Comal y Canela

Authentic Mexican that is not just tacos

The Mexican food scene in Toronto is pretty good if you just want tacos. Outside of that, it’s pretty dismal. Comal y Canela is a rare exception. It serves authentic foods and draws a loyal following from the Mexican community.

The Food

The menu is a smattering of representative dishes from central Mexico: carnitas michoacanas from Michoacan, birria from Jalisco, and quesadilla D.F. from Mexico City. The odd one out is cochinita pibil from Yucatan. There are also pan-Mexican foods like tortas, molletes, sopes, and tacos. If you don’t know what these are, all the more reason to come and check them out. While these foods are easy to come by in major cities in USA (and obviously Mexico), it’s rare to see them in Canada.

One of the specialties here is birria de chivo. This is a mildly spicy goat stew from Jalisco state, said to cure hangovers. I tasted at least 8 ingredients in there, but the dominant flavours are tangy and salty. If that is not enough, it can be seasoned further with an assortment of garnishes: dried oregano, chipotles, raw onions, cilantro, and limes. Personally, I like spice and fresh herbs, so I dumped a bunch of chillies and cilantro into the birria. The goat meat is neither tough nor gamey and there is a good portion of it. Tortillas are included.

While the birria is good, the chipotle sauce steals the show. If you haven’t been blown away by chipotles before, you must try them here. They are incredibly smokey. The dense smokiness comes through first, followed by aromatic saltiness, finishing off with a moderate kick of spice. I would buy a whole jar of these.

Special mention for their tortillas. Of course, they are made from scratch. What’s even more impressive is that they make the nixtamal masa from scratch. This is the equivalent of grinding your own flour from wheat. The mild scent of toasted corn brought back memories of Mexico. Fresh tortillas are everywhere there, even in supermarkets. Processed ones outside Central America can’t compare. Happily, the ones at Comal y Canela are of the same standard in Mexico. Perhaps that’s why “comal”, the griddle used to cook tortillas, is in the restaurant’s name.

I am pleased to report that this restaurant is one of the few enlightened restaurants in Toronto that include taxes in their menu. Just like in Mexico. And most of the world.

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The place

The location at Jane and Lawrence West isn’t the greatest but it is close to Weston GO station and a highway exit. The neighbourhood is run-down but I did not feel unsafe. The restaurant is tiny. There is only seating space for 12, cramped in 4 tables and a bar counter. Trinkets from central Mexico adorn the walls. The soundtrack is Mexican pop and folk music. The vibe is fast food casual.

Verdict

Traditional Mexican foods executed well. Respect for culinary heritage evident in ingredient preparation and recipes. Bonus points for including taxes in listed prices. 8/10.

Practical information

Name

Comal y Canela

Rating

8/10

Recommended dishes

Birria
Taco de carnitas
Pozole

Prices

Birria: $17
Taco: $5.50 or $7.00

Address

1692B Jane Street

Hours

Monday to Tuesday, Thursday to Friday 0700h – 2030h
Saturday to Sunday 0800h – 2030h

Date of visit

January 2020