Le Germain Hotel is getting a ritzy Indian-influenced British pub
Butter chicken pot pie, anyone?
While fusion—that once-dreaded culinary F word—is back in vogue, the new Indo-British restaurant opening this week inside Toronto’s Le Germain Hotel stands a little apart from the fad.
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At Punch, executive chef Mandar Kulkarni (Le Sélect Bistro, Don Alfonso 1890, Buca Osteria and Bar) draws on his family’s recipes while also drawing attention to how London’s dining scene has long been shaped by its ties to India. Tradition sets the foundation, but imagination drives the menu, a collection of dishes inspired by both Indian aunties and British mums.
“I feel privileged to share a menu that reflects my own story and cultural roots,” says Kulkarni. “My goal is to immerse guests in the flavours and spices that echo Indian tradition while encompassing my training in global dining flavour.”
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To that end, there are heart-and-belly-warming mash-ups like butter chicken pot pie, a flaky pastry shell loaded with a velvety makhani sauce. There’s also a house beef Wellington, in which tenderloin and wild mushroom duxelles are joined by swiss chard and sunchoke purée in a rich jus layered with the spiced intensity of rogan josh that doesn’t seek to dethrone the original but rather lets a dual history shine.
For now, Punch is open only for dinner, but it will be starting brunch service later this year. No one asked for our opinion, but we’re thinking an eggs Florentine saag paneer crossover would hit just right.
Erin Hershberg is a freelance writer with nearly two decades of experience in the lifestyle sector. She currently lives in downtown Toronto with her husband and two children.
