Best New Restaurants 2012: No. 4 Keriwa

On the ceiling of Toronto’s only Native Canadian restaurant, dangling feathers bounce to the bass of Motown hits. On the walls: photos of a man in full Aboriginal regalia dancing through the streets of modern Paris. We get it: Keriwa blends the traditional and the contemporary, the rustic and the urban. It’s a message adapted by Bannock, Toca and other Canada-themed restaurants, but in this hunter’s lodge of a room, the combination is seamless. The place is filled with Parkdalian daters clinking glasses of red wine or guzzling pints and enjoying the smoke-kissed creations of Aaron Joseph Bear Robe. The chef comes to Queen West from the Siksika Nation by way of Calgary’s famed River Café and Singhampton’s Eigensinn Farm, where he lived and worked. He also spent time at Splendido. This history explains why Bear Robe has such faith in his ingredients; he gives each one dignity and distinction. The bison pemmican pierogies, for example, fire a series of textures and tastes across the palate: golden-crisp exteriors, rich and gamey interiors, sharp juniper berries and mellow crème fraîche on top. Bison comes as a main, too, in a silky broth with earthy kale, nutty pumpkin seeds and tart apple matchsticks. Though the menu speaks to the Aboriginal theme, Bear Robe wisely abandons the concept when the dish doesn’t call for it. It’s this understated confidence that nudges Keriwa above its contemporaries. 1690 Queen St. W., 416-533-2552. See our listing for more information »

(Images: Raina and Wilson)