Frank

The Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas Street, West Toronto Ontario, Canada

The Art Gallery of Ontario’s new eatery is not your average gallery café. named after the architect of this striking space – a certain Mr Gehry – as well as the eye-catching installation by contemporary artist frank Stella – it’s not just the art that is drawing a discerning crowd. It’s the fact that Frank’s food is among Toronto’s best. As the name suggests, the cooking is honest, simple and no-nonsense (00 1416 979 6688; ago.net/frank). much like the city itself, it takes international inspiration but has an overriding local flavour. On the plate that translates into moreish dishes like warm halloumi and fig salad – part of an Egyptian inspired menu in homage to the King Tut exhibition – or classic combos with a twist such as roasted rack of Ontario lamb with niagara meritage jus, chèvre potato mash and cavalo nero. Executive chef Anne Yarymowich’s practised hand threads these diverse dishes into a coherent and thoughtful menu, which letsthe superb local ingredients speak for themselves. Anne’s devotion to local sourcing is such that aside from a few British Columbian vintages, she boldly features an all-Ontarian wine list. With this queen of Canadian cuisine and her almost all-female kitchen running the show, it’s clear that the future masterpieces here won’t only be the ones on the wall. Alicia Miller