Planta Queen

Chef David Lee wowed Toronto foodies with Nota Bene, his Queen Street resto where well-heeled locals would head for the tasting menu. In a bit of a surprise move, the chef opened Yorkville’s Planta in 2016, a plant-based resto for the same style of the patron. It has done so well that Nota Bene has been transformed into Planta Queen. While the original Planta plucks culinary inspo from across the globe, this one sticks to Asia, with walls papered in dragons, faux trees dotting the space, and eats including vegan sushi.

Watermelon has worked effectively in poké as a tuna substitute at the original Planta, so it was only natural to use it in sushi. Chef Lee isn't attempting to duplicate real fish, but he is attempting to give vegan sushi more body and flavor. Dehydrating the watermelon enhances the flavor while also giving it a unique texture similar to raw fish. The fruit can be found in ahi watermelon nigiri and hot maki, where the watermelon is both dehydrated and pickled, and chickpeas replace mayo in the spicy aioli sauce.

Address: 180 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5V 3X3, Canada
Website: Plantarestaurants.com/private-events-venue/planta-queen-toronto/