PLATITO

Filipino food is one Asian cuisine whose presence has been lacking in Toronto’s restaurant scene, however that’s quickly changing. The growing popularity of all things ube (purple yam) is a testament to the great Filipino restaurants that have opened the past year. One of these new hot spots is Platito on Baldwin street, who’s serving up Filipino soul food with warm service and a great DJ. I had the chance to try out a few existing menu items and a couple of new dishes being released in the future.

Disclaimer: All food and drinks reviewed below were provided complimentary. All opinions expressed below are wholly mine.

Atmosphere: Platito took over the space on Baldwin that used to house Agave Y Agucate. The space has been completely renovated, including usable tables across from the bar and a stunning painted wall mural on the second floor. Platito also had an outdoor front patio, and a covered backyard patio, perfect for private events. Natural light flooded in from the large front windows. With a DJ on deck, the atmosphere was lively and fun.

Food: It was a sweltering hot day when we stopped by and dinner began in the best way possible, with an Ube Milkshake and pitcher of Sangria. The thick and creamy lavender milkshake had scoops of ube ice cream, topped with fresh whipped cream and an ube wafer straw. In contrast, the sangria was refreshing, crisp and just the right about of sweetness, a perfect thirst quencher.

Platito’s menu consists of mostly tapas style dishes, meant to be shared family style. Between four people, we split 6 dishes, which was far too much food. The first dish out was Pork Sisig Tacos, an homage to the building’s previous Mexican incarnation. I loved the crunchy, sweet sisig with the fresh toppings and a squeeze of lemon. This is one of the new dishes to coming to the menu, and I think a great addition.

Next was a stewed beef dish in a spicy coconut sauce, Bicol Express, one of my favourites of the night. I really enjoyed the combination of shrimp paste and coconut in the sauce, which was flavourful and lip-smacking good. Those red chilis were also spicy. Each time we hit one, a big gulp of milkshake was required. The next dishes we tried were BBQ Pork Skewers and Chicken Inasal, grilled chicken served with shredded, pickled papayas. Both items were tender and had a mix of sweet and savoury.

My other favourite dish was the signature Pork Sisig, served with hot peppers and a fried egg. This was another dish where the peppers packed a lot of heat. I loved the yolky egg and creamy mayonnaise, which created a nice sauce when all mixed together with the sisig. Our last savoury dish was a pyramid of Veggie Lumpia, crispy, lightly fried and drizzled with a sweet, spicy sauce.

For dessert, we tried the Ube Waffle and Ice Cream with Macapuno. Even though I was very full, I still had room for my share.

I had the chance to chat with one of the owners at Platito’s and the restaurant was truly a family affair. It was clear their aim was to create a comfortable, fun spot to share their take on classic Filipino dishes with the city. Overall, dinner at Platito served up delicious food, the kind of recipes passed verbally through generations, great music, and a stocked bar.