Open since June 2012, Maizal brings a refreshing and simple approach to Toronto's Mexican food scene. "Authentic Mexican cuisine has to be very simple, and dishes prepared from the freshest ingredients available. That's how our mothers and grandmothers prepared dinners, and it's definitely something they inculcated in us," says Ivan Wadgymar, who owns Maizal with partner and friend Gabriela Leuarte.
The duo focuses on serving simple yet tasty dishes, a refreshing approach when considering the staggering efforts restaurants put into reinventing dishes or giving classics a more aesthetic look. None of that here: Maizal is all about handmade, fresh Mexican dishes.
"We strive to cook with as much locally sourced produce and ingredients as possible," Ivan says. "Since I've worked with many organizations in agriculture, it's very important to me that our suppliers are located as close as possible. We care greatly about food production and provenance; through the table, we want to make people aware that their food is the product of someone's hard work. Nothing is processed, and we prepare everything from raw ingredients." Maizal even operates its own molino, a corn grinder used in the preparation of tortillas.
