Click to view gallery (Image: Jackie Pal)
Name: Kadbanu
Contact Info: 771 Dundas St. W., @Kadbanutoronto
Previously: Chinese restaurant Eastern Legend
Neighbourhood: Trinity Bellwoods
Owner: Salome Mohyeddin, who also runs Queen West kebab bar Banu with her family
Chefs: Banu chefs Amir Sina Derakhshan and Cosimo Trichilo
The Food: Many of the restaurant’s Iranian dishes are based on recipes passed down by owner Salome’s grandmother. Lighter options include a golden beet tartare studded with pomegranate seeds, or a chilled corn soup topped with freshly ground sumac. Some items on the chalkboard menu are meant for sharing, including a bowl of meaty koofteh balls in tomato broth, or the mirza ghasemi, a traditional Persian dish of roasted eggplant topped with a lightly fried egg.
The Drinks: Pomegranate and sour cherry juices are available all day. Sekanjabin is a tart, minty cocktail blended with vodka and cucumber.
The Place: Stripped of its old red window treatments, the former dumpling house has been reborn as an airy corner café. Owner Salome Mohyedding, who also runs Banu on Queen West, completely gutted the space, building a sit-down bar area and an open concept kitchen. The stark white walls and high ceilings make the place feel roomier than it really is.
287013 <strong>Kadbanu</strong> has taken over the former <strong>Eastern Legend</strong> space at Dundas West and Markham. (Image: Jackie Pal) Introducing: Kadbanu https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/1_Kadbanu_Exterior-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/1_Kadbanu_Exterior.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/1_Kadbanu_Exterior.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/kadbanu-toronto-restaurants/slide/1_kadbanu_exterior/ 1_kadbanu_exterior 0 0
(Image: Jackie Pal)
287012 White walls and high ceilings make the small space feel roomy. The small side patio provides some extra seating. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2_Kadbanu_InteriorA-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2_Kadbanu_InteriorA.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2_Kadbanu_InteriorA.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/kadbanu-toronto-restaurants/slide/2_kadbanu_interiora/ 2_kadbanu_interiora 0 0
287010 Chefs <strong>Amir Sina Derakhshan</strong> and <strong>Cosimo Trichilo</strong> https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/4_Kadbanu_Chefs-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/4_Kadbanu_Chefs.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/4_Kadbanu_Chefs.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/kadbanu-toronto-restaurants/slide/4_kadbanu_chefs/ 4_kadbanu_chefs 0 0
287009 The watermelon salad ($8) pairs cubes of melon with sliced beets, radishes and slivers of fennel. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/5_Kadbanu_watermelonsalad-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/5_Kadbanu_watermelonsalad.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/5_Kadbanu_watermelonsalad.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/kadbanu-toronto-restaurants/slide/5_kadbanu_watermelonsalad/ 5_kadbanu_watermelonsalad 0 0
287005 The <em>geymeh</em> is a traditional beef stew with a split pea and tomato base. Here, the chefs add fried shoestring potatoes ($12) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/9_Kadbanu_Gheymeh-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/9_Kadbanu_Gheymeh.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/9_Kadbanu_Gheymeh.jpg 1000 1500 [] https://torontolife.com/food/kadbanu-toronto-restaurants/slide/9_kadbanu_gheymeh/ 9_kadbanu_gheymeh 0 0
287007 Beet tartare with pomegranate arils ($6) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/7_Kadbanu_beettartare-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/7_Kadbanu_beettartare.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/7_Kadbanu_beettartare.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/kadbanu-toronto-restaurants/slide/7_kadbanu_beettartare/ 7_kadbanu_beettartare 0 0
287008 Chilled corn soup ($5) is made by roasting whole cobs over an open flame, then blending with a stock made from corn husks. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/6_Kadbanu_cornsoup-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/6_Kadbanu_cornsoup.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/6_Kadbanu_cornsoup.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/kadbanu-toronto-restaurants/slide/6_kadbanu_cornsoup/ 6_kadbanu_cornsoup 0 0
287006 <em>Koofteh</em> meatballs are stewed in tomato broth and served over crostini ($9). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/8_Kadbanu_Koofteh-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/8_Kadbanu_Koofteh.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/8_Kadbanu_Koofteh.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/kadbanu-toronto-restaurants/slide/8_kadbanu_koofteh/ 8_kadbanu_koofteh 0 0
287003 The <em>tachin</em> is one of Salome’s grandmother’s classic dishes. It’s simply rice, yogurt and egg layered to create a casserole. Kadbanu serves both a plain version ($9) and one with chicken and barberry sauce ($12). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/11_Kadbanu_Tachin-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/11_Kadbanu_Tachin.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/11_Kadbanu_Tachin.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/kadbanu-toronto-restaurants/slide/11_kadbanu_tachin/ 11_kadbanu_tachin 0 0
287004 The <em>mirza ghasemi,</em> a garlicky tomato-eggplant purée, comes with a fried egg and toasted barbari bread for dipping ($9). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/10_Kadbanu_Mirza-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/10_Kadbanu_Mirza.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/10_Kadbanu_Mirza.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/kadbanu-toronto-restaurants/slide/10_kadbanu_mirza/ 10_kadbanu_mirza 0 0
287002 The <em>Sekanjabin</em> punch is a mix of vodka, minty syrup and finely diced cucumbers ($11). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/12_Kadbanu_cucumberdrink-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/12_Kadbanu_cucumberdrink.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/12_Kadbanu_cucumberdrink.jpg 1000 1500 [] https://torontolife.com/food/kadbanu-toronto-restaurants/slide/12_kadbanu_cucumberdrink/ 12_kadbanu_cucumberdrink 0 0
287011 The restaurant also sells Barbari bread and Iranian condiments to go. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/3_Kadbanu_InteriorB-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/3_Kadbanu_InteriorB.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/3_Kadbanu_InteriorB.jpg 1000 1500 [] https://torontolife.com/food/kadbanu-toronto-restaurants/slide/3_kadbanu_interiorb/ 3_kadbanu_interiorb 0 0