What’s on the menu at Aisle3, a Vietnamese snack and cocktail bar

Including deep-fried shrimp toast and a pho-infused old fashioned

By Jessica Huras| Photography by Nicole and Bagol

| November 7, 2024

A spread of dishes at Aisle3, a Vietnamese bar in Toronto

Name: Aisle3 Contact: 2535 Dundas St. W., @aisle3bar
Neighbourhood: High Park
Owners: Philip Nguyen and Mimosa Nguyen Chef: Philip Nguyen Accessibility: Not fully accessible

Siblings Philip and Mimosa Nguyen first joined forces during their pandemic downtime to launch Nuoc Mam, a pop-up inspired by their Vietnamese heritage and shared passion for the hospitality industry. Although they moved on to separate projects post-pandemic, Mimosa says the excitement of running Nuoc Mam left her with a lingering desire to open a restaurant. Luckily, Philip was ready to step back in as chef, with Mimosa curating the cocktail program.

Chef Philip Nguyen stands outside of his restaurant, Aisle3

Aisle3 is a departure from Nuoc Mam’s traditional fare, with Philip instead reinterpreting the classic flavours of his childhood with influences from his experience in different Toronto kitchens. Take the bun bo Huế birria, for example: Huế-style braised oxtail served in birria tacos, drawing on Philip’s time at Grand Electric.

“We’re not trying to be an authentic mom-and-pop Vietnamese restaurant,” says Mimosa. “It’s about our experience as first-generation Vietnamese Canadians.”

The owners and team members of Aisle3, a Vietnamese restaurant in Toronto, sit at a table together — Mimosa (second from left) and Philip (centre) with their Aisle3 team

The Food

The speciality here is sharable, snacky plates that fuse Vietnamese flavours with Italian and Mexican ones. Alongside a small à la carte selection, Philip also offers an omakase-style experience for guests seated at the chef’s counter.

A Vietnamese take on arancini — This cheeky take on arancini pays homage to chef Michael Angeloni of Amano Trattoria, with whom Nguyen worked for over a decade. Coconut sticky rice is pressed into a block, fried and crowned with house-made shrimp-bacon XO jam that’s been slow-cooked for six hours to achieve a rich, sticky consistency. A drizzle of chili honey and a sprinkle of green onions complete the dish. $11

A plate of shrimp toast — Playing with the flavours of chạo tôm, a Vietnamese favourite featuring shrimp grilled on sugar cane, this shrimp toast consists of deep-fried milk bread filled with shrimp mousse, then drizzled with sugar cane gastrique and garnished with sesame seeds and ginger-scallion oil. $14

A bowl of deep-fried chicken wings — These chicken wings are all about the interplay of sweet and savoury. After being brined and fried, they’re tossed in a caramel sauce infused with ginger, scallion, Thai chili, garlic and fish sauce. The dish is finished with a scattering of sesame seeds and scallions. “I think fish sauce is beautiful, but some people find it a little bit challenging,” says Philip. “This dish is meant to make it more accessible.” $15

Fried rice with Dungeness crab — This fried rice features day-old rice cooked with plenty of fresh garlic and chunks of Dungeness crab meat. Egg, Thai basil, crispy garlic chips and puffed two-day-old rice add layers of flavour and crunch. $19

Vietnamese green papaya slaw, mixed with beef jerky, candied peanuts, shallots and fresh herbs, and served with shrimp crackers — “If you go to any Vietnamese house party, there’s always an auntie who swears she makes the best version of this,” says Philip of this punchy mix of green papaya slaw, Vietnamese beef jerky, candied peanuts, crispy shallots, fresh herbs and zesty chili-lime-tamarind dressing. It’s meant to be tossed together at the table, then heaped onto shrimp crackers, which are served on the side. $14

The Drinks

The tight cocktail menu playfully infuses classic tipples with Vietnamese ingredients like condensed milk, dragon fruit and pho.

A Vietnamese spin on an espresso martini — A spin on an espresso martini, the Sleepless in Saigon blends condensed milk with house-made demerara syrup, robusta espresso, Kahlùa and vodka. $18

A pink cocktail in a coupe, finished with a pink-sugar rim — This twist on a clover club swaps the standard raspberry syrup for dragon fruit purée. It’s shaken with gin, egg white, lemon juice and lime juice, then finished with a hibiscus-sugar rim. $18

An old fashioned cocktail sits next to a maneki-neko statue — The Old Pho-shioned starts with bourbon that’s been fat-washed with pho for 48 hours, imparting a subtle, savoury complexity. It’s combined with house-made spiced demerara syrup, orange and Angostura bitters, then served with a smouldering cinnamon stick. $18

The Space

Philip and Mimosa did the decorating themselves for Aisle3’s laid-back-yet-colourful interior. Personal knick-knacks like maneki-neko figurines and lacquer paintings donated by friends and family add warmth and character. The space seats approximately 60 people, with a 30-seat patio set to open when the weather allows.