Introducing: Raca Café & Bar, Parkdale’s new everything place from a Mark McEwan protégé
Introducing: Raca Café & Bar, Parkdale’s new everything place from a Mark McEwan protégé
Name: Raca Café & Bar
Neighbourhood: Parkdale
Contact: 1704 Queen St. W., 416-901-9951
Previously: ZeZe Food & Drink
Owner: Ivana Raca
Chef: Ivana Raca (One Restaurant, North 44, McEwan)
The Food: An always-changing menu that currently includes white asparagus soup, pan-seared lake trout and a mushroom and truffle risotto. Weekend brunch features breakfast pizza, baked eggs with chorizo and a hazelnut chocolate–stuffed crêpe.
The Drinks: A selection of wine, by the glass and bottle; two beers on tap (GLB’s Canuck Pale Ale and Gold Horseshoe Lager); and a short list of cocktails, designed by O&B’s mixologist Ed Grim. Non-boozy options include Honest Leaf teas and cold-pressed lychee cactus pear juice. “I came up with that nine years ago at One with Chaser’s Juice and now everybody buys it,” says Raca. “I’ve gotta put a stamp on it.”
The Space: Influenced by a trip to Indonesia, Raca designed the space to be her own little Bali, complete with an imported buddha that reclines in a shrine at the back of the room. (“I could’ve gone to Winners and got one for $40, but it’s not about that,” she says.) Out back is a peaceful patio complete with another buddha, this time in mural form, and strings of twinkle lights overhead for when the sun goes down.
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- Kale salad with smoked almonds, dried blueberries, Manchego cheese and balsamic-shallot vinaigrette ($12).
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- Steak tartare with preserved Italian chilies, Jerusalem artichoke chips and pea shoots. Served with baguette from Bakery & Co. ($15).
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- Roasted wild mushroom and truffle risotto topped with parmigiano-reggiano and basil ($21).
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- Pan-seared bay scallops with wild Ontario ramps, white asparagus, shaved green asparagus, dehydrated tomatoes and chive oil ($21).
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- A personal Nutella croissant bread pudding ($3.50).
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- Espresso crème brûlée ($8).
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- The Raca Cosmo: vodka, triple sec and cold-pressed lychee cactus pear juice ($9).
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- Spiced Old Fashioned: brown-butter bourbon, house-made spiced orange syrup and orange zest ($10).
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- Sparkling Berry Sangria: sparkling wine, house-made raspberry purée, lemon juice, house-made soda water ($9).
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- The buddha mural is courtesy of Toronto artist Jesse Albert.
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” The Drinks: A selection of wine, by the glass and bottle” – really you dont say. How very interesting.
Ugh, can’t Toronto Life resto/food writers write anything interesting about the wine list? Ever?
congrats Ivana.
Verbena, aloe vera, melisse, lemon-balm, and finally the usual apple; the palate as always is shady and cool, though more overtly mineral than usual, but the finish crescendos into a salty tide that clings and doesn’t quit.
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West: 99
East: 6
West FTW!