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Dopamina
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Gary Tsang has always known he wanted the space inside the beautiful, sun-drenched atrium at the corner of Bay and Grosvenor. The showstopping mural, crafted by Italian artist Sandro Martini and protected by the city of Toronto, took six years to complete and takes over a good chunk of the non-windowed wall. That very mural, inspired by the colours of an Italian island called Burano (after which the attached condo is named), served as the springboard for Tsang’s concept inside the space he spent years coveting.
When it finally became his, after a failed bid and years of longing, Tsang wanted to fuse Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, serving approachable dishes packed with flavour and using ingredients that blend well but aren’t typically seen together. Head chef So Sakata was tasked with creating the menu, boasting experience in both Italian and Japanese cuisine - as well as a Michelin star. Sommelier Jeff Wright built a wine and cocktail program, which includes no shortage of mocktails, to mimic the seasonal offerings at Dopamina, which include both tasting menus and a la carte options.
“The entire experience is elevated, catered to people wanting to get excited about something, whether its the food or the service or the architecture or art here,” Tsang says, adding that his attention to detail - from the backlit mirror in the women’s bathroom to the open kitchen, were born of his desire to give guests the best possible experience. “Instead of just finishing it up in three to six months, get it rolling, we took a little longer,” he says. “We decided to invest in it.”
The beef tartare is made with a wagyu beef, intended, as Tsang says, to cater to a dish popular among Torontonians but elevate it in a unique way. Sakata’s version for the winter menu is made with smoked bone marrow, rye chips and pickled shallots.
“Toronto diners see a crudo, they will love to order it,” Tsang says. “But I didn’t want something that everybody else has. So we make ours very differently.” The Dopamina version weaves in Mediterranean flavours in the form of prosciutto oil and a saffron tosazu (a condiment made of rice vinegar and soya sauce, among other ingredients).
Continuing the European nods, the steelhead salmon is brought in from Scotland, and then Sakata brines it in salt, sugar water, and lightly poaches it in olive oil. Asian influences are incorporated with the use of dashi vin blanc, ikura, chive and swiss chard.
“We cook the squid ink risotto with lobster stock and chorizo,” Sakata explains. “Its finished with butter-poached lobster and parsley, oil and lemon zest. I love the combination of seafood and meat, so I do it a lot.”
Particularly unique is the foie gras, which is combined with chicken liver and pork reduction to create a parfait with a creamy texture. Sakata carefully layers it on top of brioche and pairs it with a horseman chutney and candied hazelnuts.
The pasta noodles are made in-house, given their bright colour because Sakata cooks them in saffron water. Once again, the fusion inspiration is very apparent. “Inside is a roasted Japanese sweet potato, ricotta, parmigiano, cinnamon and clove,” the chef explains. “The sauce is brown butter and cheeses, and there’s a little bit of jamon on top.”
Instead of a traditional piece of meat, Tsang and Sakata decided to use the tasting menu to appeal to adventurous eaters. The duo selected venison, a gamier meat, marinated overnight in olive oil and garlic. It’s served with radicchio and pickled apple salad to add a little crunch, and topped with a beet jus made with chicken stock and red wine that’s been reduced for two days. “It’s a good, natural sweetness,” Sakata explains. “It’s a perfect match for gamier meats. It’s one of my favourites.”
Salted mascarpone, kombu, and an almond crumble come together to create a symphony of flavours that’s unique to Dopamina, rarely seen anywhere else in the city. Sakata leans heavily on French inspiration for the creamy, nutty dessert.
Wright sourced wines of all varietals from across Europe and North America, crafting a selection that perfectly compliments the tasting menu and the a la carte dishes. Unique offerings from Greece and Spain both complement selections from France and Italy, while also offering alternatives for those looking to expand their wine world.
Tsang and Wright acknowledge, though, that some people want to have drinks that don’t necessarily pair with food, but match personal preference. And Wright wanted to ensure that flavourful mocktails were available, too. Fresh, seasonal ingredients are used on a mocktail menu that changes based on the availability of ingredients.
“I wanted to match the restaurant a bit with the orange hues,” Wright says of the Dare to Pear. “So that was the basis behind the colour, but the cocktail itself is very wintery.” It gets its name because its made with a Hungarian pear liqueur, vodka, cinnamon and pear syrup.
“People love tequila,” Wright says. “I really wanted a wintery tequila cocktail, and when I started messing around with it, I didn’t know that it would actually end up tasting like iced tea.” The Winter Iced Tea is made with maple syrup, lemon juice, Amaro Averna and a house-made ghost pepper chili saline to add a bit of a kick. And, like everything else at Dopamina, it works within the details - it, too, matches the colours of the trendy, minimalist space.
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