Aisle 3 Bar
2535 Dundas St. W.
Toronto
Ontario
CA
M6P 1H7
Aisle 3: What's the vibe
After soft-launching last year without a liquor license, and an ensuing months-long battle to get one, Aisle 3 is now finally able to welcome guests the way it was intended: with elevated and inventive takes on Vietnamese street food and a list of killer cocktails to match. While it's not exactly a new Toronto restaurant opening, it deserves all the hype for its hard-launch — it could be one of the best bars in the city.
The dining area is simple and casual, but dozens of colourful paper lanterns and garlands of greenery hanging from the ceiling, along with a painted dragon floating across the wall, inject a whimsical playfulness and charm into the space. The bar area is a more intimate alcove with a sultrier vibe. It feels like the kind of place I could get dressed up for, or stumble into after a day spent perusing The Junction's antique stores.
Aisle 3: What's on the menu
Fusion food can sometimes be gimmicky, but at Aisle 3, it's a heartfelt homage to the Vietnamese heritage and Toronto upbringing of co-owner Johnny Le and head chef David Le. Influenced by the city's global flavours, chef Le's menu draws on his classic French training, and experience working at restaurants like Milou and previously heading up the kitchen at Côte de Boeuf.
Put spring rolls and pho out of your mind, and dive into creative dishes made with authentic Vietnamese flavours. The Viet Cajun Butter Shrimp is served with a bánh mì that you'll want to use to sop up every last drop of the addictingly rich, buttery sauce. Corn, cilantro and onions add a fresh and cooling crunch to balance out the kick from pickled jalapeños.
I can't finish the heaping bowl of Salt Cod Fried Rice, but not for lack of trying. I keep shovelling in another forkful and saying "just one more bite," long after I'm stuffed. I've had dozens of iterations of fried rice in my lifetime, but this one stands out for the large, flaky chunks of cod and the super crunchy texture it gets from Sichuan breadcrumbs.
Served on a pool of green muối ớt xanh sauce that has all the earthy, herbal notes that I love about Vietnamese cuisine, the Pan Seared Sea Bass has me scraping the plate clean. Crispy on the outside and delicate on the inside, the light fish is made all the more delicious with the addition of gai lan (Chinese broccoli) and crisp watermelon radish.
Aisle 3: What's on the drink menu
Beautiful cocktails are de rigueur in Toronto right now, but Aisle 3's concoctions are as sumptuous as they look. The Mango Tepache is a whole journey in a glass. The clarified cocktail starts out on the boozier side with a slight kick and notes of coconut, mango and pineapple. A garnish that's as functional as it is aesthetic, a scoop of mango sorbet slowly melts into the drink, transforming it into a sweeter sipper.
The U-Bae is sweet from the start. The fan favourite cocktail drinks like a glass of coconut water, but it's topped with a lucious cloud of foam that brings in flavours of ube, pandan and vanilla bean. It's dangerously crushable.
On the other side of the cocktail spectrum, For the Wicked is a must-try for dirty martini lovers. Designed to be reminiscent of the classic cocktail but with its own flair, it's made with olive oil washed gin and vodka, dill and wasabi. The smoky Inca Blossom has that signature mezcal flavour, made refreshing and herbal with dill and mint.
I'm impressed by every sip and bite at Aisle 3. The menu is full of eyebrow-raisers, but it nails every flavour combination. The relaxed, playful atmosphere; flavour-packed dishes; and showstopping cocktails are fit for any night of the week.
Dinner and drinks for two: around $120 before tax and tip.
