Where the Drake Hotel’s executive chef eats in Leslieville and Riverside
Daniel Hyam’s favourite spots for Cantonese cuisine, Thai food and apple fritters
Daniel Hyam has been executive chef of the Drake for the past seven months, and during that time, he’s made some big changes to the menu.
“Along with doing an overall menu revamp for lunch, we’re also doing new daily specials,” he says. “On Mondays, we’re offering $35 steak frites—and that comes with a New York–style cheesecake—and Tuesdays are half-priced sushi nights. And on Sundays, we have High Tea and High Tops, our take on afternoon tea.”
When he’s not working on the west side, he can be found wandering around Leslieville, where he lives, and neighbouring Riverside. “Many of the spots I love, I’ve found from just walking around the neighbourhood. There are so many mom-and-pop shops, and everyone is so friendly. There’s an honest and wholesome working-class vibe here, and I appreciate that,” says Hyam.
Here’s where he eats in the east end and what he orders at each spot.
Purple Penguin Cafe
889 Queen St. E., purplepenguincafe.square.site
“I came across this place by accident, but it’s a neighbourhood staple that’s been around since 2014. They’re best known for their made-to-order doughnuts.”
Related: Better Days, a new Dovercourt Village bakery, is bringing back classic Canadian doughnuts
Go-to dish #1: BLT on a sesame seed bagel
“This is a perfectly made BLT. You get that toasted sesame flavour, the bacon is smoky but not too fatty, there’s a nice hit of mayonnaise, and the lettuce and tomato are there to freshen everything up.”
Go-to dish #2: Apple fritter
“It doesn’t get fresher than this. These fritters are unique in that they’re made to order—and they’re so worth the wait. They’re made with Granny Smith apples and taste like hot apple pie. The dough itself is soft and not greasy. And they’re absolutely buried in cinnamon sugar. It’s delicious.”
Supreme Taste
351 Broadview Ave., @supreme_taste1
“This restaurant specializes in Cantonese cuisine. What I like most about it is that it’s a classic, no-frills kind of restaurant that’s great for both takeout and dining in. Best of all, the service is friendly and the food comes out incredibly quick.”
Related: Delicacy Kitchen, a Chinese restaurant at Dufferin and Lawrence with an award-winning Cantonese chef
Go-to dish #1: Hot and sour soup
“It’s a classic. It has this balance of sour, sweet and spice, with a clean finish. There are a lot of good ingredients in here: pork, shrimp, tofu and shredded mushrooms—it’s a catch-all soup. You eat it and get an energy boost.”
Go-to dish #2: Whole soy chicken
“The chicken is perfectly tender. The meat is sweet and the skin is salty. It’s all balanced out with the scallion oil, which adds depth of flavour and some pungency. It’s perfect with a side of gai lan and a bowl of steamed rice.”
Go-to dish #3: Side of gai lan with garlic
“Gail lan is Chinese broccoli that’s been blanched and wok-fried with oil and garlic. There’s a great texture to it—crunchy on the outside and soft inside. There’s a perfect amount of seasoning and garlic too.”
Isaan Der
730 Queen St. E., isaander.com
“I really enjoy how rustic and family-driven this spot feels. It’s owned and operated by chef Chatsuda Drouin and her husband, Donald. They have two other locations in the city, and all three focus on cuisine from Thailand’s northeastern Isaan region.”
Related: Tha Phae Tavern, chef Nuit Regular’s new Thai bar, has karaoke rooms and a claw machine
Go-to dish #1: Barbecue pork jowl
“I suspect that they poach the pork in aromatics to par-cook it before slicing and frying it. It’s fatty and meaty and has a snappy texture when you bite into it. It comes with this sweet and tangy sauce made with, among other ingredients, tamarind and soy. It helps to cut through the fat. It’s a great appetizer.”
Go-to dish #2: Lamb shank massaman curry
“Usually this dish is made with beef, so I really like the lamb twist here. The meat is sweet, just a touch spicy, and it falls off the bone perfectly. The sauce it sits in has so many layers of aromatics—galangal, garlic, shallot, chili, tamarind, crab paste—giving the dish this incredible depth of flavour. There are some nice hunks of yam in here too, and it’s all garnished with peanuts. Ladle the sauce and hunks of meat over some jasmine rice and it’s a perfect main dish.”
Go-to drink: Thai iced tea
“This tastes like melted ice cream. There’s black tea in here and condensed milk. It’s buttery and sweet but not overbearingly so. It’s still very light and refreshing. This drink is the perfect palate cleanser after rich dishes.”
Tiffany Leigh is an award-winning freelance journalist with degrees in business communications and education. She has a culinary background, is a recipient of the Clay Triplette James Beard Foundation scholarship award and has worked in restaurants such as Langdon Hall. In addition to Toronto Life, her pieces have been read in publications such as Forbes, Vogue, Eater, Dwell, Elle, Business Insider, Playboy, Food & Wine and Bon Appétit.
