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| - At some point when I wasn't looking, Empire Grill transitioned from a second-entrant Indian restaurant on Eglinton West to a Portuguese Chicken joint.
I'm glad that they did.
Recently, I popped over for takeout.
I had heard that they operated a peanut and tree nut free kitchen. Since we have allergies in our family, our dining options are somewhat limited; if you can promise me decent food without a side of terror, my life for you!
Service was pleasant and lightning fast (it probably helped that it was Saturday evening, shortly before the dinner rush). I chatted with the owner and confirmed their nut-free-ness. I asked about their previous incarnation. Turns out the family had a history in the Portuguese chicken business but had wanted to branch out and try something new. Relying on imported talent, they swiftly realized that they preferred to run things entirely their way and shifted gears.
I never made it out to the Indian version, but I can advise that they do know their chicken. We ordered two combo dinners-one quarter white, and one half chicken (for me. I was hungry). The chicken was moist and tender, deeply flavoured with crispy charcoal-tinged skin. I fell on mine like a lion devouring a gazelle made of tasty Portuguese chicken. Sides were standard rice and parisienne potatoes-the latter a highlight for soaking up whatever pan goodness they'd been cooked in (I guess fat, salt and crack). The owner threw in a few small plastic containers of house pirri-pirri, which you could spread on just about anything not named Trump and want to eat.
All told, it was a happy dinner for a few bucks less than a couponless jaunt to Swiss Chalet up the road. I will go back...unless they change identities again.
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