Downtown Toronto can often be described as a jungle. Traffic and congestion mixed with a variety of events flooding the streets with people, one can easily see why the chaos that ensues gives off jungle vibes. So it’s fitting that Selva sits right at the heart of this jungle.
Described as an immersive, multi-sensory spot, its colourful aesthetic and high energy ambiance stood out immediately. Selva is a culinary partnership between Chef Nuit (Pai) and Oliver Geddes, owner of The Fifth Social Club. While Geddes is the owner of Selva, Chef Nuit is the Executive Chef and Culinary Director of Selva. So if you’ve been to Pai, you may notice some similarities.
See also: Gent’s Eat: Uptown Vibes at Pai
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Menu
We got to start off with the Fried Calamari, which was served with magrud lime and sweet & sour sauce by the way, and will say that the first dish of the evening already set the bar quite high. Next came the ceviche with the Yellowfin Tuna. Immediate thoughts are refreshing, flavourful and a must try especially if you love tuna.
As we moved into the mains, we started with the Selva Salad that includes lettuce, purple cabbage, crispy rice noodles with pickled onion, pickled chayote and more. We added some slow-cooked beef brisket on the side. Need we say more?
The main event came in the form of the do-it-yourself grilled Chicken Taco Platter. The options for your choosing included corn, cabbage, lettuce, chayote, mango, peppers, red serrano chilli, onion guacamole and tomato salsa. Lots to choose from so everyone can get something they like. A must-try.
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Had to make room for dessert of course and it came in the form of a Corn Gelato which is sweet corn and butterfly pea flower in collaboration with Death in Venice Gelato. It sounds cool and tastes better. Highly recommend.
Verdict
Overall, the food was great. While filling, it wasn’t heavy. Important when you have to go out and navigate the jungle. The vibe in the place is that of pure energy. A shout out to the staff for being terrific and compliments to the kitchen staff. If you’re looking for a place to get together with your friends or looking for an eventful date night, this should be on your radar. Prime location, good food and drinks, good service. Can’t go wrong with that when you’re playing in the jungle.
Feature image credit @curtis.pixels
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