TORONTO — A little more than one year after Richman’s Kosher Bakery closed its doors, a new kosher bakery under different ownership is opening in the same spot on Bathurst Street.
The similarly named Richmond Kosher Bakery, supervised by the Kashruth Council of Canada, which administers the COR hechsher, was set to be open briefly before Passover and will open permanently after the holiday, say its owners, Ben Raz and Dmitri Arabov.
The new store is in the same location as Richman’s, which occupied the spot for nearly 50 years. It closed in December 2011, a victim of rising costs and increased competition.
Raz said that the brightly lit, roomy new store has been totally renovated, complete with two separate ovens for dairy and pareve baked goods.
Arabov, who studied at a culinary school in Israel for two years and has also worked in Europe, said the store features breads, bagels, buns, pastries and fine cakes.
“We have whole wheat, dark rye bread, whole wheat, multigrain and water challah, and organic spelt, and kamut bread,” he said.
Special for the Shabbat after Passover, he said, Richmond will have the traditional key challah.
“We also have sugar-free muffins sweetened with natural organic agave nectar, and quinoa cookies and muffins.”
Among Arabov’s 15 or 20 varieties of cakes are a Mozart cake with hazelnut and meringue, a caramel crunch cake, a flour-free sponge cake with raspberries and filled with dark chocolate mousse and pareve milk chocolate mousse made from rice milk, croquembouche and dulce de leche.
The owners also plan to have some tables set up for customers to enjoy coffee and fresh daily sandwiches.
Raz said that when the new “Richmond” sign went up, a number of people phoned and dropped in to see when the store would be opening.
“They’re looking forward to it,” he said.
“Richman’s was in this spot for a long time. The customers are happy to see another kosher bakery opening.”
