a crispy soft shell crab, accompanied by lettuce, herbs and a delicious green chili aioli dressing.
BÒ TÁI CHANH – BEEF CARPACCIO
Now, if you want to start your meal with a strong but fresh mix of flavours, this beef carpaccio could be your gem. This appetizer features thin filets of beef with a mix of crispy shallots, thai basil, mint, perilla, and a sour lime vinaigrette that will embrace and prepare your taste buds for the rest of the meal.
BÁNH TÔM CHIÊN – PRAWN FRITTERS
If you’re a seafood lover, you should definitely try the prawn fritters, featuring delicious tiger prawns and shredded taro roots coated in a crispy coconut batter and accompanied by lettuce, herbs, and some chili lime sauce. It’s the perfect combination of sour with a little spiciness.
BÒ LÚC LẮC – STEAK LÚC LẮC
Moving onto entrées, if you’re always in for a masterfully-cooked steak, you have to check out this one. This dish features an 8oz Canadian prime beef ribeye coming from the Martin’s Family Farm, resting on peppercorn sauce with crispy cassava fries and a yummy burnt scallion butter. For an additional fee, you can also top off this dish with some waffle fries and even foie gras.
PHỞ BÒ WAGYU – WAGYU BEEF NOODLE SOUP
Pho is undoubtedly one of the most globally well-known and beloved Vietnamese plates, and this elevated version will certainly leave you wanting more. This delicious noodle soup includes rare wagyu zabuton, smoked wagyu cheek, bone marrow, a slow poached egg, and rice noodles, all embraced by a delicious beef broth slow cooked during 24 hours for a real explosion of prime and comfort flavours. For an additional price, you can also customize the dish to your liking, substituting the noodles or adding more egg, beef, foie gras, ox tail, beef ball, and more.
SƯỜN NƯỚNG – PORK TOMAHAWK
Ready to amaze your palates with some flamy, tropical flavours? This incredible pork main course comes with a char-grilled bone-in pork chop, accompanied by pineapple, shishito peppers, lettuce, herbs and a fresh herb vinaigrette.
CHÈ BA MÀU – THREE-LAYER DESSERT
If you like to play with different textures, this sweet treat might just be your own dream come true. This dessert comes in three sweet layers with a pandan sticky rice cake, under a creamy coconut condensed milk gelato, and topped with strawberry red-bean puree and mung bean streusel.
TIRAMISU CÀ PHÊ SỮA ĐÁ – VIETNAMESE COFFEE TIRAMISU
Now, if you are a fan of the classic Italian tiramisu, this Vietnamese twist can really top off a great meal with excellence. This tiramisu is made with Vietnamese espresso, hojicha and mascarpone sabayon, lady fingers, and white chocolate.
