Pangaea: Where the stars learn to stir risotto
Each day of the 2008 film festival, Toronto Life will introduce one of TIFF’s hot spot restaurants. We inquire about the vibe, the celebs who dine there and, of course, the food. Today’s special: Pangaea.
The usual suspects: Marketing VPs by day, Minto VIPs by night.
Celebrities on site: A lot. As chef and co-owner Martin Kouprie told us, “They’ve all been here.” Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Iggy Pop, Phil Donahue, Eddie Vedder, Bono, Prince (about 18 times), Viggo Mortensen (who’s very polite), Selma Blair, John Waters, Sharon Stone, the cast and producers of The Lord of the Rings, and Christopher Walken are several of the restaurant’s famous diners.
Tell us a story: “We had to turn Catherine Deneuve away, as the restaurant was full,” said Kouprie. Mon dieu! When Elijah Wood dined with his pals from The Lord of the Rings, the actor was so happy with his mushroom risotto that he visited the kitchen to learn the finer points of stirring the risotto from the staff.
Signature dishes: Pan-roasted caribou and soya sauce-glazed wild salmon.—Jen McNeely
Pangaea: 1221 Bay St. (at Bloor St. W.), 416-920-2323.
