Niagara's Hottest New Reservation
A new kitchen in Niagara-on-the-Lake is drawing local and visiting crowds as one of the hottest reservations, boosting the region's food scene. Singapore's Ma Der Kin Khao is gaining buzz for its unique Thai culinary focus in a Beach Road development. Kolkata's nouvelle cuisine scene is turning heads with innovative takes on local ingredients like Mourola fish at spots like Sienna Café.
In Niagara-on-the-Lake, Treadwell Cuisine has been a pioneer of the farm-to-table philosophy for two decades, earning a spot on OpenTable's Top 100 Restaurants in Canada. Helmed by co-founder James Treadwell and Executive Chef Jason Williams, the restaurant's menu changes weekly to reflect the hyper-seasonality of Niagara's produce. The restaurant anchors a vibrant culinary scene in what's known as the “Culinary Capital of Canada.” The region is dense with acclaimed winery restaurants, including Peller Estates Winery, Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, and Trius Winery, which is the only Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant in the town. Singapore's Thai food scene is increasingly focused on regional specificity, moving beyond Bangkok-style street food. Restaurants like the Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient Un-Yang-Kor-Dai specialize in the fiery and sour flavors of Isaan cuisine from northeastern Thailand, serving signature dishes like towering Leng Zaap pork ribs. This trend is also exemplified by Khao Kaeng, a restaurant started by former professor Jetiya Buphasiri to spotlight lesser-known dishes from southern and Isan Thailand. The menu features traditional recipes like *gai tai nam* (chicken under water) to introduce diners to a broader spectrum of authentic Thai flavors. In Kolkata, the 10-year-old Sienna Café, located in a century-old building, is at the forefront of a "Bengal-forward" culinary movement. Chefs Avinandan Kundu and Koyel Roy Nandy have evolved the menu with a "bajaar-to-table" concept, creating dishes based on daily finds from local markets. The kitchen transforms traditional Bengali comfort foods into modern, cheffed-up plates. Humble ingredients are given innovative treatments, resulting in dishes like bhekti a la Kiev and a hummus made from chola'r dal (chana dal) served with nimki crackers.
