A visit to this new Portuguese restaurant is like a trip to Lisbon without leaving Toronto

Name: Taberna LX Contact: 1161 Dundas St. W., @taberna_lx_to
Neighbourhood: Trinity-Bellwoods
Owners: Kelly Amaral, Jonathan Poon and Gani Shqueir Chef: Jonathan Poon
Accessibility: Fully accessible main floor

It’s possible that no one in Toronto loves Portugal more than Kelly Amaral, the co-owner of Taberna LX—a sprawling two-storey, 70-seat restaurant at Dundas and Ossington. Amaral was born just down the street to her Azorean parents in the early ’70s, around the same time Portugal was beginning to find freedom from dictatorship.

Long before Dundas West was known as Little Portugal, Amaral’s parents opened one of the neighbourhood’s first supermercados, Amaral e Vala, which stocked olive oil, tinned fish and salted cod and had a fresh-fish counter run by varinas (powerful women who sold fish in Lisbon’s markets). Amaral grew up with other first-generation kids, many of whom were embarrassed by their different foods and traditions, but her parents taught her to be unflinchingly proud of her heritage. The recent opening of her no-expenses-spared restaurant is proof of a lesson learned.

LX is the short form people in Lisbon use to refer to their city. “I’ve been spending time in Lisbon since I was 15. It feels like one of the sunniest places in the world. When people step into Taberna LX, I want them to feel like they’ve been transported to Europe for a hot minute,” says Amaral. “I had to go big with LX. It’s my best shot at taking people on a journey to taste all that I’ve fallen in love with and see what I’m obsessed with.”

“We really respect Kelly’s vision, and we’re trying to welcome people into our Portuguese home with genuine warmth,” says general manager Aaron Joseph Bear Robe. And Toronto diners may already know Taberna LX’s co-owners, Jonathan Poon and Gani Shqueir, who have given Toronto Paris Paris, Superpoint, Favorites, Chantecler and Bar Fancy.

The Food

Jonathan Poon is at the helm in the kitchen once again, with dishes that point to tradition while quietly bending the rules.

The flavours of France, Spain and Italy can be easy to place, but the Portuguese profile hasn’t had the same moment in the North American spotlight. “I love churrasco chicken, but that’s not what you’ll find on every street corner in Lisbon,” says Amaral. “There are so many more authentic and modern Portuguese dishes we wanted to share.” The kitchen uses only Portuguese olive oil and imports mature editions of São Jorge cheese, a semi-hard cow’s cheese with a light farmyard funk.

While much of the menu points to the nostalgic food history of Dundas West, diners will also see a more authentic portrait of present-day Portugal, with Asian, African and Indian influences that make sense given the country’s colonial history in Macau, Mozambique and Goa.

The Drinks

Bar manager Isabo LeBlanc created a tight list of cocktails that are minimal in construction but big in flavour. She wanted them to feel unfussy yet fun and to incorporate as many unique ingredients as possible, including port from Graham’s, which also provides an exclusive rum just for Taberna LX, and ginjinha, a Portuguese cherry liqueur. “In Lisbon, everyone has their own ritual for drinking ginjinha—with as much specificity as the way people take their coffee. Some swear it has to be over ice and garnished with a tart cherry; others take small sips of it straight up from a shot glass, like scotch, after dinner,” says LeBlanc. LX also offers a short list of vintage ports that will rotate depending on what’s available.

As for wine, instead of California chardonnay, French pinot or even VQA bottles, Taberna LX has opted for an all-Portuguese list with a special focus on grapes grown in volcanic regions. “When Kelly asked me to create an exclusively Portuguese list, I said, ‘That’s gutsy—but I like it,’” says sommelier Krysta Oben. “Five years ago, we couldn’t have done it, but there’s a cool minimal-intervention energy in Portuguese winemaking that Toronto seems more open to now.” The group is working with Toronto wine importers to offer around 50 bottles, about half of which are exclusive to the restaurant.

The Space

Working with architect and designer Joana Astolfi, the team reflected the distinct regions of Portugal in every square inch of the space. The deep-blue exterior is reminiscent of the baroque buildings in Porto, and the folkloric ceramics of Braga are tucked into the ceiling like special-occasion heirlooms. Taberna LX’s two bars are cloaked in hand-painted tiles from Viúva Lamego, one of Portugal’s oldest artisan studios, which Amaral visited personally.

“We wanted the space to feel magical, sexy and slick,” says Amaral. The first floor offers a moody bistro feel with burgundy walls, golden velvet banquettes and sand-hued marble tabletops, while the second floor is an open, airy space with gold-framed mirrors and every hue of green imaginable.

If the curated decoration suggests a reverence for detail, the three-year renovation of the former Paris Paris (hampered by second-floor construction delays and licensing setbacks) makes it clear that no shortcuts were taken. One of Amaral’s non-negotiables was a spacious 40-seat rooftop patio overlooking Dundas West. As a final flourish, Taberna LX hired Toronto-artist Madison Van Rijn to paint a life-sized mural of a seaside dining scene on the rooftop’s largest wall. Washed out in sunset light, it feels like a vintage postcard from the seaside city.