Potential of Cuban cuisine, fulfilled convincingly
Cuban food gets a bad rep from all-inclusive resort tourists who complain about bland buffets. Well, the lack of quality produce and purchasing power hasn’t exactly helped the dining scene in Cuba. Sadly, for outstanding Cuban food, one has to venture out of Cuba. Fortunately, you don’t have to go far if you are in Toronto. Just hop over to El Habanero & Churrobar in the outskirts of Scarborough.
El Habanero & Churrobar
El Habanero proves how good Cuban cuisine can be with quality ingredients and masterful technique. The dishes are not sophisticated but they are packed with flavour. The restaurant also doubles as a “churro bar”, which is exactly what you think it is and more. Besides churros and drinks, the restaurant also churns out churro-inspired desserts. Their churro cakes are especially popular and photogenic.
Hyderabad Biryani Hut is one the better biryani specialists in Toronto. By specialists, I mean they have at least 8 types of biryani. It’s even in the name of the restaurant. I was hoping they would stick to that but alas, their menu includes other cookie-cutter North Indian dishes that far outnumber biryanis.
Hyderabad Biryani Hut
Dum, dum, dum, DUM biryani
Biryani is a distinctly Indian rice dish that has its roots in Iranian polo (probably). Both are prepared by cooking rice halfway, then finished in stock. Meat is layered below the rice and cooked together. Alternatively, meat can be cooked separately and added when the rice is done. Unlike the Iranian version that is fruity and more restrained, the Indian biryani is fiery, more elaborate, and a meal on its own. There are dozens of variations throughout India, Pakistan, and the diaspora in East Africa, South Africa, and Southeast Asia. But the most revered variant is Hyderabadi dum biryani (హైదరాబాదీ దమ్ బిర్యానీ), from Hyderabad, India.
Dum (దమ్) refers to cooking over low heat with a flat-bottomed vessel. The vessel is sealed to keep steam in and impart a bit of pressure cooking. Traditionally, dough is used for sealing. These days, one can wrap a moist towel around the rim of the vessel and put a heavy weight on the lid for the same effect. This method is less tedious and messy.
For authenticity, I look for restaurants that use dough to seal the vessel. Unfortunately, I couldn’t tell if this was the case with Hyderabadi Biryani Hut. The biryani was cooked and transferred to a different bowl for serving. To be fair, that’s how it is done in restaurants in Hyderabad. Some Toronto restaurants cook and serve biryani in the same vessel. They leave the dough on so you can slice it open and uncover the mouthwatering biryani within. Khau Gully is one such restaurant.
Toronto has a couple of Afghan fast food chains. To name a few, Naan & Kabob, Kandahar Kabab, and the reigning champion Bamiyan Kabob. Kabob Guys is the newest entrant to the fray and poses some serious competition.
Kabob Guys
Afghan cuisine is at the intersection of Iran and Central Asia. From Iran comes polow: rice dishes cooked in meat broth, dried fruits, and nuts. From Central Asia, kebabs and mantu (dumplings). It’s the perfect setup for fast food. Grilled meats on flatbreads works in any culture, whether it is Greek souvlaki, Turkish döner, Mexican al pastor, or Hawaiian plate lunch.
You say kabob, I say kebab
Kabobs and kebabs are different spellings of the same thing. There is no standard transliteration for كباب (same word in Arabic, Farsi, and Pashto). Kabob is used more in USA and kebab is used more in Commonwealth countries. I use kebab here because Canada is part of the Commonwealth and has stronger ties with British English.
Afghan kebabs are almost the same as Pakistani ones. The difference is that Afghan kebabs can be served with rice instead of naans. Not just plain rice, but rice seasoned with broth and spices, like in Central Asia. It doesn’t quite reach the level of complexity as Iranian rice dishes, but is still more interesting than white rice. As for kebabs, a unique variant to try is chaplee kebab, made from ground meat and flattened into a disc.
I judge a Jamaican restaurant by the carbs they offer. By carbs, I don’t mean nutritional content. I am talking about the starches that are the foundation of each meal. Run-of-the-mill spots will offer just rice and peas, plantains, and if you are lucky, dumplings (fried or boiled lumps of dough). Nicey’s Eatery does well in this regard and offers a large range of Jamaican carbs: festivals, bammies, coco breads, and even hardo bread.
In fact, the menu has all the Jamaican hits from well-known jerk chicken to lesser-known cow’s foot (certain days only). It’s not comprehensive but it gives one a good sample of the cuisine. Prices are similar to downtown Jamaican takeouts, which is surprising given its location in a remote suburb. The good news is that quality is above average for this price category.
Menu boards at Nicey’s Eatery
Kitchen and counter, with Nicey’s tropical logo in the middle
This bakery has two things going for it: the ridiculously good manakeesh and the ridiculously low prices.
Interior of Al’deewan Bakery. A giant brick oven can be seen behind the main counter.
Manakeesh (مناقيش) is a round, Middle Eastern flatbread with toppings. It goes by slightly different spellings because there is no standard transliteration for Arabic. The classic topping is za’atar, a mixture of dried thyme and oregano, brushed with olive oil. At Al’deewan, you can find this and a respectable range of toppings.
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.
Premium Sweets
Interior of Premium Sweets. Second floor seating overlooks the ground level dining area.
