Located in Toronto’s Lawrence Heights area, Krystos dishes up terrific Greek food in a snazzy room outfitted in a refreshingly contemporary manner.
Featuring an abundance of glass, onyx, and marble, as well as oversized murals, a waterfall and fireplace, the bright and airy space instantly welcomes with its sleek lines and up-to-the-minute décor accents.
We start with a terrific dip, thick, creamy, jazzed with feta and slightly spicy.
That classic of the Greek kitchen, spanakopita, boasts flaky, rich phyllo pastry packed with an intensely flavourful spinach filling.
A house-made honey herb vinaigrette animates a village salad loaded with super-fresh greens.
Herb-flecked hunks of pork souvlaki are tender and generous. Also generous is the perfectly grilled calamari that is tender, smoky and topped with tomatoes, onions and capers.
The kitchen’s moussaka is the best I’ve had in Toronto: Moist, cinnamon-scented ground beef is layered with thick slices of sweet eggplant, potato and a cloud-like topping of béchamel.
Finish with the kitchen’s excellent made-in-house baklava. Served warm, and dusted with cinnamon, it’s anchored by delicate, flaky phyllo and is packed with walnuts. Best of all, it’s not too sweet — a truly sophisticated version of this Greek dessert.
The 3,000-square-foot restaurant can accommodate groups of 80 people. A private dining room seats 50. Groups can order from a prix-fixe menu or opt for a menu customized by the kitchen. Krystos also caters meetings and events.
To book an event, or for more information, call Alicja at 416 482-6211.
— Don Douloff has been a restaurant critic for over 30 years and, during that time, has critiqued more than 1,500 eateries. In 1988, he studied the fundamentals of French cuisine at Ecole de Cuisine La Varenne in Paris, France. During his time in France, he furthered his gastronomic education by visiting the country’s bistros, brasseries and Michelin-starred temples of haute cuisine. He relishes exploring the edible universe in his native Toronto and on his travels throughout Canada and abroad.
