Garleek Kitchen Featured in the Toronto Star: A Taste of Tibetan Breakfast in Parkdale
We’re incredibly grateful to have Garleek Kitchen featured in the Toronto Star, one of Toronto’s most recognized newspapers, in a story about Chef Tsering Phuntsok (Karma), his journey from spending 15 years as a monk to becoming a chef, and the Tibetan breakfast he now serves in Parkdale.
The article, “A former monk of 15 years is serving a hearty $10 Tibetan breakfast at his Parkdale restaurant,” takes readers inside the story behind Garleek Kitchen and the food we serve at 1500 Queen Street West.
What is a Tibetan breakfast?
Tibetan breakfast isn’t necessarily what many people expect when they think of breakfast in Toronto.
At Garleek Kitchen, our Tibetan-inspired breakfast platter brings together puri, egg, aloo dum, chana, salad and chutney in one hearty plate.
The combination reflects the broader Himalayan food traditions that have shaped Chef Karma’s cooking and the food we serve at Garleek.
Our goal isn’t simply to recreate a meal from somewhere else. It’s to share food that connects our family, our experiences and our Tibetan heritage with our neighbours in Parkdale and throughout Toronto.
From monastery life to a Parkdale kitchen
One of the most meaningful parts of the Toronto Star story is Chef Karma’s personal journey.
Before becoming the chef behind Garleek Kitchen, Karma spent 15 years as a monk. His experiences preparing food and living within a Tibetan monastery became part of the foundation for the way he approaches food today.
That history is an important part of Garleek Kitchen.
Food is one of the ways we share culture. Recipes, ingredients and cooking traditions can travel across generations and across borders, while still retaining the stories of the people who make them.
Today, Karma brings those experiences into our family-owned restaurant on Queen Street West.
Why Tibetan breakfast matters to us
Breakfast is an especially important part of our vision for Garleek Kitchen.
Toronto has no shortage of great breakfast restaurants, but we wanted to offer something different: a place where people can experience Tibetan and Himalayan breakfast in Toronto while enjoying the relaxed, welcoming atmosphere of a family-owned Parkdale restaurant.
Our breakfast menu also includes dishes inspired by the way our family has blended Tibetan traditions with life in Toronto.
One example is our tsampa pancake.
Tsampa is roasted and milled Tibetan barley flour. Our tsampa pancakes are made with our own in-house roasted and milled tsampa rather than regular flour.
The idea began with our daughter. We wanted to create something that connected traditional Tibetan tsampa with the familiar North American idea of a pancake.
That combination has become one of the ways we express what Garleek is about: traditional food, family and new ideas coming together.
More than breakfast
While the Toronto Star highlighted our Tibetan breakfast, breakfast is only one part of the food we serve at Garleek Kitchen.
Our menu brings together Tibetan, Nepalese and Bhutanese influences, with dishes including momos, thukpa, thenthuk, shaphaley, tingmo and other Himalayan specialties.
Our momos are handmade, and our family recipes are an important part of the restaurant.
You can explore the Garleek Kitchen menu to see what we’re currently serving.
We also make our own products and ingredients, including items such as tsampa, muli and sepen, allowing some of the flavours found in our kitchen to be enjoyed at home.
A Parkdale restaurant with a family story
Garleek Kitchen is located at 1500 Queen Street West in Parkdale, Toronto.
For us, being part of Parkdale means being part of a neighbourhood where different cultures, families and food traditions come together.
That’s one of the reasons we love sharing Tibetan and Himalayan food here.
If you’re searching for Tibetan food in Toronto, Himalayan food in Parkdale, Tibetan breakfast in Toronto, or a unique breakfast near High Park, we hope Garleek Kitchen gives you an opportunity to discover something new.
Thank you, Toronto Star
We’re especially grateful to the Toronto Star for sharing Karma’s story and introducing more Toronto readers to Tibetan breakfast and the food we serve at Garleek Kitchen.
The recognition means a lot to our family, but what means even more is having the opportunity to share a part of our culture and our story with the Toronto community.
Come hungry, stay curious, and discover Tibetan and Himalayan food in Parkdale.
Garleek Kitchen
1500 Queen Street West
Toronto, Ontario
416-551-0929
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