Introducing: Playa Cabana Hacienda, the third location of the trendy taqueria
Name: Playa Cabana Hacienda
Neighbourhood: The Annex
Contact Info: 14 Dupont St., 647-352-6030, www.playacabana.ca/
Owner/Executive Chef: Dave Sidhu, who also runs the original Playa Cabana down the street and Playa Cabana Cantina in the Junction
The Place: A two-story space crammed with Americana, including neon signs, classic movie posters and an old-school gas pump. The upstairs patio seats 85.
The Food: The menu is shorter and more snack-based than the other Playa locations, sticking to tacos, tostadas and small bites (“bocaitos”) like mahi-mahi ceviche and guacamole.
The Drinks: Tequila cocktails, including a house margarita with GTA-made Tromba Blanco, lime juice and Cointreau.
The Numbers: • $500,000 to renovate the former Vittorio’s space • $2,300 for the most expensive tequila on the menu, the Gran Patrón Reserva • 55 different kinds of tequila • 8 illuminated signs sourced from Boston, Detroit and Route 66
Caroline Aksich, a National Magazine Award recipient, is an ex-Montrealer who writes about Toronto’s ever-evolving food scene, real estate and culture for Toronto Life, Fodor’s, Designlines, Canadian Business, Glory Media and Post City. Her work ranges from features on octopus-hunting in the Adriatic to celebrity profiles.
