Last week I was invited to check out a media party for the release of Kultura‘s new Spring Menu. I really didn’t know much about Kultura and thought it was another sub-par overpriced Toronto restaurant but as it turned out I was actually quite impressed with the food and the menu items (though slightly pricey in relation to places I typically review) weren’t as expensive as I had thought.

Kultura Spring Menu

Just to be completely clear and upfront, all the food and drinks I received while there were complimentary and I am in no way letting this sway my opinion. Also, I am not sure what portion sizes are usually like as we received hors d’oeuvres versions of each of the dishes.

Upon arriving at Kultura with my girlfriend I discovered we were one of the first to arrive for the tasting so we decided to take our own tour of the restaurant. We were both amazed at just how beautiful the space was and how deceivingly much bigger it was then you would think from looking at it from the street. There are 3 floors total: a bar area with some seating on the first, what I suspect is the main dining area on the 2nd and a room for private parties on the 3rd. Here are some pictures:

Kultura Private Dining Room (3rd Floor)

1/2 of the 2nd Floor Dining Space at Kultura

Upon arrival we were greeted by Matt a representative from Tre Amici Wines who got us started with a nice glass of prosecco. They are one of the wine suppliers for Kultura and were on hand to answer all of our questions about the wines offered at the restaurant:

Prosecco

After a little schmoozing, it was time for the food to start coming out. Kultura’s menu is focussed on tapas style eating which I used to think I wouldn’t really like, but lately it is starting to grow on me. One after one dishes were brought around for the guests in attendance and we got to sample all the new offering’s on their latest menu. Here are some of the things I tried:

Asian Beef Tartar

Seared Scallop

Mushroom Orecchiette

Palak Paneer Naan

Tandoor Shrimp

Spiced Lamb Rack

Tempura Sushi

Pork Belly Tacos

Most of the dishes were very good, while some were somewhat average but the 3 that I enjoyed the most were the lamb, the mushroom orecchiette and the Chilean sea bass (not pictured). The ones that disappointed me the most as I thought they would be my favourites but seemed to lack something were the pork belly tacos and the hawaiian garlic lobster. They were still good, but I thought they would have much more flavour than what I tasted.

While I think the prices at Kultura (just from looking at the menu) are a bit more on the high-end of my budget, I will definitely have to return to try out the portions to make a good analysis on the value of the food for the price. If price is not a concern or you want to try a few things over drinks you should definitely check Kultura out as they have a very good selection on their menu and I’m almost positive anyone will be able to find something that they enjoy.

About Kultura:

Kultura is located at 169 King Street East near Jarvis.
Phone Number: (416) 363-9000.
Website: www.kulturatoronto.com