Must-Try: Dyne’s Asian spin on grilled calamari

Must-Try: Dyne’s Asian spin on grilled calamari

(Image: Megan Leahy)

Ordering calamari is a gamble. If the chef overcooks it by even two minutes you get a tangle of elastic band–like tentacles. But when it’s done right, it’s the perfect Mediterranean share plate. Take Richard Andino’s painterly twist on the classic dish. Each tender bit is cooked until it’s superbly firm and accompanied by a black aïoli of spicy-sweet calamansi (a Filipino citrus fruit) mixed with mint, lime leaf, thai chili and palm sugar. On top, lemon balm adds a fresh hit that brings all the big flavours together. It’s Asian fusion at its best. $12.

Dyne, 120 Avenue Rd., 416-962-5655, dyneonavenue.com, @DYNEonavenue