Carelle Lahouri opens West African restaurant in Toronto

Carelle Lahouri opened a West African restaurant called Instant du Palais in Toronto. She grew up in Ivory Coast but realized her love for its cuisine only after leaving home. The restaurant features popular dishes from her culture, like thieb chicken and garba. Instant du Palais has become a hit, often filled with eager diners. The cozy space is known for its communal dining setup, where guests share plates of flavorful foods like pastels, a savory pastry filled with tuna and veggies, and grilled goat with side dishes. Lahouri's journey began when she moved to France for business school. While there, she started cooking traditional dishes, learning from family and friends. In 2019, she relocated to Toronto and began selling her home-cooked Ivorian meals during the pandemic. The demand inspired her to finally open a restaurant. She named it after her popular cooking blog Instant du Palais, which reflects her passion for sharing food experiences. The menu highlights the rich flavors of Ivorian cuisine, which includes seafood, nuts, and various vegetables. Lahouri focuses on the idea that African food is more about flavor than spice. She aims to fill a gap in Toronto’s diverse culinary scene by offering Ivorian dishes, which are not widely available. As awareness of her restaurant grows, so does her mission to showcase West African flavors in the city.