Introducing: District Oven, a new “Middleterranean” restaurant from the owner of 93 Harbord
Name: District Oven
Contact Info: 842 College St., 416-901-7717, @DistrictOvenTO
Neighbourhood: Dufferin Grove
Chef and Owner: Isam Kaisi, who also owns 93 Harbord
The Food: District Oven is one of several Middle Eastern/Mediterranean restaurants to open in Toronto this year, including nearby Rose City Kitchen and Anthony Rose’s soon-to-open eatery, Fat Pasha. (Chef Isam Kaisi describes his restaurant’s cuisine as “Middleterranean.”) Traditional dishes get contemporary updates, like tabouleh made with quinoa instead of barley, and shawarma re-imagined as a spring roll. All meats are Halal, 12 plates are fully vegetarian, and pitas and flatbreads are baked in the restaurant’s authentic stone oven.
The Drinks: Mediterranean and Canadian wines, local draught beers and classic cocktails infused with things like fig-almond syrup and harissa bitters.
The Place: Kaisi and his wife, Hanadi Loubani, wanted the space to feel chic but comfortable. They installed ornate tin ceiling tiles, and outfitted the large room with walnut harvest tables and scarlet banquettes. The restaurant’s namesake wood-burning oven churns out pitas and flatbreads at the back of the room.
The Numbers:
• 500 °F is the max temperature reached by the stone oven
• 140 seats, including a 40-person private function room
• 36-foot-long bar made from salvaged Canadian walnut
• 12-plus vegetarian dishes
• 2 years in the making (delayed due to a rooftop fire)
• $0 for fresh baked pita bread and dip
262923 <strong>District Oven</strong> is now open at 842 College Street, at Ossington (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: District Oven Introducing: District Oven https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/district-oven-toronto-restaurants/slide/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-01/ district-oven-toronto-restaurant-01 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
262926 The space was designed by local firm <strong>NB Designs.</strong> Owner <strong>Isam Kasai</strong> constructed the restaurant with his wife, <strong>Hanadi Loubani,</strong> and a team from local furniture store, <strong>Zenporium</strong> (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: District Oven Introducing: District Oven https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg 1001 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/district-oven-toronto-restaurants/slide/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-03/ district-oven-toronto-restaurant-03 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
262924 The bar was made out of railway ties, barn board and Canadian walnut (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: District Oven Introducing: District Oven https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/district-oven-toronto-restaurants/slide/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-02/ district-oven-toronto-restaurant-02 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
262927 (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: District Oven Introducing: District Oven https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/district-oven-toronto-restaurants/slide/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-04/ district-oven-toronto-restaurant-04 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
262928 (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: District Oven Introducing: District Oven https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/district-oven-toronto-restaurants/slide/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-05/ district-oven-toronto-restaurant-05 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
262931 Zenporium provided all the custom woodwork and furnishings (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: District Oven Introducing: District Oven https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg 667 1000 [] https://torontolife.com/food/district-oven-toronto-restaurants/slide/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-08/ district-oven-toronto-restaurant-08 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
262930 (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: District Oven Introducing: District Oven https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/district-oven-toronto-restaurants/slide/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-07/ district-oven-toronto-restaurant-07 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
262932 Owner and chef Isam Kaisi (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: District Oven Introducing: District Oven https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/district-oven-toronto-restaurants/slide/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-09/ district-oven-toronto-restaurant-09 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
262933 Shawarma spring rolls, served with jalapeño-tahini sauce ($8) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: District Oven Introducing: District Oven https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/district-oven-toronto-restaurants/slide/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-10/ district-oven-toronto-restaurant-10 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
262934 Baba ghanoush ($7) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: District Oven Introducing: District Oven https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/district-oven-toronto-restaurants/slide/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-11/ district-oven-toronto-restaurant-11 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
262935 Quinoa tabbouleh ($9) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: District Oven Introducing: District Oven https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/district-oven-toronto-restaurants/slide/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-12/ district-oven-toronto-restaurant-12 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
262936 Grilled eggplant skewers, served with romesco sauce ($8) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: District Oven Introducing: District Oven https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-13.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/district-oven-toronto-restaurants/slide/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-13/ district-oven-toronto-restaurant-13 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
262937 Flatbreads are baked in the restaurant’s wood-burning oven. This one is topped with figs, shallots, mint and halloumi cheese ($14) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: District Oven Introducing: District Oven https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-14.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/district-oven-toronto-restaurants/slide/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-14/ district-oven-toronto-restaurant-14 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
262938 Whole fried red snapper with mango pickle and pita crisps ($23) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: District Oven Introducing: District Oven https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-15-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-15.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/district-oven-toronto-restaurants/slide/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-15/ district-oven-toronto-restaurant-15 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
262939 Lamb kefta burger with arugula, fig jam and brie ($15) (Image: Renée Suen) Introducing: District Oven Introducing: District Oven https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-16-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-16.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-16.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/district-oven-toronto-restaurants/slide/district-oven-toronto-restaurant-16/ district-oven-toronto-restaurant-16 0 0
(Image: Renée Suen)
Perfect restaurant best food made by chef Isam kaisi give it a try top quality