Toronto Middle Eastern restaurant Little Baba may not be exactly what it seems. Dealing in fast-casual fare, it's also a colourful offshoot of uptown's Michelin-recommended Amal.

Opened at the end of January, Little Baba brings Amal's bold Lebanese flavours to King West. Home to a slew of INK Entertainment venues, the area had, until now, been bereft of an INK-owned destination for lunch and premium takeout.

"Little Baba has been in the works for five years, since we launched Amal, our Lebanese high-end concept," explains Charles Khabouth, Founder and CEO of INK Entertainment. "We always wanted to do a quick takeout service. The demand has been insane."

With a name that means "hope" in Lebanese, Amal trades in sleek sophistication and modern fare.

Little Baba, on the other hand, tempts with vibrant décor and a menu of peppy, portable plates. "In Lebanon, most kitchens are run by men," explains Khabouth. "Men in Lebanon love to cook, they always show off. 'Baba' is father in Lebanese. Little man in the kitchen, that was the essence. Come back to family and how fathers used to cook."

With Little Baba, he adds, "the idea is to have this fresh, new Lebanese cuisine that people can pick up, or eat in, or have delivered to their home." 

"With this style of food, the speed and takeout, it's hard to find food that is at that quality that we deliver," adds Charlie Khabouth, of INK Entertainment. "All of our ingredients are fresh. All our sandwiches are clean, not oily or dripping with mayo."

A budget-friendly option, the restaurant is also for diners looking to rein in their spending. "The economy is not the greatest," notes Charles Khabouth. "People are spending a little less. They don't want to lose quality, though. The food here is exactly the same quality, the same supplier as Amal. If anything, we had to make things a little better so that they travel better."

Partly drawn from Amal, partly brand new, Little Baba's menu jumps from little bites and warm wraps to salads and Baba Boxes modelled after Amal's satisfying platters. "Half the menu is from Amal," says Khabouth. "We had to create some new items that could travel well and that are quick to prepare and cook and serve. Sandwiches and boxes and bowls with protein and vegetables and rice."

Beyond premium quality and a deep-rooted respect for tradition, it's chef Rony Ghaleb who further connects the two spots. "It's very, very authentic Lebanese food, done well," ensures Khabouth. "The chef we have has every diploma from Lebanon. He was the chef at the Four Seasons in Beirut. You need that for what we do and the growth we have."

Grilled proteins and pristine salads ground Little Baba's menu, but the team first grabs diners' interest with an array of fried Little Bites. Crisp and golden, they include Truffle Rakakat ($12.50), Spinach Fatayer ($10), Fried Kibbeh ($11) and Cheese Sambousek ($10).

An assortment you'll want on display at your next mixer, it offers mild comfort, by way of the creamy sambousek, lemony lightness, in the fatayer, and earthy depth, in the meaty kibbeh. Salty with the distinct aroma of truffle, the rakakat benefit from accompanying pots of honey and pistachios, which add subtle flavour and a smidge of DIY fun.

Brimming with rainbow-hued vegetables, zippy herbs, cheese and vinaigrette, salads bring the vegetable patch to the table.

Dressed in a slick sumac lemon emulsion, the Fattoush ($13) feels like the nutrient-dense type of sustenance we should all crave.

As does the Tabbouleh ($14), with its bed of chopped parsley, glistening tomato garnish and sharp sprinkling of onion.

More substantial, thanks to its hulking slab of feta, is the Village ($15). With chickpeas, beets and a cornucopia of crunchy, dewy veg, it feels more like a complete meal than a mere nod to vitality.

Housed in meticulously engineered boxes designed to ensure that wraps reach their final destination in optimal condition, sandwiches are part tender, part flaky and fat with flavour. On days when salad won't cut it, these are your best bets.

Choose from pickle-sharpened Kefta ($16), garlicky Chicken Tawook ($16), falafel and more, upgrading to a combo (which includes fries and a drink) for a mere $7.

The heartiest experiences, though, come by way of customizable Baba Boxes. Select a base, a side, and a protein, and have at it.

One day, you might order the Baba Box Chicken Tawook ($23) filled with fattoush salad, a skewer of marinated chicken and muhammara.

On another? The Baba Box Tenderloin ($26), packed with beet-stained rice, savoury morsels of grilled meat, pickles and the team's moreish hummus. As light as your best intentions, with a gossamer weight that's halfway between a duvet and soft serve, the dip is easily the menu's hidden gem and just might ruin you for all others.

Made by the team at INK-operated French Made, in Bisha Hotel Toronto, cookies are a worthwhile final treat. Though there's Date and Chocolate Chip ($5), and neither disappoints, it's the buttery, soft, tahini-laced date cookie you'll be thinking about well into the afternoon.

Envisioned as Amal light, Little Baba has a unique personality of its own. "The Lebanese world of hospitality is fun, bright, uplifting, so we wanted to do something colourful and uplifting here," explains Khabouth. "So many quick-serve concepts are very minimalistic and black and white. This feels more like a little happy restaurant."

Little Baba is located at 75 Portland Street.