Banu – 777 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1G1
Country: Iran
Seating: Indoor dining with small DineTO street seating
Must-try dish: Smoked Eggplant
Dinner guests: Daddy Pig
The high: Taking in the eclectic chaos of Queen Street while eating Persian food.
The low: The Lebanese wine wasn’t restocked, but Georgian wine did the trick. 

Banu shot on to Mandrea Bike’s radar when it was featured on a favourite podcast of the cousin duo – CBC’s Front Burner. The episode had owners of restaurants from across Canada discussing the trials and tribulations that they faced because of the pandemic. Between the story of the owners being three siblings, Mandrea Bike’s taste for Persian cuisine, and the close proximity from home, this eatery seemed perfect to explore. 

At the time, the restaurant was constrained to outdoor seating and held reduced hours, but that didn’t take away from the experience as it was a lovely evening and the gang was hungry. One of the sibling owners served the table, giving us a brief overview of the menu and some advice about where to go with the order. 

The appetizers were a no-brainer: a cheese board, marinated olives and smoked eggplant dip. The cheese was made with sheep’s milk and the dish was decorated with walnuts, fresh herbs and a tangy cherry jam that established an exciting blend. The olives were creamy and coated with the marinade which included pomegranate molasses, walnut, angelica and garlic. As for the eggplant, this was the evident must-try because it was something a little different than the predictable dishes often found in Middle Eastern cuisine. Plus, can you go wrong with smoked anything? No, you can’t. And for all of you non-believers in the deliciousness of eggplant, don’t knock it until you try it at Banu. 

The main was a picturesque platter that would likely feed much more than three people. The mega dish was stocked with lamb kebab, a lamb shank, grilled chicken in turmeric, and two variations of rice. 

There is no denying that the platter was delicious, but after taking another glance at the menu, the stews would have been excellent alternatives to share and try some of the fragrant flavour combinations that make Persian recipes so special. Needless to say, Mandrea Bike will be back! 

Many restaurants in Toronto have incredible takeaway options to consider as we enter into colder months and uncertainty with the pandemic, so we urge you to support these delicious local dining businesses when you can. 

Eat with you soon,

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)