District Fine

Due to a mix-up in my calendar on Monday, I found myself in the freezing wind around College and Ossington instead of at home. So I decided to drop by District Oven, recently opened by the owner of 93 Harbord. After 3 years of renovation, this upscale Middle Eastern now replaces the old Brazilian bar, site of numerous World Cup celebrations.

The inside was enormous. You could fit 3 typical Toronto restaurants in here; no worries about fellow diners overhearing your conversation. It was warmly decorated with dark wood, plush lounge sofas. In some ways, the space worked against the food which was homey and comforting, even with chef's upscale touch.

I ordered a grilled eggplant appetizer ($8) and a lamb tagine ($23) with a side of basmati pilau ($5). To my disappointment, I did not get a complimentary (according to a recent review) freshly baked pita. The extremely puffed up bread certainly looked delicious at the other table. The eggplant was nicely grilled with just a touch of charring. The romesco sauce added some smooth nuttiness. The tagine was wonderful with the lamb soft and falling off the bone: rich, tender and nicely balanced in seasoning. It was a generous portion and went great with the saffron rice. The other dishes on the menu also sounded delicious: flatbread pizza, kafta burger, cauliflower "steak". The only downside was that District Oven is a tad pricey to be a regular visit.