People can't get enough of the Istanbul-style brunch at this Toronto restaurant
Pasaj is an Istanbul-style restaurant and bakery becoming well-known around the city for its Turkish brunch and baked goods.
The popular spot in Leslieville serves up delectable Turkish plates and goes way beyond the classics.
While still featuring some signature Turkish breakfast staples such as cheese, olives, cucumbers, and tomatoes, Pasaj offers inventive fusion plates as well.
The restaurant is known for its shakshuka, a dish comprised of poached eggs in a spicy tomato sauce.
Pasaj also offers a tasty dish called Grandma's Pancakes, which features three milky soft pancakes topped with sour cherry jam, tahini halva, labne, and pistachios.
The Mucver Benedict puts a creative spin on a classic breakfast dish, and includes zucchini fritters, smoked salmon or pastirma, eggs and sumac hollandaise.
Pasaj also serves up a traditional Turkish breakfast spread that includes a variety of meats, cheese, olives, jam, dried fruits, nuts, a bread basket, and Turkish black tea or drip coffee.
Pasaj co-owner John Ulgen told blogTO a "pasaj" is a passageway, and reflects the street construction and culture of Istanbul.
Pasaj emulates this passageway by including both a dining hall and Turkish bakery in the same room.
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Fareen Karim
