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review

Photos by Jennifer Roberts for The Globe and Mail. Read Chris Nuttall-Smith's review of Lamesa here.

The chef

When I first reviewed Lamesa in the summer of 2012, just after it opened, it was a promising one-star spot with lofty goals – it hoped to bring Filipino flavours into the downtown food culture – but often tentative cooking. It seemed apologetic about its differentness.

Three and a half years later, the place has a new and uncommonly talented chef in the 25-year-old Daniel Cancino, who was promoted from sous-chef this past spring. His cooking is refined and intelligent and in-your-face delicious, without ever losing sight of the culinary tradition where it’s rooted. Lamesa has grown into a three-star restaurant. It should be near the top of every Toronto diner’s must-try list.

Chef Daniel Cancino, centre, is seen with his kitchen staff Ken Envidia and Ernest Gomba.

The room

The room, with its high ceilings and wainscoted walls, feels cool and casual, but Les Sabilano, who came up through Canoe restaurant, and his floor staff are gracious and professional, always eager to explain their menu and the dishes. The crowd here is a mix of young Filipino Canadians, non-Filipino cool kids and older diners who have heard that they need to try the place.

A mural painted by Ilona Fiddy and Christine Mangosing.
A lolo cool J bourbon-based drink.
Ellie Posadas and Justin Bella.

The food

It was exquisite, all of it, one of the most refreshing dining experiences I’ve had in this city. Lamesa serves its superb, modern-Filipino cooking with confidence and polish that has been injected into the restaurant in the past few years.

The corned beef lumpia.
Albacore tuna kinilaw, a Philippine-style ceviche/
The pork octopus dinuguan.
The squash arroz caldo.
The cauliflower ginataan.
Beef bulalo.
The ube leche flan dessert.