ViaMichelin
Quetzal
Location picture
Michelin Guide
Worth the step
Mexican
The Michelin Guide's review
This stylish, boisterous hotspot offers up no shortage of personality. Almost everything on this distinctive menu passes through a battery of roaring wood-burning grills and hearths along the kitchen's 26-foot length, lending a primal smokiness that pervades the food and room alike. At the end of the line is a single cook at an earthenware comal, busily preparing tortillas from heirloom corn that is nixtmalized and ground in-house. Further masa-based items like a sturdy a memela filled with melty quesillo, smoky preserved shiitakes and crunchy chicharron show off the kitchen’s creativity. Grilled meats, like a meltingly tender secreto "al pastor" with charred pineapple, are a particular highlight. Those hard-pressed to make decisions can opt for a tasting menu that pulls highlights from the various options on offer. In tandem, the bar provides a wealth of imaginative (and cleverly named) agave-based cocktails that further add to the excitement.
Location
419 College St.
Toronto M5T 1T1