Leela Indian Food Bar

About

Fine dining Indian restaurant on dundas west street with home delivery and take out

Story

INDIAN HALF PLATES & FULL DRINKS

Our Story

We have taken the name Leela from the play /theatre Ram-Leela. Leela is a dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Lord Rama, ending up in ten-day battle between Rama and Ravana, as described in the Hindu religious epic, the Ramayana. A tradition that originates from the Indian-subcontinent, the play is staged annually, often over ten or more successive nights, during the auspicious period of Navratras which marks the commencement of the Autumn festive period, starting with the Dussehra festival. Usually the performances are timed to culminate on the festival day, that commemorates the victory of Rama over demon king Ravana, when the actors are taken out in a procession through the city, leading up to a mela (fairground) ground or town square, where the enactment of the final battle takes place, before giant effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhakaran and son Meghanath are set on fire and coronation of Rama at Ayodhaya takes place, marking the culmination of festivities and restoration of the divine order.

The Food

With the opening of Leela, Hemant brings the flavours of his home country stateside, showcasing his Indian heritage through Canadian ingredients. The food at Leela covers all regions of India, and celebrates the wonders of Indian ‘Dhaba’ (road-side eatery in every neighbourhood or highways) food along with lesser-known dishes. The portions are all tapas style.

Tasting Menu

The most important part of the menu is the Banana Leaf Tasting Menu - A tasting menu with most delicious colonial Indian dishes. All served in small bowls and usually on a fresh banana leaf. At the time India was a Brit Colony, people used to show off their wealth by serving in silver platters. Our fun menu does a spoof on those platters and we serve on fresh banana leaf.

Cross-Over Interpretation of Indian

Some will argue that cross-over interpretation of Indian street food comes at a cost of authenticity but Hemant Bhagwani disagrees. He believes that we need to revolutionize Indian food to represent its accomplishments and diversity on foreign shores, to be able to innovate you have to go back to tradition. It’s about adapting your food to local cultures and palates and at the same time reviving old forgotten Indian street food dishes by giving them a fun makeover to attract the attention it deserves. “with one foot in future and one in past, the menu at Leela reads a romantic fairy tale of “desi khana” marrying innovative Indian Food.