Country: Bangladesh   
Must-try dish: Beef Haleem 
Dinner guests: Dr. Vulture
The high: We discovered a new part of the city where we can eat Bengali food, shop for Bengali products, and interact with Bengali people. 
The low: Little Bangladesh can seem intimidating at first, but you’ll be overcome by the hospitality and friendliness there. 

There’s a fascinating pocket in Victoria Park that goes on for three city blocks where many of Toronto’s Bangladeshi community gather called Little Bangladesh. It feels like you’ve stepped out of Toronto and into another place entirely. The restaurants, shops, offices all cater to Bengali tastes, culture, and language. 

We relied on our Bengali-Canadian friend turned tour guide to take us around ensuring that we get all the best snacks, meals, and sweets, all mixed together with the history of Bangladesh. It was the standard tea time when we first arrived in the neighbourhood, which is a little later than what we’re used to at 7 p.m., but we fit right in with our cups of chai and savoury pastries in the July sunshine. We hit three places that all specialize in different dishes that have their own unique character. 

Dhaka Kebab – 3040 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4C 1N2 
Seating: Indoor and outdoor patio in front. 

The first stop of the tour, and funnily enough also the last stop at the end of the night for dessert was at Dhaka Kebab. Although there are curries and heavier dishes available, we kicked off the night with savoury pastries and sweet tea on one of the picnic tables in the front. This was our first experience trying an Aloo Chop, a snack made from potatoes, spices, and coating then deep-fried. The blend of spices became familiar over the course of the evening, but in the first bite, it was all heavenly on the palate. 

Upon our arrival, a fresh batch of samosas came out of the oven so it was a no-brainer to order a couple of them. The Chicken Samosa is a crowd-pleaser that we were thrilled to enjoy, however the Koliza Singara was an unexpected delight. It looks like a samosa from the outside and uses many of the same ingredients such as potatoes, garlic, coriander, and spices but the secret weapon is the goat liver meat that’s mixed in it. All of these pastries are excellent on their own, yet if you’re looking to spice things up, there’s always hot sauce that can help out. In addition to the pastries we also orders Chotpoti which is a traditional Bengali street food which consists mainly of potatoes, chickpeas, onions, and topped with dried chillies and boiled egg. Grab a spoon and dig in.

The snacks were washed down with a chai black tea blended with sugar, cinnamon, and condensed milk that perfectly balanced the savouriness from earlier. 

Adi Bikrampur Sweets and Fast Food – 3000 Danforth Ave, East York, ON M4C 1M7
Seating: There is no seating, it’s only for takeaway. 

This woman run shop is tiny, only allowing for a couple of people inside at once, while everyone else waits in a queue outside. To follow the lead of all the Bengalis outside of the shop eating their snacks along the street, we ordered the Chicken Roll – a long and thin snack that is easy to eat bite by bite. The filling is a chicken stew seasoned with warmer spices like cinnamon and nutmeg then breaded and deep-fried. It’s heavier than the ones previously but it’s something that you want to share. 

We also ordered a Dal Puri, which is a flatbread that’s slightly sweetened. Typically it’s stuffed with legumes, vegetables or meat, but this one was plain. It was an easy accompaniment following the fragrant flavours in the Chicken Roll. 

The best part of this stop was eating while standing on the sidewalk among groups of Benhalis, all enjoying the same snacks. It was a place to hang out, to catch up, or to grab a quick bite among others. 

RedHot Tandoori – 3030 Danforth Ave, East York, ON M4C 1N2
Seating: There’s only indoor seating, with a party room in the basement. 

Over the course of the evening walking through Little Bangladesh, we passed RedHot a few times and there was a constant flow of people at tables. With tea time being later in the afternoon, that means that dinner time is also pushed back. When we arrived at 8:30 p.m. to order a few main dishes to share, it was impressive to see that the entire restaurant was packed with people enjoying a meal together. There was even a party happening downstairs that accounted for many people being dressed up. 

As we were looking into the window, a man sitting alone at a booth table invited us in to sit with him. This kind and welcoming gesture solidified Little Bangladesh as one of the more hospitable places in Toronto. Our newest friend shared about himself, and we quickly realized that he hailed from the same city as our guide Dr. Vulture. 

The spread that was delivered to our table was a spectacle of beauty. There were two plates packed with Naan Bread for dipping into the curries that accompanied it. The Bright yellowish colour of the Butter Daal was tempting as well as its smell. This dish is decadent in every possible way as the main ingredient is clarified butter (also known as ghee). The base is red lentils with coriander, onion, garlic, and spices. It gets its vibrant colour from the turmeric. 

The Goat Biryani speaks for itself with the seasoned rice and chunks of meat. There are options for alternative proteins, but goat is prominent in Bangladesh’s cuisine. For those who might be skeptical of goat meat, this would be the best opportunity to try it because it isn’t the main event in the dish. In addition, Biryani is a tedious recipe to master, so ordering a plate at a restaurant is the easy solution to enjoy it without much work involved. 

The dish that stole our hearts was the Beef Haleem. A wise man once said: “Dare I say, Pakistan created it, but Bangladesh perfected it”, in regards to the flavoursome stew. Regardless, it’s well loved after only one taste. The texture is unique making it seem  like oatmeal mixed with beef pieces and spices. It’s especially easy to grab large portions of it with naan bread. 

RedHot is a meeting point for families, friends, and neighbours to enjoy food together. It’s owned by a husband and wife duo, and it’s not uncommon for the husband to work the room with all the regulars who are talking, or debating about the old country in Bengali. This felt like a true glimpse into Bangladeshi culture, and we loved every minute of it. 

Little Bangladesh has no shortage of grocers selling Bengali items. We took a particular liking to Marhaba because of the large bags of spices, availability of mustard oil, whole frozen fish, and the predominantly Bengali clientele inside the shop. 

We ended the night with more pieces of Jamon than we could consume. These famous sweets are made with condensed milk, rose-water, sugar, and coconut shavings – it’s like nothing you would ever try in North America. It was cleansing on the palate unlike many other desserts.  

Bengali food is known to be spicier than the cuisine of its neighbouring countries, but the pastries and curries were more flavourful than hot. If you want to pack more heat, then small chillies are available to bite into while you eat that will likely set your mouth on fire. This adventure learning about a new cuisine was educational and delicious. We look forward to more jaunts in Little Bangladesh! 

Eat with you soon,

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)