Introducing: Tilde, the taqueria it took a neighbourhood to build (in exchange for tacos)
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Name: Tilde
Contact Info: Tilde, 699 Danforth Ave., 416-469-8226, tildetaco.ca , @tildetaco
Previously: Bistro 699
Owner/Chef: Gauravi Shah, who co-owns Tilde with her husband
The Food: After working as a nuclear engineer for five years, Shah dropped everything to enrol in culinary school at George Brown. Her debut restaurant is technically a taqueria, but the menu is hardly traditional—tortillas come topped with gochujang-spiced chicken and curried Bengali fish in addition to more familiar options, like pork with mole sauce. Appetizers include chicken wings, nopal (cactus fritters) and, of course, chips and guac.
The Drinks: There are seven Ontario beers on draught, including Beau’s, Flying Monkeys and Wellington, plus wine on tap for $1 per ounce.
The Place: The small room has a distinctly DIY vibe (not entirely surprising, considering that neighbourhood volunteers were recruited to help renovate it, in exchange for tacos). The dark-walled space is livened up with orange and purple chairs and a matching mural of the Toronto skyline at sunset.
282029 <strong>Tilde</strong> is located at 699 Danforth Avenue, in the space that used to be <strong>Bistro 699</strong> (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Tilde https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-01-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/tilde-toronto-restaurants/slide/tilde-toronto-restaurant-01/ tilde-toronto-restaurant-01 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
282031 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Tilde https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-03-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/tilde-toronto-restaurants/slide/tilde-toronto-restaurant-03/ tilde-toronto-restaurant-03 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
282032 Shah recruited Danforth residents to help renovate the space (in exchange for tacos). She painted the city-skyline mural herself (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Tilde https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-04-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/tilde-toronto-restaurants/slide/tilde-toronto-restaurant-04/ tilde-toronto-restaurant-04 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
282033 The decorative bicycle was donated by the cycle shop next door (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Tilde https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-05-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/tilde-toronto-restaurants/slide/tilde-toronto-restaurant-05/ tilde-toronto-restaurant-05 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
282034 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Tilde https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-06-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/tilde-toronto-restaurants/slide/tilde-toronto-restaurant-06/ tilde-toronto-restaurant-06 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
282037 Deep-fried chicken wings with dip ($6.50) (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Tilde https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-09-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/tilde-toronto-restaurants/slide/tilde-toronto-restaurant-09/ tilde-toronto-restaurant-09 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
282038 Slow-roasted pork taco with chocolate mole, pineapple and pickled radish onions ($5) (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Tilde https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-10-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/tilde-toronto-restaurants/slide/tilde-toronto-restaurant-10/ tilde-toronto-restaurant-10 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
282039 Charred shrimp tostada with garlicky marinade, avocado and lime crema ($6) (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Tilde https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-11-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/tilde-toronto-restaurants/slide/tilde-toronto-restaurant-11/ tilde-toronto-restaurant-11 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
282036 The house hot sauce blends arbol, ancho, jalapeño and Sichuan peppers (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Tilde https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-08-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/tilde-toronto-restaurants/slide/tilde-toronto-restaurant-08/ tilde-toronto-restaurant-08 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
282040 Churros are rolled in cinnamon sugar and served with orange-Nutella dip ($5) (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Tilde https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-12-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-12.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/tilde-toronto-restaurants/slide/tilde-toronto-restaurant-12/ tilde-toronto-restaurant-12 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
282035 There are seven Ontario beers on draught, including Beau’s, Flying Monkeys and Wellington (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Tilde https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-07-200x200.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/tilde-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg 1000 635 [] https://torontolife.com/food/tilde-toronto-restaurants/slide/tilde-toronto-restaurant-07/ tilde-toronto-restaurant-07 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)