Tuesday, 26 October 2010 14:04

Magic Oven opened its second location in 2004 on a cozy street of that cheery neighbourhood- Liberty Village. Located on 127 Jefferson Avenue, it is neither snobbish nor shabby.

As of July 1st, 2010, the restaurant has been under the new management of Spero Kalis, who envisioned a temple to Italian cooking to match any ever built to honour a European cuisine in Toronto.

“I believe in the business. I’ve been in the restaurant business for 30 years,” he says.

Magic Oven now ranks among the most alluring and impressive restaurants in Toronto. It has reached this pinnacle because its founders, Tony and Abby Sabherwal, made a bold move in 1997 by founding it. And because together they decided, it seems to me, that this franchise could and should stand out as brilliantly as any other.

Eating pizza is hardly ever this captivating, this refreshing. What sets it apart from all things pizza is its specialty gluten-free crust. Their lactose-free pizza is covered in organic mozzarella, marinated vegetables, and if need be, organic meat. With lots of vegan options, this is a vegetarian’s heaven. In fact, their vegan cakes outsell their regular cakes.

Magic Oven is aging with amazing grace, doing what it must to remain fresh without ever making a counterfeit fool of itself, staying true to its distinctiveness while shifting with the times.

“We support local Ontario food farmers and we use eco-friendly containers,” says Kalis. Not to mention, a percentage of their royalties go to charities.

Magic Oven engineers diverse moments of pure bliss that few can match. If you appreciate good food, Magic Oven will take you to the front line of how widely exceptional a single bite of its cuisine can make you feel.

When asked to describe Magic Oven at Liberty Village in one sentence, Spero Kalis says “New ownership, new menu, new attitude”.

Laurice Gomes