
5

"Set to deliver “Caribbean ingredients elevated to a new level,” this splashy debut from notable Toronto chef Lonie Murdock channels her island heritage into a glamorous yet welcoming 8,000-square-foot space with sleek tan booths, a sprawling open kitchen, and a showstopping 10-foot glass chandelier. The menu riffs on classics with a Japanese-accented snapper crudo dressed in passionfruit ponzu and wakame; a bone-in pork chop brightened by green mango, cumin, and crab butter; pumpkin gnocchi with jerk beef ragu and coconut ricotta cream; and Murdock’s “personal favorite,” a lamb tartare topped with pickled shrimp, Trinidadian green seasoning, and a Jamaican sweet potato crema. Cocktails lean on an ambitious rum program launching with around 50 selections and aiming for the hundreds, poured from a bar splashed with stylish tropical decor. The experience promises fine-dining touches without pretense—plenty of glam, but warmth and comfort first." - Lulu Chang