Restaurants in Hamilton

Kamasutra brings authentic Indian fare to Toronto’s diners, forging dishes from a place of passion and professionalism. Sample the subcontinent with the brie pakoras appetizer ($7.95), which deep-fries cheese in chickpea butter, or run the gamut of oven offerings with the tandoori sampler ($17.95 for two people), containing chicken tikka, a mincemeat kebab, sufiyani salmon, and paneer tikka. Kamasutra’s signature dishes are taste-bud turn-ons, with the butter chicken ($12.95) and chicken tikka masala ($12.95) garnering come-hither stares from patrons. Carnivoyeurs can add chicken ($12.95), lamb ($13.95), or a number of other meat and seafood options to the curry-covered basmati-rice bed of the biryani. Vegetarian vigilantes can pause from patrolling shadowy side streets to tongue-trail the eggplant bharta ($10.95) or the mixed-vegetable curry ($10.95). Though Indian tradition calls for beer-chugging contests to accompany spicy cuisine, Kamasutra offers an extensive selection of wines, cocktails, and martinis in addition to beer.

Though they are experts in traditional Japanese cooking and sushi-rolling, the chefs at District enhance their menu by adding in modern flourishes. Using seafood sourced from North American, European, and Asian waters, they wrap ingredients such as spicy salmon, fried scallops, oshinko radish, and avocado into more than 30 maki rolls. They also plate signature dishes such as miso-glazed white fish, grilled lime salmon, and ginger-soy-marinated AAA strip steak. Servers ferry these dishes, along with sake and soju cocktails, to intimate bistro tables. Ornate crystal chandeliers punctuate the sleek interior.

• For $10, you get $20 worth of deli fare and drinks. • For $45, you get $100 worth of catering services.

Table 17 uploads upscale cuisine with a seasonally changing dinner menu of fare made fresh from local ingredients and inspired by European cooking techniques such as the Denmark Dice, the Fosbury Flop, and the Ballroom Blitz. Appetizers include a white gazpacho ($8) with white grapes, fennel, and almonds, and shared plates such as the polenta ($14) and the restaurant's acclaimed hot balls ($11.50 for a full size)—namely the goat-cheese hot balls with wildflower honey—have the appetizing ability to reunite jilted lovers split over differing Inception theories. Recent entrees have included rainbow trout ($24), spaghetti pomodoro crudo ($18), and an organic black cod ($26). Leave vacancy in your stomach shelter for desserts such as the Italian classic, tiramisu ($8), and the house-made cheesecake ($8). Return wine to cool, dark quarters by downing a glass or bottle of palatable type-A grape blood.

398 West offers fine dining made finer by its kosher certification, with a kashrut-abiding menu prepared with as many fresh and local ingredients as possible. Beneath high ceilings that dangle glowing pendant lamps like futuristic earrings, candlelit tables with crisp white linens make fine backdrops for selections from 398 West's sushi bar. Punch up your table with a vibrant avocado maki ($7), a spicy-tuna roll ($10), or the Tex-Mex roll ($16) with fresh tuna sashimi, diced tomatoes, and avocado chunks, tossed in dynamite sauce and served over California rolls. After once again asserting dominance over sea creatures—this time without the use of a flamethrower—dig into 398 West's dinner menu. First courses include Atlantic salmon sliders ($12), house-cured spiced beef jerky served warm ($16), and chicken-liver pâté ($12). Main dishes include braised lamb shanks ($38) with potatoes, squash, beans, and greens, and a 30-day aged 16 oz. rib steak ($39) with market vegetables and hand-cut fries. Before returning your fierce appetite to its cage in the basement, treat it to 398 West's brownie dessert ($12).

Utopia Cafe offers diners a brave new world of freshly made casual fare, with a dine-in menu of sandwiches, salads, and Tex Mex–inspired favourites. Begin your palate's perusal of Utopia Cafe with the regular poutine ($4.95), with fresh cheese curds and veggie gravy, or with the gourmet poutine ($6.75), served with sautéed mushrooms, goat cheese, and veggie gravy. Utopia Cafe's warm grilled-chicken salad ($9.95), topped with roma tomatoes and a balsamic vinaigrette, is sure to silence the grumbles of stomach-gremlins, and the grilled-eggplant quesadilla ($9.99), bedecked with cheese, green-onion mayo, and salsa, adds veggie-intake health points to the gooey dish. The steak and cheddar burrito ($10.99) makes steak cravings satiable, and the veggie souvlaki sandwich ($7.99) marinates, herbifies, and skewers soy protein in a delicate pita with onions, tomato, and tzatziki. Burger buffs wishing no malice toward cows can opt for the veggie burger ($7.50), the grilled bison burger ($8.99), or the bovine-free Kissing Cousins burger ($8.99), made with fresh ground lamb and creamy goat cheese.