Punch is Le Germain Hôtel Toronto Mercer’s stylish restaurant that masterfully blends Indian and British dishes for one of the best meals that I have had all year.
Executive chef Mandar Kulkarni’s warm and upbeat dining space is eclectic and modern. Wood panelled walls meet cozy leather seats, with parlour-style lights, and a mix of fashionable paintings and curiosities.
Every bite tells a story in an intimate and contemporary space.
The restaurant’s overall style, and a lot of the menu, centres around British themes, but the dishes are consistently lifted by inspired Indian flavours. Chef De Cuisine Manek Singh spoke to me about the dishes, and mentioned that one dish had even been partly influenced by a family recipe.
The theme is very much inspired by “Indian aunties and British mums,” and you can taste it on every plate.
Signature cocktails
Punch takes their cocktails seriously, and they’re stylish, but also fun. Sampling a few of the cocktails, I enjoyed every sip, but two really stood apart.
British vogue is delicate and sweet, blending Empress 1908 with lavendar thyme syrup, with prosecco and grapefruit flavours at the front; while the Mayfair mule leads with blackberry and ginger beer, alongside Tanqueray gin and lemon. They are both fun, trendy cocktails.
However the Punch panch and the chai old fashioned are both spectacular, and well crafted. The chai old fashioned plays off the classic cocktail, with Lot 40 rye, and angostura bitters, but it’s elevated by chai spices, pairing perfectly with many of the dishes, too.
The Punch panch is a play on the Hindi and Sanskrit word for five, पाँच, which is also the name of the world’s first cocktail. It’s citrusy and bright, blending Captain Morgan’s dark rum, mango, pineapple, lime, and ginger for a fun and refreshing cocktail.
Punch also offers innocent libations, or mocktails, interesting local beer, wine, as well as Indian whisky.
Appetizers or small shares
Punch has a robust menu for appetizers, and I need to go back to try more, but I loved both the Mumbai chat-slaw, and the Delhi street style samosas.
The chat-slaw features crisp shredded vegetables with a little tamarind yogurt, stacked high for a really bright looking dish. It blends radishes, beets, green apple, and pomegranate, with boondi, potato straw, and leeks for a wonderful tang and brightness.
However the samosas were one of my favourite dishes on the entire menu, which says a lot considering how much I enjoyed the mains. The dish is a little spicy with the samosas in a bed of chickpea curry, yogurt, cucumber relish, with mint and tamarind chutney. I love everything about this dish.
Other classic twists on the menu, that sound incredible, are the Scotch egg, with kebab spice and curried ketchup; the brioche loaf with mango pickle butter; and the hamachi ceviche that’s served with spiced mango vinaigrette.
Mains and large shares
Among the twelve main course dishes, a few instantly stood out. Among a few hard decisions, the dum pukht chicken biryani and the beef Wellington were excellent, tender, and beautifully spiced.
While the chicken biryani is a classic Indian dish, it’s well worth trying, served from a pot with saffron and fried onion, with raita, and it’s a very generous portion. You can easily share this dish, especially when paired with a side dish or two.
Meanwhile the beef Wellington is a classic tenderloin with prosciutto, served with wild mushroom and swiss chard, but it’s elevated with sunchoke purée and rogan josh jus. The Indian flavours are more subtle than some dishes, but very welcome, and perfectly cooked and served.
Overall, Punch has a focus on shareable dishes, so expect most portions to be large.
For sides, I would recommend the wild sauteed greens with spinach, mustard greens, swiss chard, spiced with saag masala; and the potato pave that blends mint with fennel aioli and chives. However Punch also offers grilled cabbage, pickles with hot sauce, as well as saffron pulao.
Desserts
For dessert, the restaurant has four options, plus ice creams and sorbets: orange and pistachio sphere, sticky toffee pudding, Eton mess, and tableside chai-chocolate mousse.
I tried the sticky toffee pudding and the mousse, and both were vibrant treats at the end of this spectacular meal.
The pudding blends stout beer, walnuts, and dates for an unforgettably classic dish, while the mousse is served table-side and topped with cocoa-nibs, Chantilly cream, and olive oil. I loved the ceremony of the mouse, and it’s a big serving, but I think the sticky toffee pudding is absolutely unforgettable, and it’s a must try.
Final thoughts
Punch stands apart in Toronto’s complex dining scene with dedication to Indian dishes and flavours. This team raises the bar with upscale dining in an original space with outstanding charm that is also distinctly Indian.
There are very few restaurants doing anything like this in Toronto, and it’s a wonderful night out that will make you want to linger with the cocktails, and the atmosphere. The staff were absolutely top-tier at every moment of the meal.
Whether you’re craving unique fusion, Indian flavours, or an original dining experience, Punch is a must try in Toronto.
Watch the video below to see more from this spectacular meal at Punch.
All photos by W. Andrew Powell/The GATE.
