Chantecler swaps out à-la-carte service for tasting menus, expands Lettuce Sundays

Changes are afoot at Chantecler, the tiny Parkdale restaurant that opened earlier this year touting “progressive Canadian cuisine.” Starting in the New Year, the à-la-carte menu is out and a new series of tasting menus priced between $40 and $70 are in (notably, these are a lot less expensive than what was attempted at Keriwa 2.0). The popular Lettuce Sundays (and lately, Mondays) meals, which consist of various meats and sides wrapped in lettuce for $21, will now be available during every dinner service. Co-owner Jacob Wharton-Shukster told us that the change-up comes in response to shifts in the restaurant market, with diners clamouring for both cheap, social dining experiences and more challenging food (it will also allow chef Jonathan Poon more room for creativity in the kitchen). The restaurant will continue to take reservations and will add wine pairings to the tasting menus after they begin on January 9.