Louf is a Palestinian restaurant that serves traditional Levantine dishes. Located at the foot of Casa Loma, in a building that was previously known as the Corner House, Louf is the brainchild of chef Fadi Kattan and entrepreneur Nicole Mankinen.

Both of the restaurant's founders have a strong personal connection to Palestine: Fadi grew up in Bethlehem, while Nicole married into a Palestinian family.

When Nicole reached out to Fadi about starting a restaurant together, the pair hadn't even met. But her enthusiasm, combined with Fadi's own passion for Palestinian cuisine, convinced him that the partnership was a good idea.

Their restaurant, which opened in late 2024, takes its name from the Arabic term for arum palaestinum, a medicinal plant that is toxic when raw, but a delicacy when cooked.

These and other Levantine crops can be found throughout the restaurant. Olive trees feature prominently in the decor, as a nod to Palestine's long association with the plant.Nicole explains that every decoration has a story behind it, from the paintings on the walls to the pebbles attached to the lighting fixtures. This is especially significant, considering that the restaurant has two floors and lots of nooks and crannies to fill.

Louf's menu is split into five sections: bread, condiments, soup, small plates and large plates. In order to get the most out of your dining experience, Nicole recommends ordering one item from each section.

Louf offers three different types of bread: ka'ek al quds ($4), which are thick rings topped with sesame seeds;  zaatar bread ($5), made with rye, spelt, zaatar, fennel and anise seeds; and taboun ($3) a type of flatbread baked in a clay oven.

Of the three options, I enjoyed the zaatar bread the most, though all of these breads make excellent vehicles for sauce and condiments.

Speaking of condiments, if you enjoy adding spices to your meals, you're in luck. Louf has a wide selection of salty, spicy and savoury add-ons to choose from.

These include, zaatar with jowz mkhalal ($8), a condiment made from pickled walnuts, zaatar leaves and olive oil; red ($7) and green shatta ($6), made from salted chilis, garlic and olive oil; and zaitoun ($8), which consists of green olives in brine.

Shorabet addass ($18) is a hearty soup, made from red lentils, Swiss chard and lemon.Kibbeh nayyeh ($24) is a raw meat dish, similar to beef tartare. Aged beef, bulgur and spices are formed into a disk, then served with crackers.Dajaj pate ($24) is a variation on chicken pate. Inspired by musakhan, a traditional Palestinian dish composed of roasted chicken, onions and sumac, this dish takes the same ingredients and presents them in a different format.

Instead of sprinkling the seasoning over pieces of roasted meat, the onions and sumac are made into a jam, which can then be combined with the pate and spread on crackers.

Though the two dishes look completely different, Nicole claims that their flavour is virtually identical.

Bandoura with halloumi ($23) is a tomato-based dish similar to caprese salad. Juicy heirloom tomatoes are served with artisanal buffalo halloumi and fresh olive plant in a tangy tomato vinaigrette.Fadi was inspired to create the mushroom salad with maramiya and mardakoush ($18) after hearing about Nicole's Finnish grandmother, who used to forage for mushrooms in her youth.

This flavourful dish includes pickled cremini and sauteed black oyster mushrooms, seasoned with sage, marjoram, and mint.Mozet kharouf bil laban jameed ($58) consists of braised lamb shank coated in mahlab and mastic gum and served in a pool of yogurt. Chopped nuts are added to give the meat and yogurt a sweet, slightly earthy aftertaste.Bukjet freekeh bil khodra ($30) is a type of flaky phyllo pastry, filled with spiced freekeh and dried fruits, including raisins and apricots. Almonds are sprinkled on top to enhance its crunchy texture.Sishbarak ($28) is a quintessential Palestinian comfort meal. Small balls of dough are filled with confit potato and mushrooms, then roasted and served with laban jameed cream, dried mint and pine nuts.Ruz bil ruman, also known as 'rice with pomegranate' ($14), is a mocktail that combines Alchemy crabapple and sage kombucha with rice water, pomegranate and marigold petals.Sarhan, or 'forager' ($14), makes use of Foraged Botanicals strawberry basil lemonade, Fever Tree tonic, lime zest, pineapple and mint.Zhurat al sharq ($16) is a new drink — so new, in fact, that it isn’t even on the menu yet. Made with zhurat tea, candied orange peel, tonic water, lime juice, and orange blossom, this citrus-inflected beverage was my favourite drink of the night.Louf is located at 501 Davenport Road.