| Alma | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | July 1, 2018 |
| Owner(s) | Anna Chen [1] William Dunn [2] |
| Head chef | Anna Chen [1] |
| Food type | Asian Fusion Chinese |
| Rating | Bib Gourmand (Michelin Guide) |
| Street address | 1194 Bloor Street West |
| City | Toronto, Ontario |
| Country | Canada |
| Seating capacity | 34 [2] |
| Website | www |
Alma is an Asian fusion restaurant in the Bloordale Village neighbourhood [1] of Toronto's West End.
The restaurant was opened in July 2018 by Anna Chen, who also serves as the head chef, and her husband William Dunn. [2] Chen, originally from Calcutta, India, is of Hakka Chinese heritage. [3] She had previous experience working at restaurants in Toronto and London. [4]
At its opening, the restaurant focused on fusion cuisine, taking influence from French, Italian, and Hakka Chinese cooking styles. [3] [4] Chen cited wanting the restaurant to serve "simple and approachable, yet meticulously constructed, food". [5] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chen shifted the restaurant’s culinary focus towards modern Chinese cuisine, including incorporating elements more deeply rooted in her Hakka Chinese heritage. [3]
Parmesan tapioca fritters are considered the restaurant's signature dish. [4] Everything served at the restaurant is made from scratch, including its miso and soy sauce. [2]
The business’s name, Alma, is derived from the same Latin word, meaning “kind" or "nourishing.” [5]
The business was named a Bib Gourmand restaurant by the Michelin Guide at Toronto's 2022 Michelin Guide ceremony, [6] [1] and retained this recognition in 2023 and 2024. [7] A Bib Gourmand recognition is awarded to restaurants who offer "exceptionally good food at moderate prices." Michelin specifically mentioned the restaurant's pan-fried radish cakes, scallion bread with stracciatella cheese, and noodles with pork wontons as dish highlights. [7]
CBC Toronto food writer Suresh Doss praised Chen for offering a distinctive perspective within Toronto’s culinary landscape. He also highlighted the restaurant’s scallion pancakes, noting the dish's successful combination of cheese and bread. [3]
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