Top Six in the 6: International Platters
Even with Toronto's long history as a multicultural restaurant city, there are still new cuisines to discover and these five platters are excellent introductions.
Bar Reyna
158 Cumberland St.
The Cataplana Platter is named after the copper pan used to prepare Portuguese seafood dishes. The hinged-clamshell shape contains the flavour and keeps the food inside warm. The traditional dish is popular in the Algarve region at the southern tip of Portugal, but you can also find a fantastic version of it at Yorkville’s Bar Reyna. At $58, it’s not cheap – however, there’s a generous amount of seafood intended to be shared between two. The bountiful spread contains lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, monkfish, and sourdough toast to mop up all that delicious Lisbon broth.
Kisa Korean BBQ
6347 Yonge St.
Korean barbecue may be the best way to end a night of revelry. Toronto has its share of options but our favourite is Kisa Korean BBQ. Kisa has all the necessary elements for a memorable meal of grilling with friends: a room made loud by the sizzles of several grills, high-quality meat and vegetables, and the best banchan. Any Korean barbecue aficionado will tell you that a good assortment of banchan – the steamed, marinated vegetables and kimchi served on the side – completes the experience.
Rendez-Vous
1408 Danforth Ave
Rendez-Vous is one of the city’s longest standing Ethiopian restaurants. They’re known for their classic vegetarian and vegan-friendly African dishes and their commitment to bringing in ingredients weekly from Addis Ababa. The Yetsom Beyaynetu is one of the most popular dishes here. It’s an Ethiopian combination platter where a number of stewed vegetable and meat dishes are laid out on injera, a spongy sourdough crepe made of fermented teff flour. Use the injera as a vessel to scoop up the meat and veg. Rendez-Vous is famous for their marinated lamb and beef, but the vegetable dishes shine brightly here so don’t be afraid to ditch the meat.
Tinuno
31 Howard St.
There are a few places in Toronto that present a traditional Filipino Kamayan experience, where large spreads of food are laid out on a banana leaf for Sunday feasts. The word itself lends to the notion of eating with your hands, something very common in Filipino dining culture where forks and chopsticks are retired and hands are used instead. Tinuno does it the classic way, a variety of grilled, fried meats and vegetables are served on a large banana leaf along with an assortment of dips and sauces. What’s great at Tinuno is the selection of seafood that makes its way on to the leaf, from grilled tilapia and milkfish to stuffed whole squid and mussels.
Tennessee Tavern
1554 Queen St. W.
Parkdale’s hipster take on Eastern-European fare doesn’t pigeonhole itself with one specific cuisine, instead creating a Slavic smorgasbord with bites inspired by Poland, Bosnia and beyond. The menu at Tennessee Tavern has plenty of affordable small plates, but their platters are a great way to try a little of everything. The Soho Platter offers up a photogenic plate of smoked trout and mackerel, with pickled onion and kajmak for you to slather on dill and pumpkin seed pumpernickel bread.
Otto's Bierhalle
1087 Queen St W.
If you're a fan of Otto's Berlin Doner in Kensington, consider Otto's Bierhalle on Queen West – their louder, rowdier older brother. Platters are the name of the game at this German-style beer hall, with five dishes on the 'Feast' section of their menu intended for sharing and in the region of $40-65. Our personal favourite is the Choucroute Alsace ($58) which comes with pork belly, bratwurst, sauerkraut, Brussel sprouts and house pickles. Grab one of the many local or imported beers on tap (all the better if it's served in a tankard) and soak up all that meat.
