Michelin-recommended Toronto restaurant launches new 'premium' fast food joint
An opulent Toronto Middle Eastern restaurant is taking a brisk turn into the quick-service world with a brand new sister concept.
Everybody wants a Michelin-level meal, but really, who has the time to sit down for a multi-course tasting menu these days? Moreover, who's got the money?
While there'll always be an appetite for fine dining in Toronto, INK Entertainment, the hospitality team behind a swath of local restaurants and nightclubs like Amal, Animl Steakhouse, and Honey Chinese, noticed that the city has been steadily trending towards faster and more affordable food options in recent years.
That's why, this January, the company that's better known for its sceney nightlife joints and celebrated restaurants is launching its first-ever fast casual dining concept, and they're enlisting the help of what is perhaps their best restaurant to do it.
Opening in the space formerly occupied by Bar Chica on Portland St. next week, Little Baba by Amal is an extension of Ink's Michelin-recommended Mediterranean restaurant, Amal, offering a taste of what the restaurant is all about without the white tablecloths.
Little Baba's menu, designed by Amal Executive Chef Rony Ghaleb, reinterprets Amal's culinary philosophy, flavours and dishes to appeal to an on-the-go audience without making any concessions to quality.
"It's rooted in flavour and tradition, but designed for how people live today, quick, clean, and thoughtfully made. We focused on freshness, balance, and accessibility, offering full meals that feel good to eat, at a price point that makes sense," explains Ink Entertainment founder and CEO Charles Khabouth.
"As dining habits evolve and people become more mindful of value, this is about giving them quality and choice, without ever compromising the experience."
According to Chef Ghaleb, the goal of Little Baba is to share the "soul of Amal" with a new flock of consumers who haven't historically been able to access the original restaurant.
"It's the same Lebanese flavours, the same quality and care, but in a more accessible and affordable way. Lebanese food is meant to be shared by everyone, across all walks of life, and Little Baba allows us to do exactly that without compromise," Ghaleb explains.
Expect vibrant and punchy fattoush and tabbouleh salads, a slew of house-made dips, and sandwiches filled with the likes of juicy grilled tawook, kefta, halloumi and cauliflower.
Little Baba opens for dine-in and takeout on Wednesday, Jan. 28, and will launch delivery in early February, meaning that anyone, anywhere in the city, can get a little taste of Amal.
Little Baba by Amal is located at 75 Portland St.
Hector Vasquez
