Little Portugal loses Essen
Toronto’s only purveyor of Jewish ramen, Essen, has closed. Owner and chef Leor Zimerman first opened Quinta, the French-Portuguese bistro, in 2012, but changed things up when sales started to sag. Last September, he debuted Essen at the same address, where he served traditional(ish) Jewish dishes, like the aforementioned matzoh-ball noodle bowl, a chopped chicken liver banh mi and a manischewitz cocktail named after Krusty the Clown’s father. Unfortunately, there will be no third act for Zimerman—at this location, anyway. “I closed to spend more time with my family,” he says. “I’ve missed most of my daughter’s toddler years running the restaurants.” Essen’s last dinner service was held on August 26. Luckily, we can still satisfy our cravings for updated Ashkenazi nosh at Anthony Rose’s Fat Pasha.
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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.
