It might seem a bit counterintuitive to find one of the Toronto’s only restaurants serving home-cooked First Nations fare in the city’s famed Gerrard India Bazaar neighbourhood. However, Tina Mark-Ottereyes, manager of Tea-N-Bannock, promises it’s worth the trip to the east end. “People love our food,” says Tina. “Some people are hesitant and they don’t know what to expect…but once they try something they like it.”
Despite Toronto’s vibrant multicultural culinary scene, it’s still rare to find a restaurant that specializes Aboriginal food. According to Tina, the offerings at Tea-N-Bannock are about as authentic as it gets in downtown Toronto. Even the New York Times has taken notice—the paper mentioned the restaurant in a 2012 article about dining on the electric strip of restaurants along Gerrard Street East.
The menu rotates with the seasons, says Tina. Year-round staples include roasted elk, hearty hominy stew and lightly smoked fish (your choice of salmon, white fish, northern pike or walleye). Dishes are accompanied by bannock, a traditional First Nations bread that is served up baked or fried.
One of the best things about the menu at Tea-N-Bannock is the affordability, says Tina, adding that it’s a low-risk way to sample a cuisine that’s foreign to many city dwellers. A lunch for one will typically run about $10. An entrée at dinner rarely exceeds $20, with one exception: the buffalo rib eye steak—served with bannock, wild rice, sautéed potatoes and coleslaw—is the priciest item on the menu at $29.
Grilled with house sauce, lightly smoked,with coleslaw, green, tomatoes,red onion, dill pickles
BUFFALO burger, pure 4 oz bison
Taste bison, No other ingredients.Topped on Frybread bun, comes with Coleslaw Topping options: tomato, garden greens, red onion, dill pickles, hot peppers, relish, ketchup, mustard, mayo, salt, pepper, cheese.
$9.00Or Double that Burger 8 oz
$15.00
Buffalo rib-eye steak, grilled 8 oz
Steak and roast dinners served with Bannock appetizer, wild-rice saute'ed in mushrooms, onions, peppers. Includes mashed potatoes or coleslaw.
$29.00
Elk roast on a bun
Elk stew
Bannock
Traditional Bread (one serving) Regular or Raisin
$1.75Home made wild blueberry jam
$0.50
Scone / Fry-Bread
$1.75
Wild rice salad, (Vegetarian)
Prepared with Wild rice, peppers, red onions, almonds or sunflower seeds , tomatoes, cranberries, Maple syrup or Balsamic dressing
Trappers snack
Klik luncheon meat or Bologna on bannock or fry-bread
$3.75
Wild rice, saute'ed in onions, mushrooms & peppers
Mashed potatoes or coleslaw
Blanket Dog (beef wiener wrapped in fry-bread)
$3.00
Desserts
Ask about available Desserts
Maple Dip fried scone sticks, with maple syrup
$3.00
Blueberry Dumplings in blueberry sauce
$4.50
Blueberry Pie
Bannock Pudding
Ice cream
Beverages
Drinks
Tea, Coffee, 1.70 Teas: Red Rose , Earl Grey, Ginger Green,Cranberry, Green Tea, Echinacea, Blueberry, Lemon, Jasmine, Peppermint,Speciality teas
