Tala Toronto – 294 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M5T 1G2
Country: Philippines
Must-try dish: Pork Skewers
Dinner Guest (virtual): Suited Sebastien, Pornstar Sam, Uncle Yusuf, Young Matt
The high: Their creative way of bringing the Kamayan Fest to our homes. 
The low: The garlic infused rice lacked garlic. 

Kamayan is a native Filipino word that’s defined as “by hand”, a traditional style of eating which is done communally and without plates or utensils. A Kamayan Feast is a colourful array of food served atop a bed of rice which is spread across a table lined with banana leaves. For those who like to use their hands to eat, this is right up your alley. 

As COVID-19 rages on, this form of communal eating poses certain difficulties in a world in which gatherings may not be such a wise idea. Therefore, Mandrea Bike did the best possible option available at preserving the tradition of the boodle fight, a military style form of eating often used interchangeably with the term Kamayan Feast. After some quick research we did however learn that we neglected to commence the boodle fight by uttering the traditional commands:

“Ready on the left, Ready on the right, Commence boodle fight!”

Tala Toronto is a small restaurant located at kitty-corner to the AGO. Although recent news has been released that Tala will be closing its doors due to its space being zoned for redevelopment, Tala hopes to re-open in a new home. Brought to us by the same owners as Tinuno, Tala has become known famously as the restaurant that serves up the pizza box Kamayan Feasts. With individual, double and quad portions, the feast can  live on at home as we fight through the pandemic.

The double portion brings forth a tough decision that we were not ready to make, and therefore chose both the grilled milk fish and chicken which was worth the extra few bucks. What makes these feasts so exciting is the vast selection of grilled proteins, vegetables and fruit. It includes shrimp, mussels, pork skewers, squid, milk fish, chicken, eggplant, okra and some fresh orange slices to add some sweetness to the meal. 

Although the proteins and vegetables were flavoursome, we were disappointed by the lack of garlic flavour in the rice. Back during our adventure at Tinuno the garlic infused rice was a highlight of the meal, as the garlic flavour was pungent. 

This unique culinary experience is an exciting way to taste Filipino cuisine while having an interactive experience. We are excited to see where Tala ends up and if all else fails we will surely continue to support and recommend both Tala and Tinuno to anyone who wants to experience a Kamayan Feast. We wish all the best to the team at Tala and hope that they continue to fight to provide their creative approach to pizza box feasts into Toronto homes.

Please do your part in ordering directly from restaurants when getting takeout. Not only do they often provide savings, but the restaurant also benefits. As much as delivery companies are amazing and convenient, they take a large cut in the small profits that restaurants earn. These small businesses need everything they can get to stay afloat during the pandemic so that they can continue to fill our bellies now and forever.

Eat with you soon,

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)