the carbon bar

you know those cravings you get when you're just in the mood for well done meats. this is one of those places you go to, to fill that craving. considering they brought us a platter to split, you'd figure there would be some favourites and some would be left behind. while on the contrary our only regret is that we let thebrisketget cold. the ribs,brisket& fried chicken were nothing short of fantastic. the add-ons also played a major factor as the potatoes with kimchi, coleslaw & mac n' cheese were the perfect bunch of sidekick. wish we had room for dessert. when i go back i look forward to trying the seafood platter next!

a few weeks ago my husband took me here, it was our first time. it doesn't look like much from the outside but wow, it is huge! it is definitely a live spot and i would recommend making reservations as we did. my expectations were pretty high, but i was kind of disappointed. first of all, the service was nothing special at all, our server was very inattentive. i loved their shrimp ceviche though, hands down delicious! their octopus was cooked beautifully but i found the beans and egg that came on the same skillet didn't enhance the flavour profile one bit. beans were pretty bland, so pretty disappointing. their deep fried beefbrisketwas on the salty side so it was hard to enjoy.  the duck tacos were delightful...that and th ceviche alone is enough to bring me back here though.

a lat minute decision to go to carbon bar after work on friday was a good one. my friend got the $5 wine deal that gives you a onus tapas bite. she had 2 glasses of wine soi got to try one of the chorizo bites and it was fantastic. we also shared the shrimp and grits appetizer which was prepared in deep fred sticks. crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. we had thebrisketburnt ends lettuce wraps for our main. smokey and tenderbrisketwith slaw and butter lettuce. a super chill place with great food. i hope to go back again soon.

we were here for dinner today (2 of us) and we had a great experience with our food. the place opens at 4pm serving drinks and snacks and the dinner device starts only by 5pm. we walked in a little after 4pm without a reservation, and there were only 3 other people here at that time; but by the time we finished they were pretty crowded.

the tables are very close to each other - so if the place got full, it might not be a great place for a personal conversation.

for starters - we had a k.f.c. from their snack menu. korean fried cauliflower and it was delicious. we loved it. we also got corn bread with whipped maple cream on-the-house and it was very good too.

for mains - we chose to go with their salad options, as their main portion sizes are known to be little large. we had a pulled pork andbrisketburnt ends. both of them were yummm.

for drinks - we had singles of whiskey (collingwood & canadian club) and a glass of house white wine.

the cost of the dinner came to $68 including hst.

decent cocktails, great, friendly service, and good portions. love the reworked industrial interiors, made cozy by lighting and leather-stuffed, round banquettes. the food itself was mediocre. we had the pitmaster platter. the smokedbrisketlacked seasoning and had an odd tang of vinegar at its edges; and the fried chicken batter was so thick it verged on being hard to crunch. the ribs were the exception: they were tender and finished with a perfect brushing of smoky sweet, tangy bbq sauce. collard green side was disappointing as it was simply steamed, salted and buttered, and the mac and cheese was ok.

for dessert we had a bourbon skull each, which was cute and amusing, in addition to being tasty. it was basically a chocolate truffle, masquerading as a metallic coloured bite-sized skull.

loved our personable server and surroundings, but not sure we would return for the unexceptional food.

the best way to describe this place is a sophisticated barbecue restaurant. forget going to places where servers wear plaid and the decor is down south old wood.

and be prepared that the prices are more upscale than other bbq places around but what you get is very good

we started with a couple of their house special drinks... a dark margarita and a gin based cocktail. both were good and strong and combined cost $29

for appetizers there is a single sized portion and a sharing tapa sized section. we got the kfc... korean fried cauliflower, the croquettes and the burnt ends.

the kfc was very good but we longed for more sauce. the burnt ends came like a cold lettuce wrap set up and we're very good as well with enough to make three small wraps each. i didn't love the croquettes which were lightly battered pieces ofbrisketwhich came with a horseradish chipotle mayo. i found it bland but my partner really liked them.

we shared the beefbrisketdinner. it was good but not great. it was very tender but needed more than just a rub of salt and pepper. the bbq sauce was very yummy.

for dessert we endulged in the apple crumble and the banana split. the split at $14 was delicious but not worth the cost. it had two small pieces of caramelized banana three small scoops of ice cream and a couple of chocolates.

the cobbler was very fresh tasting and a better deal at only ten dollars

the bill with tip was 160 for two of us. we were stuffed and really enjoyed. it's a good place for a sophisticated once in a while date night.

went here with 5 girls for dinner. 1. service was amazing. they forgot to tell us they had no more ribs for the pitmaster platter (other meat was substituted) and we got some shots for their over sight. 
2. the food was amazing!!!! we got a 4 person pitmaster platter for 5 girls and we filled ourselves up and had some extra food to spare. thebrisketwas melt in your mouth, the fried chicken was so juicy and tasty, the pulled pork was so flavorful. the bbq sauces were so good too. 
i am such a fan of this place, form the ambiance, to the food to the service to the vibe. 
must try this spot ppl!!

wow! simply wow. high end casual bar meets southern style bbq meets seafood joint. where else do you find fresh lobster on the same menu as fried chicken? and speaking of fried chicken, these ones are addictive. i'm not talking about the typical 11 herbs and spices, my auntie from luisiana makes good chicken addictive. i'm talking about rob ford loves crack addictive.

as a huge consumer of eventing bbq in toronto, hands down bestbrisketin town, just the right cuts to balance fat/meat content on every bit. moist and delicious. ribs are pretty awesome too but i've been a dozen times and it's a bit of a gamble sometimes. the fried chicken however: bring on the contenders. nothing like it this side of mason-dixon line.

the seafood is great, but it's not why we keep coming back. it's all about the bbq. the sides never disappoint, but they keep changing the menu too fast to gauge consistency. no complaints here but they make you love an item only for it to disappear the next time. yes, they are that good. i'm going to start a one man campaign to bring back the "hot mess".

well done carbon team!

beefbrisketburnt ends. fantastic!


-----12 mar, 2015-----

coleslaw side. very good!


-----12 mar, 2015-----

octopus. not enough octopus

went her for dinner and apps this past weekend and it was an enjoyable time. there was a wait being a saturday but we got a nice booth that was comfortable and welcoming. i think what we all liked best was the ambience and decor. the high ceilings and mirrors are definitely a nice touch.

food: we tried a few different dishes more on the appetizer side so i will have to come back to review their mains. some interesting finds with the crispy chicken skin - found this a little too greasy and underwhelming, the shisito peppers with the eggplant dip was good, with the gamble of one in every 20 peppers being hot. we also tried the tuna tartare salad that was refreshing and had a generous helping of tuna as well as a side of 'hot mess' which was great. thebrisketin the 'hot mess' was definitely a highlight which is why i think their other mains would be good.

service: very friendly and attentive with great knowledge of the menu which is always a plus.

off the menu tip: portions are small more towards the tapas sides but the ambience is great for a few dishes and some drinks.

serving up southern-inspired fare, the carbon bar is brought to you by the nota bene team – yannick bigourdan, david lee and franco prevedello.

the restaurant, located at queen and church, occupies a gorgeous space with sky-high ceilings that span two stories. the space features a bar area near the front of the restaurant and a dining room with dark red booths and modern spherical lighting that hangs from the ceilings.

it had been a long week for all of us so drinks were a must:

the alibi – tequila, chartreuse, lemon, buckthorn guajillo chili syrup ($16). while i enjoyed it, i was expecting a bit more heat from the chili syrup but i guess it’s not a very spicy chili pepper.

the deal closer – tequila, campari, cardamom grapefruit bitters & ginger beer ($14). mike said it sounded better on paper and wished that the ingredients were more pronounced – without knowing what was in it, he would never have guessed there was ginger beer, campari or cardamom grapefruit bitters.

the heart of gold – bourbon, port, martini bianco, chartreuse & orange bitters ($14). i didn’t have any of this one but our friend ordered a second one so it must’ve been good.

carbon bar’s food menu consists of several sections – “first up” (appetizers including indulgent high-calorie items as well as lighter options such as sea scallops and hamachi tartare), “from the wood fire pit”, “the plates” (non-bbq items) and “fixins” (sides).

we started off with two orders of the crisp chicken skins – with sweet chili vinegar ($6 per order). since there were five of us, our server recommended getting two orders. when it first arrived, we inquired about our second order but it turns out, one order only comes with two chicken skins. they were incredibly thin, crispy and definitely tasty but i found the price a little too steep for the portion size.

with all the meat-heavy dishes that were coming our way, we wanted something on the lighter side and chose the raw salad – avocado, pear, radish, shaved coconut, corn nuts, coriander & lime vinaigrette ($12). the plate was beautiful with a wonderful combination of colours and shapes.

i loved the crispy and crunchy elements in the dish but wished there was more of the creamy avocado for some contrast. the dressing was quite tart so i’d only recommend ordering this if you’re a fan of sour flavours.

the kitchen brought out some complimentary split pea fritters – with pico de gallo. they made for a great bar snack but the thing that stood out the most for me was the side of delicious pico de gallo.

another complimentary item we received was the cheese croquettes – with apple-chipotle sauce. these deep-fried nuggets of gooey cheese were well-fried with a crisp exterior which wasn’t too greasy. just be careful when biting into them as they’re served piping hot!

you can’t come to the carbon bar without ordering something from the wood fire pit. since we wanted to try as many items as possible, we ordered the pit master platter – ribs, beef brisket, jalapeno sausage & pulled pork ($29 per person; minimum of two people). the platter was for two people. like the chicken skins, i was a little shocked at the portion size…it’s not a lot of food for almost $60!

anyway, if i had to choose, my favourite component was thebrisketwhich had a nice fattiness to it. but was it some of the best i’ve ever had? no. the pulled pork was served dry with sauce on the side for dipping. it was decent by nothing particularly memorable. as for the ribs, they definitely weren’t fall-off-the-bone tender (which i typically prefer) and i found them a touch too salty. like the pulled pork, the ribs were served with the sauce on the side which i found a little too tangy for my liking.

we noticed that the goat ribs ($18) are only available on fridays and since we were dining on a friday, we couldn’t pass them up. the dish came with several ribs as well as a small tenderloin. the ribs themselves were quite small and didn’t have a ton of meat on the bones. nevertheless, the goat was incredible – tender and wonderfully fatty. i liked the fact that it wasn’t covered in any sauce as it allowed the flavour of the meat to shine (they had a gamey flavour which reminded me of lamb). this was definitely my favourite dish of the evening.

in addition to the wood pit items, we ordered the tcb burger – pork cheek, havarti, pickles, mustard & fries ($19). the juicy patty was cooked perfectly and the combination of it with the havarti cheese made it one solid burger. the bun was also quite nice as it held up well against the juicy patty.

a non-meat entrée we ordered was the blackened sea bass – yucca, chili lime, coriander & tomatillo chutney ($22). i only had a small bite of this and didn’t find it to be anything special but the rest of the table seemed to enjoy it more than i did.

as far as fixins go, we ordered the “hot mess” – sweet potato, cheese curds, crema, pickled jalapeno & choppedbrisket($11). c’mon, with ingredients like this, it couldn’t possibly be bad. the hot mess was essentially a loaded baked potato but with sweet potato instead. it was a pretty darn good (but heavy) side.

to end off the meal, we ordered a few desserts to share. the first dessert we shared was the carbon chocolate bar – bitter chocolate, pecan ganache, bourbon caramel ($3 each). as advertised on the menu, these little bites were “just a taste” and a nice way to finish off the meal if you’re stuffed but still want to end off with something sweet.

up next was the pumpkin pie ice cream – rice pudding, barberries, wild blueberries, candied sunflower and pumpkin seeds, spiked eggnog ($9). the ice cream had a very intense pumpkin flavour and while the rice pudding wasn’t mind-blowing, i enjoyed the bits of candied sunflower that were sprinkled over it.

the last dessert we tried was the banana toffee cream pie ($16 for two people). the pie consisted of chunks of bananas and a generous amount of cream sitting on top of a nice pie crust. even though we didn’t detect any toffee, the table still enjoyed this dish.

so, there were some memorable dishes but there were also some misses for me. i also found the prices to be on the high side, especially for the portion sizes. overall, it was a good meal but not amazing.

at a glance:

• southern-inspired fare/bbq brought to you by the nota bene team

• gorgeous space located on queen east (at church)

• open for dinner (until late) mondays to saturdays; closed sundays

• prices are on the high side, especially for the portion sizes

• loved the goat ribs which are only available on fridays

ratings (out of 5):

• food: 3.5 stars

• service: 3 stars

• atmosphere: 4 stars

it was later followed by a plate with a platter of beefbrisketburnt ends and fresh lettuce. i think of all what i tasted that night, that was my favourite. the intensity of the flavours was so deep and savoury, i knew if i were given a bigger plate, i would not stop eating it. abe was just as fast consuming it as i was. three for three definitely.

the carbon bar, a gorgeously designed restaurant located on queen street east, seemed like a perfect little date night restaurant to go to with one of my faves.

from the same owners of nota bene, i was excited to see what they would do with the carbon bar. southern/texan cuisine and succulent meat slow-roasted in an actual wood fire pit? hells yeah.

to start off, we ordered the cabrito papusa ($13). it was a goat-stuffed masa tortilla, that was fried on the outside to provide a hard crispy shell. on the side, it included an in-house salsa and 'guajillo date jus' that would pair the meat in the tortilla perfectly.

this dish was good. i was scared that the goat meat might taste a little too gamey for my liking, but it was prepared so that it didn't have that overpowering after taste. the sauce complimented the meat well. you just have to make sure you eat it quickly because the tortilla gets a little soggy if you wait too long.

for our main course, we decided to get two entrees and split them.

first up, we decided to order the beefbrisketfrom the wood fire pit ($19).

as per their menu, their beefbrisketis "dry rubbed with sea salt and black pepper and enhanced by the smoke of white oak and cherry wood that smoulders in their wood fire pit." amen.

it was so good! i really enjoyed this dish. only thing that was missing was that it didn't come with enough pieces!

lastly, we ordered the octopus & lobster gumbo ($23), which was a tomato-based mixture of octopus and lobster with okra, sausage, hominy corn, poblano peppers and chorizo.

as a seafood lover, i am not particularly a big fan of octopus and lobster (actually the only two types of seafood i don't like). however, the waitress highly recommended this dish so why not? i decided to give it a try, and i was glad i did. all the different textures blended with the tomato-base well and the little kick of spice made the dish.

oh, i also ordered one of carbon's original drinks, the volstead (hendrick's gin, amaro montenegro, cucumber, agave, lemon, and organge bitters) which was really good.

thanks mr. bigourdan, mr. prevedello, and chef lee for the great meal!

great atmosphere, lousy service in the form of a totally distracted server who paid no attention to us even when she was at our table bringing our drinks and meals. the beefbrisketwas melt in your mouth incredible, but the pork ribs were tough and not very flavourful, we didn't even eat them all. i would go back for a drink, maybe.

opening remarks: -the carbon bar (tbc) is one of the latest hot spots to grace the seemingly-exploding east end dining scene. the restaurant is located on queen east at church street in the prior home of citytv, a disney rehearsal space and the nightclub electric circus. -tcb is the latest project by david lee, yannick bigourdan and franco prevedello, the trio behind nota bene on queen west. -the restaurant’s name comes from the spanish word carbón for coal, giving reference to the wood-fire cooking featured on the menu.

ambiance:  -toto, i’ve a feeling we’re not in in kansas queen east anymore. seriously, if i were blindfolded on the drive over, i would have sworn this was a king west joint. from the moment you walk down the dark front foyer towards the beautiful ladies waiting to check you in and take your coat, it feels like a happening spot. i’m hoping this is becoming an east end norm. -the breathable dining space took almost two years to renovate, seating an impressive total of 104 diners with room for an additional 45 at the bar and 30 in their private dining room suite upstairs. - rustic tan bricks scale all the way to the 30-foot ceiling, giving the appearance of a grandiose event space with the sex appeal of a hopping downtown night club. tcb is the electric circus 2.0, but with food instead of gyrating bods. sounds like an upgrade to me.-equally spaced spherical lamps hang from springs into the room, while circular mirrors line the walls for easy lipstick checks. the combination of the sleek black tables with the low-rise mahogany leather booths and matching wood and red chairs is modern, masculine and sophisticated, while the neon “electric” sign brings a little playful youth into the mix. -speaking of playful, another area pays homage to the building’s disney roots with a little cavern of donald duck figurines. it kind of reminds me of all the mini coronel sanders dolls in the old susur on king west- does anyone else remember those? -the rectangular bar overlooks a ceiling high shelving unit packed with premium booze, and reflects the moonlight spilled from the window walls. above the busy bartenders hang a series of translucent milky-way like sheets lit up by a cluster of glowing lamps. in my opinion, this is one of my features of the space.-with such high ceilings, the noise level is certainly loud but completely tolerable. it’s about as busy as busy gets, but i still have no problem conversing with my party or the server. -temperature is also well controlled. with the luxury of a separate room and hallway from the door, there is no risk of a drafty dinner. translation? short skirts and sleeveless blouses are totally game here, and they’re played out fairly often with this demographic. as i waited for my jacket at the end of the night, surrounded by 20-40 year old ladies with freshly blown out hair and high heels, and men in nice fitting pants and shined shoes, i couldn’t help but smile. finally, someone has found a way to bring the downtown and west end folk east of yonge.

service:  -service at tcb was very attentive, professional and friendly. our water glasses were persistently refilled, despite being a very busy night, and our plates and cutlery were changed between courses. -our server knew how to describe the dishes and drinks effectively but i did find her pushy with the oversells. when i ask a server to recommend the number of dishes i should get, i have to trust i am getting an honest answer based on their experience with average tables, and their knowledge of the portion sizes. what we ended up ordering was far more than we could comfortably eat and it was still a few dishes less than she recommended me to get. i don’t really mind over ordering when the prices are low, but we’re talking about $50 of excess food. it’s funny, because my friend visited the restaurant last weekend and the same upsells happened to him. but despite the slightly skewed recommendations, overall, i think we had a very pleasant and professional service experience that definitely made the evening easy to enjoy.

drink:  -i love the way tcb organizes its wine. in contrast to most restaurants, which organize their wine list by region or varietal, tcb divides their offerings by price – either $39, $59 or $79 per bottle. i think this makes an incredible amount of sense for torontonians who have budget on their mind when they dine out. no more sifting through pages and pages worth of bottles to arrive at one that suits your tastes and budget. you simply just have to go to the appropriate price point and choose!  -for those who are dining in smaller groups or just don’t want to commit to just one wine, tcb has about 13 mainly north american wines by the glass, available conveniently in both 5 ($9-17) and 8 oz ($13-26) pours. -beer drinkers will be pleased by their well-rounded selection of international and microbrew selections by bottle ($6-7), bigger 500-750 ml bottle ($12-25) and draft ($7-8). - tcb’s boozier libations include 3 signature hooch ($14-16) drinks and 5 carbon originals ($14-16). reading through their signature offerings, i liked the friendly balance of familiar flavours and playful executions. take their signature carbon bar caesar for example. no one is going to mess with the tried and true clamato (though theirs is made in house), but their version uses tequila instead of vodka, and adds a 37 spice rim and chili tincture. the carbon originals, by contrast, come at you with names you probably have never thought of and flavour combinations you’ve never seen- like tequila with cardamom and ginger beer in the sassily named “the deal closer”, or bourbon, port, martini bianco and chartreuse in the heavy hitting “heart of gold”. i’d probably want to call that the heart of burn, but hey, i guess i’m a bit of a light-weight. desperados ($7) and negra modelo - my friends sampled a few of the microbrews including the desperados ($7), negra modelo ($7), collective arts rhyme & reason ($7) and the bellwoods monogamy ($12 for 500 mls). everyone seemed pleased with their picks. as usual, i’m always going to go the cocktail route first, and sampled a few of them over the course of the night. the carbon bar caesar ($16) olmeca tequila, house clamato, 37 spice rim, chili tincture, lime, hecho en mexico margarita ($16) tequila, st. germain, orange bitters, lime, smoked sea salt, the alibi ($16) tequila, chartreuse, lemon, buckthorne guajillo chili syrup, the deal closer ($14) tequila, campari, cardamom, grapefruit bitters, ginger beer - i definitely found the cocktails overall to be pretty damn good. the best of the bunch were the two signatures, the spicy caesar with a well-rounded zip from the chili and lime, and the margarita with the delicate hint of floral elderflower. the strongest of the bunch, the deal closer, had a nice balance of buzzing heat from the ginger beer and citrusy bitter bite from the campari and grapefruit. i also liked the unique combination of sweet, spice and tang from the alibi’s buckthorne guajillo chili- definitely the fruitiest of the bunch without being cloyingly sweet. overall, a solid run down of booze if you ask this well hydrated girl (we did partake in avion tequila shots at some point in the night. oy vey).

food:  - executive chef david lee and chef de cuisine hidde zomer have developed a menu best described as southern bbq with a playful and international twist. not surprisingly, the menu is anchored around that carbón reference- the wood fire pit - this is where the bbq action goes down. here you’ll find all the meat-sweat staples - your pork ribs, beef brisket, sausage, pulled pork and on fridays, the goat ribs special. most folk going this route would also be wise to round things out with some classic southern fixin’s – fries, collard greens, pork and beans, slaw or a monster of the baked potato called the “hot mess”. -those who want a more composed meal can choose from 7 main plates, 10 shareable apps and 5 desserts- all of which detour from the strict expectations of a southern meal. expect to see the best of asian, canadian, mexican, and caribbean fare intertwined with an underlying base note of contemporary american cuisine. so, no, this is not your momma’s basic southern meal, but gosh damnit, who the hell cares. this is a menu for those of us who want to give the finger to anyone who yaps on about the laws of “authenticity” – innovative overrides authentic any day in my eating agenda. crisp chicken skins ($7) sweet chili vinegar - can someone tell me how this could possibly be bad? like thanksgiving, but better. an order brings out four pieces of super crispy skin packed with rich poultry flavour. a little greasy on the fingers, yes, but the bright tangy dip helped to balance out the fat. cheese croquettes ($9) apple-chipotle sauce - a warning to those wearing your fancy pants to dinner. safety first with this one, folks. secure the napkin on your lap and chest, and then lean over the side plate-these little bombs of hot cheese will explode upon contact. but let me tell you- messy ain’t got nothing on deliciousness with these little bites. crispy on the outside, and ooey gooey cheesy goodness within- i also liked the spicy sweet dipping sauce to cut the fat. yes, please. queso de cabeza ($13) fried suckling pig, pork n’ beans, hen’s egg, pickled beets - one of my favourite dishes of the night because who doesn’t like breakfast for dinner? the beans were sweet, salty and starchy, absolutely delicious with the fall apart tender suckling pig and the luscious runny yolk. what made the dish, though, was the unexpected addition of the pickled beets. with so much fatty goodness of the plate, that little bit of tangy veg just brightened everything up. i would totally consider just ordering this as my main. raw salad ($12) avocado, pear, radish, shaved coconut, jicama, peruvian peppers, coriander, lime vinaigrette - this is what i think we’re going to see more of this 2014- chefs making vegetables super hot. this raw salad was a great example. with so many bright flavours, contrasting colours and irresistible freshness going on, even a hard-core carnivore would be enticed to try this. the vinaigrette was definitely more on the acidic side, which is my preference so i loved it, but those who preferring more neutral flavour may feel there was too much citrus. i do think those people suck. pit master’s platter for 2 ($58) ribs, beef brisket, jalapeno sausage, pulled pork, turkey - i wish this platter were available for one person, because if two people ordered this, they couldn’t have room for anything else, and thou shalt not make a meal of meat alone (unless you’re down with a mean case of the meat sweats, of course). regardless of the portion size, everything on the platter was super delicious. the ribs were a favourite amongst my group but i fell in love with the deckle bits with all the smoky bark – oh my lord, that was good. there wasn’t anything on that platter i didn’t love, i just wish it was possible to purchase a smaller portion.jalapeno sausage (with platter) - despite being part of the platter, the sausage came alone (maybe not enough space!), but was one of the best bits of the meal. these were some of the juiciest, most flavourful sausages i’ve had in a while, and the hint of jalapeno really offset the fat. deliciousness all around.goat ribs ($18, fridays only) - i was really happy we ordered this, as they ended up being (in my opinion) even more delicious than the pork ribs. surprisingly tender, with a good level of smoke and very little fat. if you happen to be here on a friday, definitely get these ribs.the big rib ($35) cumbrae farm’s pit fired & braised beef rib, savoy cabbage, parsley, mustard, horseradish, pickled relish - hands down, everyone’s favourite dish of the night. the smoke and braising method yielded a massive hunk of meat that was both smoky and well caramelized but also impossibly tender. sweet, sticky, rich and savoury all at once. i also liked how the bright zippy horseradish in the herbaceous parsley salad refreshed the traditionally heavy winter main. a bit pricey, yes, but absolutely delish.tcb slaw with corn nuts (accompaniment to goat ribs) - it was a small portion as it came with the goat but man, was it ever good slaw. the dressing had a perfect ratio of creaminess and tang, while the contrast of the crunchy sweet corn nuts and supple cabbage was addictive. i would highly recommend this side.“hot mess” ($11) sweet potato, cheese curds, crema, pickled jalapeno, choppedbrisket- this dish is nothing to look at but, its definitely damn tasty, albeit a bit heavy amidst the meat heavy mains. the ratio of sweet pillowy potato and spicy jalapeno paled in comparison to the mountain of stringy cheese, the tangy crema and the rich beef brisket. somehow, although i had reached my meat-threshold, i still wanted to eat it all. my suggestion to make this perfect would be to use a larger sweet potato, making the $11 price tag seem more palatable and helping to balance out the heavy toppings. banana toffee cream pie ($16) - growing up, one of my favourite desserts of all time was banoffee pie, and tcb’s version didn’t disappoint. delicate flaky pastry, generous chunks of ripe bananas, thick luxurious ribbons of toffee and a mountain of cream on top. it perhaps sounds quite sweet and rich, but this pie was surprisingly light. cheddar ice cream sandwich ($9) aged cheddar, wafers, maple syrup - and for those who usually prefer a cheese platter to dessert, this may be an end of meal option for you. some of my friends didn’t love this, but i was actually impressed. i’ve made many cheese wafers before (i.e. frico) but they tend to always taste a little greasy and stale after even a moment. these ones were neither- just pure smoky savoury aged cheese flavour and crispy perfection to contrast with the mild ice cream and pool of sticky maple glaze. my only quibble would be that i didn’t find the ice cream itself to be very creamy or flavourful, but there was enough going on in the dish to make up for it. goat’s milk ice cream & wild honey ($3) - this was probably my table’s least favourite dish of the night. i actually quite liked the fresh, light flavour of the ice cream, especially with the floral wild honey, but like in the aforementioned sandwich, i found the texture a bit anemic. maybe some more egg yolks could add a little more body. the carbon chocolate bar ($3) bitter chocolate, pecan ganache, bourbon caramel - a solid last bite, and impeccable value for the intricateness and perfection of the dish. the combination of crispy chocolate wafers, nutty chewy ganache and sweet smoky caramel was divine. even if you’re totally full, i highly would recommend ending the meal on this high.

closing remarks: -disclaimer: some of the smaller dishes in this meal were complimentary, however, all opinions are my own. because of that, our bill didn’t reflect the absolute price of our meal, so i went through the menu to add it up manually for y’all. for 6 cocktails, 6 beers, 4 appetizers, a platter for 2, 2 mains, 1 side, and 4 desserts, the bill would have come to $480. at $120 pp for plenty of food plus 3 drinks each, it’s not high-end outrageous, but it’s certainly not a cheap night out. so did i think the meal overall was worth the price? honestly, yes i did. there were some dishes i felt were pretty pricey for the portion (i.e. the big rib, the banana pie, the cheese croquettes, the raw salad, the hot mess), but then there were other dishes i thought were a great deal (i.e. the goat ribs, the queso de cabeza, the chocolate bar etc.). i also thought the quality and quantity of the meat platters made up for the higher accessory prices. the cocktails were all well executed, the service (albeit a touch pushy) was friendly and super attentive, and i also absolutely loved the vibe.-in conclusion, tcb just solidified the trend that started last year- great dining culture is moving east. i am already excited for a repeat visit (and that seldom occurs in my world), and can’t wait to take more friends to check it out. actually, because of its massive size and buzzing atmosphere, tcb would make for an awesome destination for a celebratory meal with a group. thanks tcb for your warm hospitality (and the equally warming tequila shots). next time you see me, i’ll be at the chef’s table with a tequila caesar in one hand, and a goat rib in the other. cheers!

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