Liliana’s Italian-Asian plates are rich comfort in a bowl

What’s the vibe

Sliding into the row of almost-too-close-together tables at Liliana somehow feels cozy rather than cramped. Montana Labelle Design, an agency that usually creates aspirational residential interiors, is behind the space, and it shows in the comfortable, homey layout where modern paper pendant lights meet the vintage aesthetic of exposed brick.

An almost hidden display case sports a set of scorched knives, recovered from the fire that forced the closure of Vela, where Marvin Palomo was previously executive chef. When he opened Liliana last fall, he brought his old knives along with almost his entire staff from Vela.

The sense of care for one another and passion for the cooking that Palomo sets as the standard can be felt in the warm, attentive service. As the plates flying out of the open kitchen slow down, Palomo takes the time to visit each table and talk to guests.

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What’s on the menu

Named after chef Palomo’s beloved mentor, Liliana honours her memory and the time he spent training and cooking with her in Italy. He folds in influences from his Filipino background and his experience in celebrated kitchens from Toronto to Hong Kong.

At the back of the restaurant, chef Palomo and his team can be seen whipping up plates with expert precision and care. Not a single dish is one note — savoury, sweet, tangy and umami flavours dance together in perfect harmony. But most of all, each bite is as comforting as slipping into your coziest sweater.

Lilliana chef-owner Marvin Palomo

Fresh, light and zippy, the tuna crudo topped with dashi vinaigrette, crunchy cucumber and scallion is a great starter to open things up and pique your palate for the flavours to come. 

The pappardelle in a mushroom master stock that they’ve been cooking for a year is deliciously rich and umami with a hint of sweetness. The true testament is that it can have this great depth of flavour without fatiguing the senses.

The dish I can’t stop thinking about is the ricotta cappelletti topped with burrata. The soft little pillows of pasta are lusciously creamy and hit all the right notes for a comforting, heart-warming bowl. The main event is the delicate ocean trout filet, which comes swimming in a perky satay sauce that I want to bottle up, take home and use on everything forevermore.

For dessert, panna cotta balances refreshing citrus with creamy, vanilla sweetness. Calamansi peels and shredded coconut add a little fun to the texture. It’s the perfect way to cap off the easiest meal I’ve eaten all year.

In the relaxed restaurant, everything goes down smoothly. It delivers all the flavour and finesse of fine dining without those moments of confusion when gastronomy veers more towards installation art than food (which seems to be more and more common in Toronto). I would bring everyone here, from a hot date to a close friend to my grandmother, and wholeheartedly believe they’d enjoy it. 

The drinks

With the delicious food taking centre stage, the drinks could easily be an afterthought, but that isn’t the case. The curated cocktail list is so tight, it could win an award for best supporting actress. Lily of the Valley is a slightly sweet, refreshing serve that can easily pair with the meal or stand on its own. As a wonderful warm-up to the main event, the Marigold blends the smoky notes of olive oil-washed mezcal with juicy citrus, dry sherry and port. There are non-alc cocktails and sake on the menu, too.

If vino is more your speed, beverage director and sommelier Michael McMullin will expertly select a glass of wine or a bottle to compliment each dish's rich flavours with bright acidity or salinity. The list leans on Italy and France, with a few local options, and every pour we try is a perfect match.

From the plate to the glass, everything at Liliana is a lesson in balance and comfort.

Dinner and drinks for two: around $200 before tax and tip.