This is a story about true love; authentic, uncomplicated and perfect to the last detail.
It stars seasoned restaurateur Hanif Harji, his Kultura collaborator and soon-to-be Food Network personality, Chef Roger Mooking, along with new partners Terry Tsianos and Sasha Jacob. It is set in a completely custom, modern romantic space that is as welcoming as it is sophisticated.
And the identity of our l’amour? Queen West’s newest drinks and dining destination, Nyood. (Sounds like nude, if you’ve got a Nordic accent.)
The nouveau Mediterranean menu is satisfying without being heavy – a result of meticulously sourcing top artisanal ingredients and serving them at their finest and freshest (Nyood’s single small freezer only fits the homemade ice cream).
We were blown away by the simple genius of the Arctic char ceviche ($12) and
artisanal charcuterie (all hail good olive oil, $15). And we weren’t surprised to hear it took 26 dough recipes to perfect the base for the five varieties of flatbreads (don’t miss the smoked salmon, $13); any will be a perfect pairing with the Sake Sangria for our Sunday brunch.
We’ll reserve the Lamb Tagine Coulibiac ($16) – a Moroccan meets French pastry-topped stew – for colder days, and the whole grilled fish ($29) for our health-kick moments. Of course, we’ll never say no to the Chocolate Souffle cake ($8), which is good to the I-can-die-happy-now degree.
Love like this calls for a celebration – a perfect excuse to sample the champagne cocktail menu. (Really, is there anything Nyood can’t do?)
Nyood
www.nyood.ca
1096 Queen St. W (at Dovercourt)
416-466-1888
Opens February 18; Reservations accepted starting February 16