Toronto seems to be perpetually trapped in the undertow of ebbing restaurant trends… or blessed, depending on how you view it. Middle Eastern and Mediterranean seem to be the latest culinary crazes. Thankfully they seem to be breaking the tiresome mould of single-item variants – restaurants that center around a dish rather than a more robust dining culture.
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| Photo courtesy of It's All GRK |
With one successfully themed eatery, say tacos of 2011 or ramen in 2013, new entrants into the market are aping menus and mirroring concepts – capitalizing on the frivolity of Toronto diners. I’m not averse to the intrigue of a new taqueria or a bowl of tonkotsu – in fact I love the food – but sometimes it seems there are only so many restaurants that can occupy the bulging burger bubble, or so many chicken parts one can pop on a yakitori skewer.
This past year Toronto was treated to several sensational Spanish tapas restaurants. Lauded newcomers like Carmen, Bar Isabel and Valdez each offered diverse atmospheres and equally distinct menus. It was a refreshing diversion from the one-item wonders.
Interested in seeing who's shaking up the dining scene in the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean categories?
