Restaurants
Hawker Bar
Hawker Bar is the latest manifestation of the street food that's hit Toronto — Singaporean street food to be exact. Located on Lower Ossington, Hawker joins the Saint as a new entry into an area that continues to attract restaurants post-moratorium. That doesn't mean everyone's happy, though. Having just opened last week, Hawker Bar experienced something of a setback when locals protested its petition for a liquor license. Don't worry, the license will be coming shortly (couple of weeks).
The interior evokes pan-Asian influences with origami wallpaper, various fish sauces adorning the bar's shelf and crimson red highlights throughout the smallish room. The handwritten cardboard menus are a nice nod to their street vendor roots.
The special of the evening was a Fried Sea Bream for two ($20) that was simply fantastic. I tend to avoid whole fish, not because of the eyes staring back, but for the labour of deboning at the table, which is both a messy undertaking and rarely successful. But a quick swoop with our spoon and the entire fish was deboned in one motion. The side of banana flowers with the playful addition of cubed 'dragonfruit dice' definitely elevates the dish above its putative street fare roots. Moist and meaty, it was one of the best dishes of the evening. (Remember to grab that last bit of meat from the cheeks).
To be honest, I've never had a Laksa (sm. $9 / lg. $12) before but I really enjoyed Hawker's offering, which was surprisingly hearty with ample rice noodles and coconut milk broth. The curry had just the right amount of heat to complement the complexity of the broth. Even split between the two of us, we weren't able to finish all of the noodles.
Pork Tenderloin Satay ($6) with peanut sauce was solid but not amazing. The thin sauce lacked any emulsion from the chopped peanuts so was too watery. And the pork was a tad overcooked, proving slightly difficult to remove from the skewer.
Both economical and a wonderfully tender cut of meat, beef cheeks are very much in vogue right now (see Chantecler and Grand Electric by way of example). Hawker's Rendang Curry ($12) of ox braised cheeks with a coconut rice definitely sets the dish apart from other versions around town. Braised to perfection, the beef is fork tender yet retains it's shape without falling apart. The curry, similar in flavour to the laksa, is quite rich — especially with the coconut rice, which works well with the consistency of the beef.
We couldn't stuff ourselves with another bite except for the Ice Kachang ($6) (a.k.a. Singapore Snow Cone). I know it's just a pile of shaved ice, but I have to say that the green syrup (Pandan?) had an peculiar flavour reminiscent to vanilla that I still can't figure out. It's something different so I applaud the risk-factor with this dish.
Like many new Toronto restaurants, Hawker currently doesn't accept reservations and with a smallish dining room you can expect line-ups. Takeout is, however, a viable option. Hawker Bar pushes past mere trendiness in favour of well-executed and unique dishes that are worth the wait.
Discussion
37 Comments
Sort By Oldest First / Newest First
Subscribe
it's best to not expect consistency from people like 'dumb', because they tend to pre-judge things in their mind before actually trying.
The chef/owner's ethnic origin is irrelevant, even more so considering this is a Singaporean restaurant and the country's cuisine has been shaped by so many different people and cultures.
It may be true that there are a lot of Mexicans and S. Americans in New York's kitchens. However, they are not in positions of authority.
If you go to a French restaurant in New York, for instance, the Head Chef is likely from France (or trained in France). The Head Chef is not likely from Mexico or S. America. Just sayin'.
Can't wait to try it regardless of what "race" the chef is.
Anyone who's ever had Malaysian food would know that it's made of a diverse fusion of different food cultures from all over the Asian continent - ironic, after what Dumb just said.
And FYI, not overpriced at all. Average bowl of laksa in Scarborough is just about that.
They make everything in house and you can tell. The food is simply delicious and everything is melt-in-your mouth goodness. The staff are very friendly and so professional. I can honestly say that this is the best restaurant in Toronto! Please try them out. You will be so glad you did!
http://www.blogto.com/toronto/the_best_pizza_slice_in_toronto/
I had the chicken rice and was a major disappointment. My friends in Singapore laughed when I told them that the price was $12...they asked if I got a whole chicken. Of course we have to take into consideration that we live in a different country and things cost differently, but why is it in chinatown I can get something that is less expensive and tastes even better? A regular plate of chicken rice in Singapore is $3-4 CAD, yet Singapore is one of the most expensive places to live in the world. The taste...well lack thereof was another disappointment, I also was hoping they would of made fresh chilli sauce/paste themselves but thus no dice.
Overall I want this place to succeed but it is still young and obviously there will be some hits and misses. I will try again in the future to see if things have been adjusted/played around with. I'm not one to just be repulsed after one experience especially for a new restaurant.
Those who are familiar with Singapore/Malaysian food, don't get excited. Those who are new to the types of taste, try it out and then travel to Singapore :-P
Never had Kachang although I will not be trying. I was forced by my host to eat, far too often, what I now believe is Kachang's ugly sister: cendol/chendol. Possibly the most unappetizing dessert (both visually and gustatorily) on the planet.
ummmmmm yeah, white folk trying to cook asian food and putting a ridiculous price tag on it....
And the ice kachang looks horrible! Where's the huge mound of ice and the cubes of crazy jelly!?