Essen

Annabelle Goodman —

I don’t where to start in raving about this new restaurant. Get in your car now and discover it for yourself. Essen is a Yiddish word meaning to eat. You will want to do that on this Jewish style gourmet food. Lior is the charming young talented owner/chef. He is trained at George Brown but no doubt brings the influence of his mother born in Hungary and raised in Israel. He was so sweet to take time out to tell us all about this fun place with such excellent food. What a delightful talented young man! Firstly note the décor. Lior’s brother is a furniture designer. It is subtle but in such amazing, creative good taste. The tables are of exquisite wood and simply designed. Note the large ‘E’ by the kitchen. It is a shelf that holds bottles of homemade preserves. The mirror frames, the chairs, the lighting are all done in exquisite taste. It all looks so warm and inviting and done in a simple style of great design. The Bar Mitzvah wall is near the kitchen. Lior was so cute as a Bar Mitzvah boy and the family pictures are a treasure. Jade was our amazing server. She is an artist and glassblower and friends with Lior and his brother. No wonder everyone was so friendly and charming. They all work together as a team. It was such a total experience to dine here.

1282 Dundas St W – 416 534 0407

My friend E. and I have never had a bad meal together. We search out new and wonderful places and are rarely disappointed. On this occasion we were delirious with delight.
 
This is not a deli. It is not that overcooked food we often remember from our parents. This is gourmet food with a Jewish flavor. The Pita and Hummus were special. The hummus was topped with olive oil and za’atar (Israeli spice).It was spectacular. Lior knows I am coming back for my favorite Shashouka, a wonderful flavorful tomato sauce dish with poached eggs. When in Israel I eat it every day.
 
Chopped Liver and Smoked Salmon always make for an appealing appetizer. You can enjoy a glass of wine and an appetizer or go for a full course meal. Some parts of the menu are suggested for sharing. Other items are for individual choices. It is a varied and inviting menu.
 
My friend and I opted for the Albacore Tuna. It was rubbed with za’atar and harissa. Perfectly cooked. Totally enjoyed. That was the best Cauliflower. It was cooked only slightly and so well flavored with turmeric, za’atar and olive oil. OMG but it was delicious. We also ordered the baby Roast Eggplant with tahini and herbs. We scraped the plate. The eggplant was smoky and flavorful and beautifully plated.
 
Braised Beef Brisket, Cabbage Rolls and a Falafel Plate are all house specialties. We decided to save them for another time. The lunch menu also offers a variety of tasty dishes.
 
We were full. We were content with our great new discovery. We shared a plate of Cookies just to have a concluding dish. There were three types of cookies. Each one was better than the next. The Chocolate Rugelah and Coconut Cookies were demolished in a flash. They all tasted homemade.
Dundas Street used to be an area for Jewish immigrants. That is in the past. It was a daring venture to open Essen on Dundas St. It will surely bring back many memories for many people. Guaranteed nobody had food like this. The neighborhood has greatly changed. The young professionals now living in the area have a neighborhood ‘go to place’ to enjoy wholesome and affordable home cooked gourmet Jewish style food. When can I go back?