Martine's Wine Bar: Mind behind Bar Isabel opens new Toronto spot
The people behind some of Toronto’s trendiest bars and restaurants, like Bar Raval and Bar Isabel are back with the latest addition to their fleet.
Founded by local restaurateur Grant van Gameren, the mind behind not only Raval and Isabel, but also El Rey Mezcal Bar and Harry’s Charbroiled and now-shuttered projects like Tennessee Tavern and Pretty Ugly, it looks like Martine’s Wine Bar, van Gameren’s latest project, could be too big to fail.
The new restaurant, located in Little Italy where Woodlot and later Harry’s once stood, opened this week, without a website or much of a social media presence at all — but backed by van Gameren and Chef Luke Haines (Bar Raval), the marketing bells and whistles are unnecessary.
The menu, a few dishes of which have been previewed on Haines’ Instagram account, seems to lean towards French-inspired cuisine with international flavours, crafted with local ingredients — with some dishes using produce grown at van Gameren’s Prince Edward County property, Cressy House.
Expect to select from a number of seafood-based options like mussels in sambal broth and razor clams with oyster mushrooms and wild leeks, as well as heartier options like garganelli with fennel lamb ragout and wood oven-roasted chicken.
Martine’s Wine Bar is located at 293 Palmerston and is open from 6 pm to midnight. So far, the restaurant is walk-in only, so be sure to get in quick before it inevitably becomes too popular to get in.
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