Rumours swirled over the last two months of celebrity chef Lynn Crawford’s impending return to Toronto to take over the space at The Citizen on Queen Street East. Turns out, where there’s smoke there’s fire: Crawford is in the process of buying out chef-owner Rodney Bowers and is planning on renovating the space before opening up shop.
Trouble is, until the deal is actually signed, Crawford’s lips are sealed. “The deal is not signed yet, so I prefer not to talk about it,” says Crawford, who is back living in Toronto. “But I’m really excited about it. I love Leslieville and that whole neighbourhood. I just want to cook again.”
Crawford finished up her gig at the Four Seasons in New York last spring and has been shooting a new show for the Food Network called Pitchin’ In, premiering on Jan. 4. “Often there is a disconnect when it comes to understanding where our food comes from and how it gets to the table,” says Crawford, who travelled across North America for the show, from Digby, Nova Scotia to Oregon. “Just the people you meet on this journey, it has changed me, you know, in a good, positive way.”
Thuet to me one more time
Chef Marc Thuet and his partner and wife Biana Zorich are expanding their culinary empire once more, opening another Petite Thuet location. This time, Thuet and his upscale takeout grub hits the Forest Hill streets.
Thuet opened his second location in Summerhill last year, in addition to their space at 1 King St. W. Petit Thuet serves delicious sandwiches, soups and treats such as some of the finest macaroons in the city. In addition, there is talk of a fourth location in the works for the east end. Petit Thuet (Forest Hill) is located at 882A Eglinton Ave. W., 416-901-7577.
Ribreau bids Célestin adieu
Pascal Ribreau recently handed his right-hand man the reins at Célestin, after deciding to retire. Ivan Tarazona was the natural choice as successor, hired on as a sous-chef more than eight years ago. As the new chef-owner, he is preserving the tradition of the French restaurant that is casual bistro by day and fine dining establishment by night.
Tarazona has introduced South American and Spanish influences to the menu, in a move toward modern French cuisine. It’s not fusion though, he says, pointing out that even classic French cuisine crosses borders for flavours and ingredients.
“Your technique to get to that plate is always going to be the French way, which is perfection,” he says. And these attractive additions such as the Peruvian fluke ceviche have customers coming back for more. Tarazona’s new menu has allowed him to set lower prices. Most mains now sell for less than $30. Célestin is located at 623 Mount Pleasant Rd., 416-544-9035.
Eat your Kale!
After 16 years in business, the owners of Sunny Cafe have recently opened a second location called Kale Eatery in the Yonge and Eglinton area. Edyta Lorek, co-owner of the family business, says customers had been asking for another location and that it was time to branch out. The flagship location, a tiny spot inside Noah’s Natural Foods, mostly does takeout.
With its large new space, Kale will continue to do takeout, but it will also be a full-fledged, dine-in restaurant. The vegan eatery is fully organic, and about 80 per cent of its offerings are gluten-free, too. It features a self-serve buffet of around 24 dishes that change daily. Items include sandwiches, tofu burgers, wraps and fresh smoothies, with Kale’s unique spelt perogies making for a popular selection.
All food is made in-house from family recipes, and customers pay by weight ($2.40 per 100 grams). Kale Eatery is located at 2366 Yonge St., 416-792-5253.
Anyone for a Segar?
Taking over the former location of Two Doors South on Bayview Avenue, Segar restaurant will offer up some inventive new cuisine and a funky interior that may be a welcome relief to area diners. Owned and operated by former Mildred Pierce chef Segar Kulasegarampillai, the space has undergone a massive renovation, including, well, a new kitchen. And that can’t be a bad thing.
“It is spice route cuisine,” Kulasegarampillai explains, of the menu that will have entrees priced between $12 and $26. “All the spice route, including south India, Malabar Coast, plenty of exotic spices.” Expect a funky but minimalist decor with 32 seats and an atmosphere unlike anything else on the Leaside strip of Bayview. Segar is located at 1568 Bayview Ave., 416-485-1568.
Scuttlebutt
A restaurant, cleverly named Kitchen, ahem, will check into the space at 1967 Avenue Rd., formerly home to the French Quarter. Mark McEwan’s new restaurant, planned for the Shops at Don Mills, home to his eponymous gourmet food shop, will be called Fabbrica, the Italian term for “fabricate” according to reports.
Speaking of Mark McEwan, his gourmet food shop will be under increased competition later this year when Pusateri’s opens a new outlet at the Bayview Village shopping centre. Announced last month, the gourmet food market will move into the space formerly occupied by Roots. Pusateri’s is the reigning gourmet food champs in Toronto, with locations in North Toronto on Avenue Road and in Yorkville.
John Mastroianni, general manager of Pusateri’s, says the new store will be two and a half times the size of their Yorkville location with a full underground kitchen facility. Celebrity chef David Adjey has moved east to the metropolis of Ajax to helm the kitchen of a restaurant called South. Billed as an “authentic Latin restaurant,” South has 2,500 square feet of dining space, along with a 60-seat bamboo patio and lounge. If you feel compelled to drive to Ajax, the address is 84 Kingston Rd. E., 905-426-1616.
