Roger Mooking used to turn out funk hits as vocalist for Bass Is Base, but nowadays he rocks the stoves at Nyood. In developing his globe-trotting menu this past winter, the Juno Award–winning chef played off the ideas of his kitchen team: each sous contributed an element to almost every recipe. His Char Tartare, one of the more harmonious results of their “jam” sessions, is a seemingly straightforward dish (it’s raw fish, after all) that’s filled with surprises. With charming subtleness, soft jolts of unexpected flavours emerge from the pretty mound of familiar ingredients: spices from Syria, char from Tasmania, juicy watermelon and plantain from Trinidad. Sly and playful, it looks simple but tastes anything but. $12. Nyood, 1096 Queen St. W., 416-466-1888.