Name: Orote Contact: 276 Havelock St., @oroterestaurant Neighbourhood: Dufferin Grove Owners: Han Kim, James Lee and Kwangtaek Lee Chef: Kwangtaek Lee Seating: 28 Accessibility: Not fully accessible
The food
Lee has come squarely into his own after four years of experience at Actinolite, Justin Cournoyer’s renowned contemporary Canadian restaurant. Under his tutelage, Lee learned the virtues of locavorism, preserving and fermentation, and a creative, experimental culinary outlook that breaks a dish down to its components and builds it into something new. At the helm of Orote, Lee applies these principles to his culinary heritage reimagining classic Korean flavour profiles, turning condiments into main events, and peppering it all with a dose of thoughtful modern technique.
In Lee’s world, a shrimp-and-pork combo becomes cured, wafer-thin pork belly with a dusting of shrimp powder; mussels and dehydrated radish make their way into a verdant salad; roasted buckwheat tea is steeped in cream, foamed to an air-light whip, and dusted with chocolate. It’s all laid out in an elegant six-course prix-fixe menu ($78, plus optional additions), which will rotate at least seasonally.
A tight but well-rounded selection of natural wines—including local and Old World labels—makes up the bulk of the drink menu. There’s also a handful of beer and cider options, a few non-alcoholic wine proxies from Acid League, and water from local producer Lark.
The space
A slate grey, wood, and terra cotta palette gives the one-room restaurant a peaceful, modern vibe that pulls focus to the intricately plated dishes. Much of the plateware is handmade by local ceramicists like Akai Ceramic Studio. A massive mural featuring Orote’s tiger logo overlooks a row of comfortable bench seating and 10 bar spots, including a few facing the bustling open kitchen.