Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar, the Amaya empire’s new, family-friendly Mount Pleasant outpost
The barn-board walls are covered with various food-related sayings
“It’s global flavours—without the fuss!” That’s how Hemant Bhagwani , the driving forced behind the Amaya empire, describes his latest venture, Bazaar Global Food Bar. The casual, family-friendly restaurant, which took over the space vacated by Lai Toh Heen, brings together flavours from a range of world cuisines and applies them to two of Toronto’s never-ending food obsessions: burgers and pizza.
Bhagwani originally envisioned the restaurant as a somewhat more upscale place, but he scrapped those plans, deciding instead that what Leaside really needed was a family-friendly joint. The space, spread out over two storeys, is divided into various smaller dining areas, helping to keep the vibe fairly intimate. The decor is high-energy: vibrant art from Anu Vittal on the walls and dancing footprints on the ceiling, a neon sign reading “Psychic Reading Here.” Chalkboard walls invite young hands to scribble away in an upstairs corner; downstairs, T-shirts hang on a wall, supporting kids in India through the Being Human Foundation.
The menu offers food influenced by the cuisines of Vietnam, Italy, Korea, Morocco and, of course, India. The menu, divided up into sections like “street food,” “hand-held” and “not-so-Neapolitan pizza,” also features a less-adventurous kids’ section (though they’re happy to downsize adult portions as well). One of the most popular picks to date has been the 16-spice chicken; inspired by a Bobby Flay dish from his Mesa Grill, it’s served on a bed of masala mashed potatoes and dotted with a pumpkin seed sauce ($15). The curried spinach pizza is topped with Indian saag, oven-roasted tomatoes and fior di latte ($14). There’s also a kid-size butter chicken burger served with fries ($8). Bhagwani, a sommelier, has kept the drink list focused locally, with particular emphasis on Niagara wines. Later this year he’s heading to Italy and India to learn about gelato making and South Indian food—both of which will, somehow, get folded into Bazaar.
119742 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Sixteen-spice chicken with pumpkin seed sauce and masala mashed potatoes ($15) Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar19-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar19.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar19.jpg 624 419 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-bazaar-global-food-bar/slide/feb12amayabazaar19/ feb12amayabazaar19 0 0
Sixteen-spice chicken with pumpkin seed sauce and masala mashed potatoes ($15)
119739 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Shrimp-tomatillo cocktail with tomatillo-horseradish sauce ($10) Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar16-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar16.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-bazaar-global-food-bar/slide/feb12amayabazaar16/ feb12amayabazaar16 0 0
Shrimp-tomatillo cocktail with tomatillo-horseradish sauce ($10)
119736 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Curried spinach pizza with Indian saag, oven-roasted tomatoes, fior di latte, garlic, oregano and olive oil ($14) Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar13.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-bazaar-global-food-bar/slide/feb12amayabazaar13/ feb12amayabazaar13 0 0
Curried spinach pizza with Indian saag, oven-roasted tomatoes, fior di latte, garlic, oregano and olive oil ($14)
119735 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar12.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-bazaar-global-food-bar/slide/feb12amayabazaar12/ feb12amayabazaar12 0 0
119734 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar11.jpg 624 419 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-bazaar-global-food-bar/slide/feb12amayabazaar11/ feb12amayabazaar11 0 0
119732 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) A chalkboard wall to keep small hands busy Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar10.jpg 624 419 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-bazaar-global-food-bar/slide/feb12amayabazaar10/ feb12amayabazaar10 0 0
A chalkboard wall to keep small hands busy
119731 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar9-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar9.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar9.jpg 624 419 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-bazaar-global-food-bar/slide/feb12amayabazaar9/ feb12amayabazaar9 0 0
119730 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar8-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar8.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar8.jpg 624 419 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-bazaar-global-food-bar/slide/feb12amayabazaar8/ feb12amayabazaar8 0 0
119748 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar7-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar7.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar7.jpg 624 419 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-bazaar-global-food-bar/slide/feb12amayabazaar7/ feb12amayabazaar7 0 0
119729 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) The wine list focuses on Niagara selections Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar5-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar5.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar5.jpg 624 419 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-bazaar-global-food-bar/slide/feb12amayabazaar5/ feb12amayabazaar5 0 0
The wine list focuses on Niagara selections
119728 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar4-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar4.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar4.jpg 624 419 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-bazaar-global-food-bar/slide/feb12amayabazaar4/ feb12amayabazaar4 0 0
119726 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar3-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar3.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar3.jpg 624 419 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-bazaar-global-food-bar/slide/feb12amayabazaar3/ feb12amayabazaar3 0 0
119725 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) The walls are complete with dance steps Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar2-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar2.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar2.jpg 624 419 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-bazaar-global-food-bar/slide/feb12amayabazaar2/ feb12amayabazaar2 0 0
The walls are complete with dance steps
119723 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) The barn-board walls are covered with various food-related sayings Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar_intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar_intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar_intro.jpg 656 437 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-bazaar-global-food-bar/slide/feb12amayabazaar_intro/ feb12amayabazaar_intro 0 0
The barn-board walls are covered with various food-related sayings
119724 (Image: Karolyne Ellacott) Bazaar Global Food Bar took over Lai Toh Heen’s old space on Mount Pleasant Introducing: Bazaar Global Food Bar https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar1-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar1.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/feb12AmayaBazaar1.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-bazaar-global-food-bar/slide/feb12amayabazaar1/ feb12amayabazaar1 0 0
Bazaar Global Food Bar took over Lai Toh Heen’s old space on Mount Pleasant
Bazaar Global Food Bar, 692 Mount Pleasant Rd., 647-748-9100, globalbazaar.ca
Great restaurant – no surprise considering all of Amaya’s successes! We have eaten here three times now with our three young daughters and have all loved it. My wife and I LOVE the lamb popsicles, the Korean tacos are amazing and so too are the burgers!
The wine list is very affordable and matches well with the menu. Great restaurant – we will be back again!
brilliant food and an amazing ambiance… i can see us spending a lot of evenings here
Loved the food , loved the ambiance ,loved the design , everything looks great and tastes wonderful. The only thing is we went for lunch with our little one and they don’t use the upper level with the chalk wall for lunch time! So it was bit disappointing but they let us up to play then we had to go back down when our food was ready . But will go back definitely .
I live down the street from here and its had closed signs up for the entire week and think that its shut down for good… its a shame it didn’t last very long. Any more details on them shutting down ?