Just when you think Toronto’s gastronomic offerings have covered every possibility on the diversity spectrum, along comes The Kettle, which bills itself as the city’s first upscale Halal Indian-Canadian fusion restaurant.
Since opening its doors in May on Queen West, just west of Bathurst, The Kettle has been earning consistent raves for its unique updated renditions of traditional Indian street food snacks fused with Canadian comfort food classics.
Co-founders Sana Lakdawala and Faiz Shaikh have designed an eclectic menu featuring surprising riffs on traditional Indian recipes. The chaat section pays homage to beloved Indian street food with faves such as crispy pani puri, fragrant samosas, and Mumbai bhel, all accompanied by house-made chutneys.
Things get a little more fusion-y with the spicy Tandoori buffalo wings and crispy fried butter chicken and veggie burgers, served with mint mayo on brioche buns. The Original Kettle Sandwich is original indeed, with layers of cheese, potato, beet, onion and tomato. Toasted until the cheese melts, it's slathered with herb chutney and spiked with masala spices. Then there are the pies: the Kettle's take on chicken pot pie is a butter chicken pie and it does an inspired (and vegetarian) version of cottage pie by heaping curried veg into a buttery pastry shell.
During the week, the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner. But on Saturday and Sunday, the culinary mash-ups go for broke with the brunch menu (available until 3 p.m.). Packing a pungent punch, the Desi Masala Omelette comes with a side of pancake-like malbar paratha flatbreads. Uthappams are rice batter crepes topped with seasoned veg. Then there's the immensely popular gulab jamun challah French toast, which incorporates the favourite Indian dessert flavoured with green cardamom, rose water and saffron.
Speaking of desserts, The Kettle has a few intriguing options, including the saffron phirni, a take on rice pudding featuring coarsely ground basmati rice mixed with dry fruits. There’s also an Indian tiramisu in which a base of ladyfingers, soaked in saffron and rose water, is filled with saffron cardamom mascarpone cream and sprinkled with edible rose petals.
To drink, there are numerous hot chais and cold coffees, sweet and salty lassis, smoothies and shakes (among them one with figs and cashews). An assortment of fresh baked goods -- mawa and lentil daal cakes, cream rolls, vegetable turnovers -- can be savoured in the warm dining room, with its exposed brick walls and leather banquettes, or wrapped up to take with you.
The Kettle is located at 685 Queen Street West and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
