Introducing: Dyne, the Iberian-Asian restaurant that took over from Maléna
(Image: Megan Leahy)
Last weekend, Richard Andino, a chef with 22 years experience in Toronto’s restaurant scene, opened Dyne in Maléna’ s old space at Av and Dav. His menu draws from the cuisine of Spain, Portugal and the Philippines, but the item that’s gotten the most attention to date is the over-the-top Chef’s Last Meal ($325), which comes with a 34-ounce bone-in rib-eye, fingerling and bone marrow mash, chili-garlic egg rice, butter poached lobster and two pieces of foie gras, an ingredient Andino heartily endorses. His more down-to-earth dishes include hot and cold sharing plates like a braised pork trotter raviolo ($14) and grilled calamari ($12) accompanied by aïoli that’s flavoured with calamansi, a kind of Filipino citrus (calamansi trees also dot the room). There are more substantial mains, like a half Cornish hen ($23) marinated in fermented pepper (a play on Portuguese grilled chicken) and apple honey–smoked mackerel ($23) with shishito pepper paste. The room’s decor hasn’t changed much since the days of Maléna, save a few new light fixtures, a fresh coat of paint and new artwork, including an oversized reproduction of Andino’s prized Japanese knife.
185821 Enseimada ($11): Spanish baked pastry with chocolate ice cream, dark chocolate sauce, peanut brittle, toasted hazelnuts and marscapone whipped cream (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Dyne Introducing: Dyne https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-15-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-15.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dyne/slide/jan13-dyne-15/ jan13-dyne-15 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
185820 Torrija ($9): Spanish caramelized brioche with marscapone whipped cream and dulce de leche ice cream (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Dyne Introducing: Dyne https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-14.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dyne/slide/jan13-dyne-14/ jan13-dyne-14 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
185819 Apple honey–smoked mackerel ($23) with shishito pepper paste (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Dyne Introducing: Dyne https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-13.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dyne/slide/jan13-dyne-13/ jan13-dyne-13 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
185818 Cornish hen marinated in fermented pepper, lemon and garlic served with roast yukon potatoes and roasted campari tomatoes. The dish, by chef de cuisine Julie Marteleira, is a take on her native Portuguese traditional grilled chicken (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Dyne Introducing: Dyne https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-12.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dyne/slide/jan13-dyne-12/ jan13-dyne-12 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
185816 Raviolo stuffed with braised pork trotters, ricotta, egg yolk and lily blossom, garnished with plantains ($14) (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Dyne Introducing: Dyne https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dyne/slide/jan13-dyne-10/ jan13-dyne-10 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
185810 Poached lobster-stuffed brioche with miso aïoli, chives and iceberg lettuce ($21) (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Dyne Introducing: Dyne https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-04.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dyne/slide/jan13-dyne-04/ jan13-dyne-04 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
185812 Grilled sardines with confit lap cheong potatoes and candied lemon paste ($9) (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Dyne Introducing: Dyne https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-06.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dyne/slide/jan13-dyne-06/ jan13-dyne-06 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
185808 Sesame-marinated jellyfish noodles ($8) <br />
(Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Dyne Introducing: Dyne https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-02.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dyne/slide/jan13-dyne-02/ jan13-dyne-02 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
185814 Grilled calamari with calamansi aïoli garnished with lemon balm ($12) (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Dyne Introducing: Dyne https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-08.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dyne/slide/jan13-dyne-08/ jan13-dyne-08 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
185815 Andino commissioned his friend Paul Chmielowiec to produce this oversized replica of his prize knife (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Dyne Introducing: Dyne https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-09.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dyne/slide/jan13-dyne-09/ jan13-dyne-09 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
185811 (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Dyne Introducing: Dyne https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-05.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dyne/slide/jan13-dyne-05/ jan13-dyne-05 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
185817 (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Dyne Introducing: Dyne https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-11.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dyne/slide/jan13-dyne-11/ jan13-dyne-11 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
185807 (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Dyne Introducing: Dyne https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-01.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dyne/slide/jan13-dyne-01/ jan13-dyne-01 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
185813 Not a lot has changed since the room housed Maléna (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Dyne Introducing: Dyne https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-07.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dyne/slide/jan13-dyne-07/ jan13-dyne-07 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
185822 (Image: Megan Leahy) Introducing: Dyne Introducing: Dyne https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/jan13-Dyne-intro.jpg 656 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/dyne/slide/jan13-dyne-intro/ jan13-dyne-intro 0 0
(Image: Megan Leahy)
Dyne, 120 Avenue Rd., 416-962-5655, dyneonavenue.com, @DYNEonavenue