Introducing: Essen, a new spot on Dundas West for brisket, smoked salmon and matzoh-ball ramen
Introducing: Essen, a new spot on Dundas West for brisket, smoked salmon and matzoh-ball ramen
Name: Essen
Contact Info: 1282 Dundas St. W., 416-534-0407, essentoronto.com
Neighbourhood: Little Portugal
Previously: Quinta
Chef/Owner: Leor Zimerman, who closed his Portuguese-French bistro Quinta earlier this year and reopened the restaurant as Essen.
The Food: Essen serves the kind of food you would’ve eaten at home, if you’d been raised in a Jewish household with a French-trained chef for a mom. Ashkenazi and Sephardic dishes are unfussy but prepared with care by Zimerman, who likes to tweak traditional Jewish staples (matzo ball soup gets a ramen makeover, for example). Though à-la-carte options are available, meals are designed to be eaten family style; Zimerman suggests ordering a main (beef brisket, roast Muscovy duck breast), a veg (tsimmis roast carrots, braised cabbage) and a side (duck fat fries, pearl couscous). Essen isn’t strictly kosher, but they don’t serve pork or shellfish, and meat and dairy never mix.
The Drinks: Signature cocktails have quirky names; for instance, the H. Krustofsky (a slivovitz-and-manischewitz number) is named after Krusty the Clown’s father.
The Place: The 17-day reno left much of Quinta intact (same tables, chairs and lights). A fresh coat of paint and a revamped bar are the biggest changes, plus a clutch of adorably awkward bar mitzvah photos hanging on one wall (if you bring your own wall-worthy shot, Zimerman may comp your dinner).
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- <b>Essen</b> is a rebranding of <b>Quinta,</b> the Portuguese bistro at 1282 Dundas West.
- (Image: Caroline Aksich)
- Introducing: Essen
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- The decor hasn't changed much since the restaurant's Quinta days; there's a new coat of paint, a new bar, and a clutch of bar mitzvah photos on one wall.
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- If you bring your own wall-worthy bar mitzvah shot, chef and owner <b>Leor Zimerman</b> may comp your dinner.
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- Falafel platter for two: hummus, tahini, pita, pickled turnips and house-smoked olives ($18).
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- Dr Pepper–braised beef brisket with horseradish ($18).
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- Charred eggplant topped with tahini, herbs and chopped red onions ($6).
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- Jewish Ramen: egg noodles, matzoh balls, soft egg, deep-fried wonton-wrapped brisket kreplach ($14).
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- Miami short ribs with prune and manischevitz glaze, fresh chilies and scallions ($12). The dish was inspired by Zimerman’s love of Korean short ribs. The name is a nod to elderly Jewish snowbirds who flock down to Florida during the winter (hence the prunes).
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- H. Krustovsky: slivovitz, manischevitz, Luxardo, black pepper and lemon ($12).
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- Transatlantic: rye, Pimm’s, za’atar-stewed peach purée, ginger beer and mint ($12).
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- Owner and chef Leor Zimerman (right) and his brother Aviv, who helms the front of house.
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![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/food/essen-toronto-restaurants/&title=Introducing: Essen, a new spot on Dundas West for brisket, smoked salmon and matzoh-ball ramen&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/ramen-624x395.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_293953" align="aligncenter" width="656"] (Image: Caroline Aksich)[/caption]
Name: Essen
Contact Info: 1282 Dundas St. W., 416-534-0407, essentoronto.com
Neighbourhood: Little Portugal
Previously: Quinta
Chef/Owner: Leor Zimerman, who closed his Portuguese-French bistro Quinta earlier this year and reopened the restaurant as Essen.
The Food: Essen serves the kind of food you would’ve eaten at home, if you'd been raised in a Jewish household with a French-trained chef for a mom. Ashkenazi and Sephardic dishes are unfussy but prepared with care by Zimerman, who likes to tweak traditional Jewish staples (matzo ball soup gets a ramen makeover, for example). Though à-la-carte options are available, meals are designed to be eaten family style; Zimerman suggests ordering a main (beef brisket, roast Muscovy duck breast), a veg (tsimmis roast carrots, braised cabbage) and a side (duck fat fries, pearl couscous). Essen isn’t strictly kosher, but they don’t serve pork or shellfish, and meat and dairy never mix.
The Drinks: Signature cocktails have quirky names; for instance, the H. Krustofsky (a slivovitz-and-manischewitz number) is named after Krusty the Clown’s father.
The Place: The 17-day reno left much of Quinta intact (same tables, chairs and lights). A fresh coat of paint and a revamped bar are the biggest changes, plus a clutch of adorably awkward bar mitzvah photos hanging on one wall (if you bring your own wall-worthy shot, Zimerman may comp your dinner).
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Looks awesome! Can’t wait to try!
I’ve been and the food is incredible … Highly recommended!!!
Yes foods deserve respect !!?
I absolutely adore anyone who tries to updates all the best of Jewish Food, and think that Soup looks to be heaven in a bowl. Now if someone could work similar magic with Gifilte Fish I would be over the moon!