Toronto's new restaurant boasts a 360-degree bar and a year-round patio — here's a look inside

Calgary-based restaurant and bar chain, Central Taps, is opening its first Toronto location next month, and we’ve got a first look for you.

Toronto is no stranger to being the launching pad for Western Canadian restaurant chains’ eastern expansions. Edmonton-founded and now B.C.-based mega chain, Earls, has been a staple in the city for nearly 15 years, while younger brands like Vancouver’s Hello Nori have landed in the city more recently to equal fanfare.

The latest Canadian chain to open in Toronto is Calgary’s Central Taps, which currently operates one location in its home city (with another on the way), a recently opened Vancouver spot, and, come July 3, a Toronto location on Ossington.

Funnily enough, Central’s debut in Toronto almost perfectly coincides with that of Vancouver’s Lunch Lady, which officially opened for business on June 26, basically directly across the street.

Having visited both, we can say confidently that this summer will be one for the books on Ossington, and if you don’t believe us, just take a look at what Central is cooking up.

The restaurant feels like the spacious, casual-yet-cool haunt that the Ossington strip didn’t know it needed. While there’s already an infinite number of bars and restaurants lining the street, Central taps into a groovy, jovial energy that makes it a perfect fit in the neighbourhood, while also boasting plenty of space to field the overflowing party crowd.

The interior, designed by Canadian Firm Way of Normal, gives the feel of a basement listening room, with wooden beams, concrete accents, and warm lighting, and that’s all by design: music is at the heart of the restaurant.

“What goes better with great food than great music?” Central’s regional manager, Andrew Gordon, asks Dished Toronto. It’s a rhetorical question, of course, but Central’s synthesis of the two things is proof that the answer is nothing.

Central’s menu is identical across all of its locations, a choice that, Gordon tells Dished Toronto, was based on the chain’s desire to ensure consistent experiences for its patrons across the board.

“We want people to feel confident in what they’re getting anywhere in the country,” Gordon tells Dished Toronto.

That said, he does mention that the chain aims to introduce new menu items every six months or so, to encourage what’s sure to be an enthusiastic regular crowd to keep coming back.

Some dishes, though, will always be on the menu, and the Spicy Pork Belly Ramen ($24.50) is one of them. The dish is a best-seller among the chain’s patrons and staff alike, and it’s not hard to understand why.

The creamy, spicy miso broth packs a surprising punch, while a soft-boiled egg and slabs of charred pork belly add a hardy bite.

For being the only ramen dish at a restaurant whose menu runs the gamut from ahi tuna tataki to pizza, it more than holds up among the city’s slew of other ramens, even at restaurants solely devoted to the stuff.

Speaking of the tuna tataki, Central’s take on the Japanese dish is another standout.

The Togarashi Tuna Tataki ($17.50) is one of four different sushi options on the menu, but this one takes on a decidedly Vietnamese flavour profile, featuring seared ahi tuna with Nuoc Cham dressing, paired with a spicy and bright slaw of green beans, daikon, cucumber, tomato, carrot, and crispy onion.

The Crispy Chili Salmon Roll is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for sushi lovers. It features tempura-battered salmon, red pepper, green onion and a teriyaki glaze that renders soy sauce utterly unnecessary.

While $18.75 may be decidedly steep for a sushi roll, you get eight enormous pieces, guaranteed to satisfy your sushi craving.

Gordon describes the Lemon Grass Noodle Bowl ($24) as the “pride and joy” of the central team, and we get it.

While the menu boasts no small number of burgers, pizza and other delightfully greasy and fried things — all important in their own right — this bowl is a show-stopper when it comes to the restaurant’s lighter, fresher options, and that’s not only due to its dazzling visual appeal.

The sweet chili lime vinaigrette and Nuoc Cham dressing leave vermicelli noodles dripping in a spicy, herby and tangy sauce, while romaine, cabbage, carrots, and peanuts give the whole thing a satisfying crunch.

To top it all off, lemongrass-marinated seared chicken packs a protein-heavy punch.

Asian cuisine isn’t the only thing you’ll find on the menu at Central, though. In fact, the menu boasts dishes spanning the entire globe, from Hong Kong to Honolulu.

Mexico gets ample representation on the menu, and the Braised Pork Carnitas Tacos ($16.25) taste like they came straight from a street food vendor. They’re served on soft corn tortillas (naturally gluten-free) and come loaded with mashed avocado, chili aioli, feta, and diced onion for a decidedly fresh bite.

At Happy Hour, which runs daily from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., with a second, late-night version running Sunday through Thursday from 9 p.m. to close, you can score these bad boys for just $4 a pop.

Of course, no meal would be complete without a sweet treat to round it out, and the Fresh Mini Doughnuts ($11) are an absolute must.

“Mini” is a bit of a misnomer here, because you get three only slightly smaller than average doughnuts served fresh out of the fryer with lemon curd, blueberry compote, and a generous dusting of powdered sugar.

They’re crispy on the outside, light-as-air on the inside, and will most certainly leave their mark on you if you wear a black shirt, but take our word for it; it’ll be worth it.

The food is only one part of the equation here. Central offers an equally expansive beverage menu full of unique, carefully-crafted cocktails, too.

According to Andrew, some people come to Central’s Calgary location specifically to get the Strawberry and Lychee Popping Soda ($13), which has become something of a house special over the years.

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Empress gin, Soho Lychee Liqueur, yuzu, and lemon juice are layered up to a sweet, tangy and extremely refreshing result, but the real stars of the show are the popping strawberry pearls on top. It’s like an adult version of bubble tea.

If you prefer something more traditional, the Pineapple Jalapeño Margarita ($14.50) should fit the bill — and it pairs great with those tacos.

It’s made with house-infused pineapple jalapeño Cuervo Tradicional Tequila and, here’s the kicker, kept in a keg, so that you never have to wait longer than three minutes before your drink hits the table.

It’s enticing to immediately turn one’s nose up at chains moving into the city, especially on a strip once so widely celebrated for its independent businesses like Ossington, but Central feels like a perfect fit.

It’s not gimmicky, it’s not tacky; it’s just good food, drinks and music, and we can’t imagine somewhere better equipped to house it than Ossington.

Central Toronto Ossington

Address: 114 Ossington Ave., Toronto

Phone: 647-925-6337

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