Dear reader,

I’ve already gone off on how Toronto is slowly turning into one big steakhouse, but there’s another high-end trend that’s popping up at restaurants across the city: tasting menus. It seems like every second restaurant we feature in our What’s on the Menu series offers at least the option to enjoy a multi-course procession of precious dishes.

For a long time, tasting menus were mainly the stuff of fussy French restaurants (though, to give credit where it’s due, they took the idea from the Japanese art of kaiseki). And the format fell out of fashion for a while—it would have been next to impossible to package up all those itty-bitty bites, each one embellished with foam this or gel that, for takeout during the pandemic. 

Well, they’re back and as fancy as ever—but now they come in Thai (Savor), Indian (Bar Goa), Italian (DaNico) and Korean (at the days-old Takja BBQ). Over at And/Ore, a new wine bar on Queen West, chef Missy Hui serves up excellent Asian-fusion small plates, like a tonkatsu tea sandwich and a jian bing–inspired devilled egg, for her tasting menu.

In this week’s newsletter, you’ll learn about LSL, a new nine-seat tasting-menu spot opening on Avenue just south of Wilson, between a spa and a cigar store. It comes to us from William Cheng—the man responsible for bringing both master sushi chef Masaki Saito and the Michelin Guide to Toronto. It just might be the toniest tasting room this city has ever seen.

Fun fact: Yo-Yo Ma is the reason Toronto is getting a restaurant backed by three Michelin-star chefs. About a year and a half ago, the famous cellist was in town for a concert—and a private dinner at Yorkville’s Sushi Masaki Saito. But then Saito, the sole chef of his eponymous spot, tested positive for Covid. Fortunately, chef Didier Leroy swooped in and saved the day, unknowingly kickstarting LSL, an elite nine-seat, $680-a-head tasting room—and a collaboration between Leroy, Saito and superstar French chef Christian Le Squer. They gave us a behind-the-scenes look at how it’s coming along.

Or, for a fraction of the cost, you can check out a Bungalow 22 dinner. Once a month, Ayushi Todi takes over a restaurant or studio space to host and cook for a dozen paying guests, all eager to eat her rotating menu of regional Indian dishes.

What used to be the Portland Street location of Jimmy’s Coffee has been transformed into Café Renée, chef Nick Liu’s Italian-inspired French restaurant. What does that mean, exactly? It means things like a sheet of Comté-stuffed ravioli and a crème brûlée espresso martini—both of which are currently blowing up TikTok.

Writer, television host and self-described foodie Pay Chen let us snoop through her home kitchen. It’s unsurprisingly jam-packed with delicious locally made goods like gravlax from Smoke Bloke, momos from Loga’s Corner, gelato from Soma and Zing’s chili crunch. She also has a dedicated chocolate drawer.

In the latest issue: the perilous lives of international students. Plus, the professor, the caregiver and the case of the missing $30 million; a Q&A with drag legend Priyanka; the best secret supper clubs; and more. Still not receiving Toronto Life at home? Subscribe today.