Canadian film director Ivan Reitman has partnered with chef Jonathan Waxman to open a new restaurant in Toronto's Entertainment District.
Reitman, who directed moves like 'Ghostbusters' and 'Animal House,' is behind Montecito, a two-storey dining room, lounge, and patio that seats 280.
Montecito is located at 299 Adelaide St. W., near John Street, and directly behind the TIFF Bell Lightbox on a block called Reitman Square. Reitman's family and the Daniels Corporation donated the ground for the theatre.
The idea for Montecito was born when the Lightbox opened. Reitman moved into a condo in Festival Tower, atop the Lightbox, and felt the area needed a great place to eat.
"I realized there wasn't this kind of restaurant," Reitman said in an interview on CTV's Canada AM on Tuesday. He said there were chain restaurants and fancy cafes, but nothing in between.
"I just wanted it to be lively and like the sort of great restaurants that you visit on a regular basis all over the world."
The menu changes daily, but the food is inspired by California cuisine and coast-to-coast Canadian ingredients.
Reitman's roots in film are visible through the restaurant, with movie props and cast photos scattered through the building.
The menu gives a subtle nod to Reitman's role in 'Ghostbusters,' with a take on baked alaska which Reitman said represents the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the film's debut.
