Dear reader,
“A Korean and an Ecuadorian walk into a laundromat” sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but it’s actually the genesis of Bonito’s, a new diner on Ossington that recently opened in an old coin laundry. It’s the latest addition to the city’s growing collection of kitchens that fuse Korean food with [insert any other country’s cuisine here].
In 2009, brothers Leemo and Leeto Han changed how Torontonians thought about Korean with Swish by Han, their Wellington East restaurant that served contemporary high-low takes on the dishes they grew up eating. In place of more traditional staples, like pork bone soup, there were onion bun sliders stuffed with spicy pork neck and processed American cheese. They went on to open Oddseoul, a late-night snack bar that quickly became famous for its kimchi-topped squash poutine and a brisket burger that was the equivalent of a Korean Big Mac. The two cut business ties eventually, with Leemo going it alone (Han solo?) on more recent ventures like Seoul Shakers (Korean-South American) and Pepper’s (Korean convenience store with a retro lunch counter).
The Han bros started a trend that won’t quit, giving rise to places like Korean-influenced Mexican taquerias, Korean-French bistros and now Bonito’s, a Korean-Ecuadorian diner that celebrates the very different backgrounds of two chefs, equally and successfully.
Also in this week’s newsletter: Five Toronto takes on the Japanese egg sandwich (including one with—shocker!—some Korean flair) and a tour of Little India’s best bites, according to the owner of Desi Burger.
For more of our food-and-drink coverage, visit torontolife.com or subscribe to our print edition.
