Premium Sweets

Scrumptious, upscale Bangladeshi at mid-range prices

Bangladeshi restaurants are far outnumbered by North Indian restaurants in Toronto. The food they serve has distinct differences, like the use of mustard oil in lots of fish and rice dishes. The other standout are the sweets, called mishti (মিষ্টি) in Bengali. Bangladesh is part of the Bengal region and shares the same cuisine as West Bengal in India.

Premium Sweets is rare in its category: a mid-range Bangladeshi restaurant with upscale ambience. Other Bengali places in the city cater to the budget crowd. Don’t let its name fool you. Although its premium sweets are definitely a highlight, they are also a full-service restaurant. They started out in Mississauga and opened a second branch in Scarborough in 2017. It’s close to the Golden Mile, so it is a good spot to eat after outlet shopping.

The food

The menu has a good range of Bengali dishes that would be unfamiliar to most. Stick to these and skip the steaks and North Indian items. Mains come with a choice of plain rice, pulao (rice with vegetable bits and cooked in meat stock), or achari khichuri (আচারি খিচুড়ি). Khichuri is essentially Indian congee. Achar are pickles. Put the two together for a wholesome meal that can be eaten by anyone, including babies.

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Rice dishes are one of their specialties. Try the beef tehari (তেহারী), a close relative of biryani. This is also an excellent place to try Bengali seafood dishes like shorshe ilish (সরষে ইলিশ). Ilish is an oily fish similar to a herring. It is also the national fish of Bangladesh.

Shorshe ilish uses a characteristic Bengali curry. It’s a category on its own, separate from other Indian curries. Although it contains mustard oil, the taste was subtle, so don’t expect it to taste like ballpark or dijon mustard. Regardless, the curry was fragrant and mildly spicy. The fish flaked easily and was slightly crisp on the outside, all signs of a perfectly-cooked fish. The big downside to this dish is the choice of fish. Although ilish is traditional, it has many bones, big and small. It was a pain to pick them all out. I think cod would pair well with this curry. It would be great if the restaurant offered both ilish for authenticity and a deboned fish for lazy eaters.

It was a pleasant surprise to get a generous serving of khichuri. Meat and cinnamon flavours permeate the entire dish. I could eat this all day. It was comforting food.

Sweets are sold separately at a different counter. They are pretty to look at and worthy of wedding receptions. In other words, premium and expensive. They also have more casual Bengali desserts like misti doi (literally sweet milk curd) and roshgulla (semolina and cheese balls in syrup).

The place

The interior is modern and spacious, a refreshing change from cafeteria aesthetics of other Bengali restaurants. It is large enough to hold special events. There are separate counters for savoury and sweet foods.

Verdict

Brilliantly spiced Bangladeshi foods, affordable prices, and modern ambience. 8.5/10 (updated October 2020).

Practical information

Name

Premium Sweets

Rating

8.5/10

Recommended dishes

Achari khichuri
Beef tehari
Shorshe ilish

Prices

Beef tehari: $15.81 ($13.99 excluding tax)
Shorshe ilish: $19.20 ($16.99 excluding tax)
Misti doi: $14.68 ($12.99 excluding tax)
Sweets: $37.35 per kg on average ($14.99/lb excluding tax)

Address

95 Lebovic Avenue, Unit D2
Original Canadian branch at 7025 Tomken Road, Unit 15-18, Mississauga

Hours

Monday to Thursday 1000h – 2200h
Friday 1000h – 2400h
Saturday 0900h – 2400h
Sunday 0900h – 2200h

Date of visit

November 2019