Diwan Restaurant, the 85-seat dining room at the architecturally-stunning Aga Khan Museum is located near the not-so-convenient Don Valley parkway. There aren’t many other sit-down restaurants in the vicinity, which is largely known for its big box outlets. So it would be fair to say that Diwan has a captive audience of museum goers around lunch time, unlike the ROM or AGO which are surrounded by an almost endless choice of places to eat. And so, the Aga Khan Museum, which is the first Islamic museum in North America showcasing the artistic contributions of Muslim civilizations, offers transcontinental cuisine to museum-goers reflective of such cultures.
Diwan Dining Room
“Pan-Islamic cuisine” is how the menu is described to us as my editor Cynthia and I sit down in the stately dining room which is replete with 19th Century wooden panels and silvered mirrors. (A nice outdoor patio is also open during summer months). The menu, designed by Chef Patrick Riley, includes a wide array of items ranging from Turkish to Iranian to the Indian subcontinent. With such a range of dishes, it is important to be discerning in your selection of starters, mains and sides, lest the distinct tastes of these varied cuisines compete with one another. Alas, at a recent tasting lunch we attended, we felt compelled to taste a little of everything that was put in front of us. As a result, our taste buds were perhaps a little worn out when all was said and done. Nevertheless, there were a number of dishes that stood out as memorable and worth repeating on a second visit.
Bread and Spread
The sharing plates included “Bread and Spread” – traditional hummus, toasted bread with za’atar butter (both good, though I would have preferred pita bread over toast) as well as the tasty tandoori fries. The simplicity of the vinegar and tandoori masala spice sprinkled atop the thinly-sliced Yukon Gold potato fries made me wonder why I had never thought to pair these two delights before. A new guilty pleasure has been born.
Squid Salad
The appetizers included Kalamar Salatasi (squid salad), said to be inspired by the Aegean Coast, and topped with a sweet onion salsa and delicate mustard and lemon dressing; Imam Biyaldi, a Turkish stuffed eggplant with a tomato sauce, garlic, onions and peppers that was tasty but seemed reminiscent of Italian eggplant parmesan; and very good vegetarian samosas served with a side of herb chili chutney.
Sumac Glazed Salmon
The two mains we tried included the Sumac Glazed Salmon with a delicate Lemon Tahini sauce, as well as the Curry of the Day (also not too spicy) as well as a side of the Pomegranate and Cucumber Salad, a popular Middle Eastern intended to cool the mouth down. We were curious about the Turkish Pizza made with flat bread, roasted mushrooms, sweet onions, cheese, a red pepper tomato paste and zesty pickles but that will have to wait until next time.
Chocolate Tart and Zoolbia-e Anjir
Though we were more-than-satisfied by then, we couldn’t not sample the dessert duo placed before us, one of which was a simple Carob Chocolate Tart made unique with an orange curd sauce and ginger cream; the other was a Persian specialty, the Zoolbia-e Anjir, a crisp saffron pinwheel fritter dusted in pistachio sugar served with fig jam, thick cream, salted fresh figs, crushed pistachios and Sabalan honey. It was at this point that we had to cry دایی”“(that’s “uncle” in Farsi), and call it a day.
None of the dishes at Diwan registered particularly high on the spicy scale, though each boasted a distinctive taste. The atmosphere and service at Diwan are pleasant and the whole experience felt like a natural extension of the museum’s décor, particularly with the Aga Khan Museum logos emblazoned on the china. Now that Torontonians have the opportunity to learn more about Muslim art and culture at the Aga Khan, so will they have the chance to develop their palates for this type of cuisine.
Tasting Lunch was provided by Diwan Restaurant. Photo of Dishes are by Cynthia Cheng Mintz and photo of the dining room is courtesy of Diwan.
