Gathering around a sizzling hot plate is a great way to catch up with a loved one. There’s a leisurely pace to the meal as you wait for food to cook, nibbling at the banchan as you converse and focus on more than just eating. At Daldongnae, their intimate table layout is ideal for those who’d like a bit of privacy.

You’ll need at least two people to get their table BBQ where diners mix-and-match an order of protein per person (i.e., a minimum of one item per person with at least two servings per table). There’s a nice selection of offerings, we opted for the boneless beef short rib ($29.99 for 7oz), chicken thigh ($21.99 for 7oz), and tiger shrimp ($11.99 for 5 pieces).

The hot plate was presented quickly upon ordering, already adorned with cheese corn, garlic slices, kimchi, and an egg mixture poured tableside. And a hot stone bowl of soybean stew followed, waking up the palette with its savoury mix of vegetables and tofu. It’s so hearty that I’d be satisfied with a large bowl of soup and steamed rice.

As the proteins are presented, the server swipes the surface of the plate with a piece of beef fat (what a great way to use every piece of the ingredient!). He tells us to start with the beef, then move onto the chicken so that there’s enough oil on the grill to prevent the later from sticking. We follow the instructions starting with tender strips of the short rib and then the chicken with the shrimp sprinkled throughout as they take a bit longer to cook.

Daldongnae leaves the ingredients neutral, only the chicken was lightly marinated. So, it’s an ideal place to dine with those who may have ingredient sensitivities or are watching their sugar and sodium intake. As a person who loves flavour, I relied heavily on the onion soy sauce, savoury bean paste, and even the sweet and spicy gochujang sauce in the banchan as condiments.

I recommend getting a start on the hot side dishes early: the kimchi isn’t the greatest once it dries out; the egg was best when it just starts to cook through, still fluffy and soft. Only the corn can stay on longer as the cheese develops a lovely crust.

And don’t worry, you’ll get plenty of vegetables from the banchan that accompanies the BBQ set – spicy cucumbers, marinated bean sprouts, an oddly sweet potato salad, spicy seaweed, and a savoury gelatin. Plus, there are lettuce leaves for creating saam wraps. The best part is that they offer unlimited refills of the side dishes, corn cheese and egg.

Daldongnae even offers a vegan option for those on a plant-based diet. Really, you have no excuse not to invite out that person for the long awaited reunion.

Having been to Cuba twice, it’s a shame I’ve never had authentic Cuban food. Right or wrong, I chose to eat at the resorts, whose food is mediocre at best … I like to joke it’s the vacation you can go on without worrying about gaining weight.

One thing I do remember are the strong cocktails. La Cubana is no different, the el Paraiso ($12) is probably the lightest, a tasty combination of gin, muddled basil, and grapefruit juice.

Lucky to dine with someone of Cuban decent, she explained the difference between a cubano and medianoche ($9.99) is merely the bun, the later on a softer kaiser that’s not pressed so the pork version looks like a pulled pork sandwich. The restaurant doesn’t skimp on the meat, along with gruyere, red onion, cornichon, grainy mustard, and a chipotle mayo the sandwich is filled with flavours and the bun doesn’t stand a chance at holding in everything.

The medianoche’s filling is very similar to the pork shoulder ($15.99), so in hindsight we should have ordered either a different sandwich or main. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the slow cooked pork, which is nicely smoked and has a slightly sweet taste. I especially enjoyed the crunchy vinegar coleslaw on the side - just watch out for the rounds of jalapeno, the heat can really sneak up on you!

Main plates also arrive with hot tostones (pressed plantains that are deep fried) and rice with beans. The tostones are rather bland, a bit of the hot sauce helps, but the beans and rice goes perfectly with the meats. 

Especially the guava BBQ beef short rib ($16.99), tender and tasty with its sweet glaze. Topped with an herby chimichurri and frizzled onions, it was my favourite dish of the evening.

Although already filled, we decided to share a natilla ($4.99), the only dessert I’ve never had before. Described as chocolate pudding, it’s much better, the light creamy chocolate custard incorporating a balanced sweetness.

Although it’s disappointing that Cuban resorts don’t serve more local fare, I understand they’re faced with limited ingredient availability (since meat and fresh vegetables are scarce) and it could have been ill received from previous resort guests. Therefore, we’re blessed in Toronto to have La Cubana, somewhere you can sample a taste of Cuban cuisine. 

• Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
• 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
• 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
• 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
• 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
• 10 - absolute perfection!

• Stack
• Branca