Restaurant: Patois Toronto
Location: 794 Dundas Street West, Toronto, ON M6J 1V1
Price Range: $$
[wp-review]
Fusion, the scary F word of the food world. It’s hard to get it right because once you get it wrong, your food will be stuck in the “fusion confusion” forever. However Craig Wong, chef and owner of Patois Toronto is doing fusion cuisine right! Patois is delivering what you would call “Caribbean meets Asian soul food.” The chef is serving some of the most amazing Chinese-Jamaican fusion dishes in Toronto!
I came to Patois around 11AM and the restaurant wasn’t too busy, well at least no 1 hour line up. The back of the restaurant seemed to be a little cramped because some of the tables were close together, so D and I chose the bar seat instead. Even with the metal chairs I was still quite comfortable and they weren’t too high, which was perfect for a short girl like me.. #FirstWorldProblem.
The vibe was laid back and unpretentious. The decor is quite odd with colorful chairs, inflatable buoys, old photographs and a bright red Juicy Jerk sign – but somehow everything just went together!
Sadly their brunch didn’t offer either the pineapple or coconut burger… but that’s okay because now I have an excuse to come back to Patois ;). I was in a serious dilemma because everything on the menu sounded delicious! Damn you Patois, damn you.
The egg was poached perfectly with a creamy Hollandaise sauce, and the patties were hands down one of the best I have had in a long time. The pastry was super light, tender and flaky with multiple layers. The beef filling was aromatic with a hint of spicy and still moist inside, and who doesn’t love that the beef was filled to the max!
Surprisingly the quinoa tasted just like… regular rice LOL. The fried rice was a bit too salty for my taste which I think came from the Chinese sausage and the fries were too crispy, otherwise the dish was incredibly delicious and flavorful!
The service was amazing and our server was really attentive. Chef Craig Wong even came out of the kitchen to check on every table which showed that he really is passionate and cares about the food. He also reminded me of a Youtuber named David So lol, the resemblance is undeniable :p.
Would I come back? Of course!! I have seen so many people raved about their dinner or the whole she-bang menu that I’m plotting for another visit before the weather gets too cold. The drinks here seems to be quite popular as well, so I definitely need to bring some of my alcohol-lover friends to Patois on the next trip :).