Reviews The Carbon Bar

Great food. Great vibe in the place. Loved the "bourbon cart" but that's definitely a pricey option. Spent Canada Day 150 there. The meals were good portions and filling. The food seemed to come to our table in no time after placing our order. Good music playing in the background. I didn't get it but I would recommend the Platter meal for 2. It looked very good. The service was amazing. Many staff were eager to help me with any need, not just my designated waiter. The waiter for our table was great though! I swear he ran over to fill my glass of water every 3 sips I had. He was very professional even though I heard him tell someone else that he had only been working there for 2 months. Overall a good place to go for a night out of fine dining.

As usual, Carbon Bar did not disappoint. We ordered the platter and it was outstanding. Our waiter was friendly, service was great. Love this place.

Everytime I come to this amazing restaurant, the service amazes me more and more every time. The food (sigh) as well! You must try the KFC cauliflowers, you wouldn’t know you’re eating vegetables it’s that good!! Their cocktails are delicious, we had the Pit-Fired Old Fashioned and the Smokin’ Manhattan. If you’re from Montréal, say Hi to Sam he’s from there too! � I highly recommend this restaurant weither you just want to have drinks or stay to eat. (They also have a private room on demand for private parties). Cheers!!!

One of the best restaurant I ever been to. Their oyster are so delicious! Everything on the menu is soooo good!

I have been to countless bars and restaurants around North America, and for my first time in Toronto, this place exceeded any expectation I could have possibly had. I loved the food, absolutely phenomenal. I loved the drinks, beyond my wildest dreams. And the service (bartenders in particular) was single handedly the best experience I have ever had in a restaurant/bar.

My favourite place for ribs ribs and ribs. If you are a fan of rib you should spend your time to come to find the best rib in Toronto in here

Amazing place to dine with friends or your significant other. An eclectic atmosphere in an old landmark building. The food is spot on in flavour and portions! Down home BBQ cooking with amazing customer service. Top Notch!

really excellent food in a modern environment

Visited Carbon for the first time this week for dinner, and was really really impressed with the entire experience. Reserved table was ready, wait staff were attentive and helpful with the menu, and the food was exceptional. The ribs were the best I have had in a long while, and the sides are pretty amazing too...don't miss the KFC appetizer and the mac and cheese is sinful. Can't wait to eat there again!

Quiet at 4:30pm but started to fill when we left at 6:30 on a Monday night. Food was better than average for bar food. Decor was kinda industrial. Friendly staff. I wish they had a solution for their fly problem. It was distracting.

Fabulous food, great atmosphere, friendly and very helpful staff. Definitely we will return when next in TO. Thanks for the surprise anniversary chocolates👍

Earlier this week, I had the chance to check out The Carbon Bar to take part in their lobster burger promotion. This was my first visit to The Carbon Bar, and I was in awe of its space. The look was of a vintage yet updated rock-and-roll discotheque diner with high ceiling and an open kitchen. Overall, it was a lively atmosphere with a large cocktail bar situated in the middle of the dining space.

Currently, The Carbon Bar has an ongoing promotion where you can get a Nova Scotia Lobster Burger for only $20 with the purchase of an Alexander Keith's beverage. Hurry in soon, as the promotion is only available until the end of September. I had the pleasure of trying the special deal earlier this week, and thoroughly enjoyed devouring the burger. The Alexander Keith's Nova Scotia Burger was a sky-high burger with pit smoked bacon truffles hollandaise, beef steak tomato, dill pickle, and Old Bay mayo. The burger itself was quite a mouthful, and filled with large lobster chunks for the lobster lover. The bacon truffles hollandaise added a nice balance to the overall flavor, and the strip of bacon provided a good crunch. Lastly, the burger contained a surprisingly large amount of meat and coated with a lightly fried patty.

The Carbon Bar has always been on my endless list of restaurants in Toronto to eat at least once. Since we were there for dinner, we decided to splurge and got a bunch of other dishes on the menu as well. First and foremost, we got our meat fix by ordering two portions of the Pit Master Platter (minimum 2 people) ($30 per person). Note that you need at least two people to order this platter, and it was more than enough for the four of us. The Southern-US inspired platter was plentiful with pork ribs, beef brisket, buttermilk fried chicken, coleslaw, pickles, fries & chipotle mayo.

This place is amazing! Great drinks food and atmosphere! The space is so cool it use to be the old electric circus stomping grounds! All the drinks that I've tried were amazing and different! It's a smoked BBQ house but for some reason my favorite dish was the Octopus! I know it sounds weird but it is a must try item! Also I would recommend the KFC ( Korean fried cauliflower ) , and the pit master platter! This place is definitely a hot spot and I would say a must try restaurant when your in town!

Nova Scotia Lobster Burger with Gourmet Pit-Smoked Bacon, Truffled Hollandaise, Beefsteak Tomato and Old Bay Mayo at Carbon Bar. Torontonicity was invited to Carbon Bar on Queen Street East

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 the brisket burnt ends lettuce wraps for our main. Smokey and tender brisket with slaw and butter lettuce. A super chill place with great food. I hope to go back again soon.

Came here for dinner with 2 other people on a Thursday night. The restaurant looked great. Wonderfully high ceilings with cool light fixtures & lots of seats. Food was also great! Ordered the Pit Master Platter, Kale Caesar Salad, Lentils with scallops and bacon and finished with the Carrot Cake & some Skull Chocolates. Everything was super tasty!

I'd rate this place higher if the noise level wasn't so high. We could barely hear ourselves just sitting across the table from each other.

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 smoked brisket lacked 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.

We were here for dinner a few weeks ago. The ambience is pretty chill. It was a Monday night. It was cold out and still quite busy. We ordered duck tacos and a pit master platter. I really enjoyed the beef brisket. I can't remember our servers name, but she's a brunette and she was awesome. She brought me a wine chiller for my Corona's because I love really cold beer. She also brought me soda water and a tide pen to help get rid of the stain from some BBQ sauce spilling on my white t-shirt. Next time, no white or perhaps I'll just settle for a bib. 5/5 for the service and the experience.

I went there for winterlicious menu.

Great service as usual. The menu didnt have that much of variety but still great!

They always have good food and services, and they have not disappointed me this time!!

Their apple crisp was a delicious dessert! Yum yum.

I can never say one about bad thing about this restaurant.

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 of brisket which came with a horseradish Chipotle mayo. I found it bland but my partner really liked them.

We shared the beef brisket dinner. 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.

This review of The Carbon Bar is based on my "Happy" Hour experience when beers and bar snacks were all going for $5. So is this review bias? I guess kind of....

BBQ Dusted Crackling ($5) with Sweet chili vinegar

K.F.C. ($5) Korean fried cauliflower

Goose Island IPA ($5)

and Complimentary Snack

Only offers at the bar area and Served Thursday through Saturday (11pm - 2am)

I love the bar area as it feels spacious and if you don't want to sit on a bar stools, there are small table for 2/4 on the side. Service was fast and efficient.

I haven't try any BBQ items on the menu which the restaurant is famous for. I guess there will be a next time....

The BBQ Mac n Cheese here is the best Mac n Cheese I've ever had. Seriously. Perfectly cooked noodles, a perfectly-paired cheese, and it's topped with BBQ'd brisket. I swear there was more cheese than noodle (i.e.: a good thing).

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. the Brisket was 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!!

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 the brisket get 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!

This week I went to The Carbon Bar.  Twice.  So, that tells you something, right?  Met a friend on Monday night before heading over to Massey Hall for Spandau Ballet (random or what?).  We had a couple of glasses of wine at the bar while we waited for our table..  Super nice bartender and it's $5 a glass before 6!  I just love the interior so much.  The highest ceilings around and modern cool styling.  Makes you feel like you are in a different city.  Which can sometimes be a good thing.

Our super friendly waitress pointed out that on Mondays, the Old Fashioneds are $9.  Digging the drinking friendly environment big time!  We ordered a couple and they were delicious and went well with our app.  BBQ Dusted Crackling.  Yum.  The sweet chili vinegar dip is what made the dish.  We've all had pork rinds, right?  Well this was an upscale version.  Portion was smaller than I had hoped but it was good.

Overall, the menu has an upscale American BBQ sort of vibe.  My friend ordered the BBQ Rib Mac & Cheese which was super decadent because it had both Fontina and aged cheddar in it.  Imagine that cheesy, gooey goodness?  Sooooo rich and then add the bbq rib mixed in there.  Yowza.  I had the Conchinita en Pibil Tacos.  Pulled pork.  I googled it.  Soft tortillas that you assemble yourself and they were good.  I've had better pulled pork.  By far.  I'll give them a 3 outta 5.

We had to get trucking but wanted a little something sweet before we blew outta there so we both had The Carbon Chocolate Bar.  Perfect.  2 bites and a whole buncha flavours going on.  Chocolate, pecan, caramel.  Really really good.  So good in fact that I suggested Carbon Bar to another friend I was meeting for dinner on Wednesday.  And we both had one and loved it again.  I would have ordered another if it didn't seem ludicrous.  

Earlier that night we both ordered The Volstead which is a super refreshing drink combining gin, amaro, cucumber, agave and orange bitters.  Unfortunately the waiter told us that they are taking it off the menu (but you can still order it on the "secret menu" and I would if I were you) because sometimes you have to "kill your babies" to make room for new ones.  We decided to split the mac and cheese because I realized that you really should split it even though I hate sharing because I'm the eldest child of three.  It's just too rich for one person.  We also split the Roasted Cauliflower.  Meh.  Bigger portion please.  It's just cauliflower and quinoa for pete's sake.  Gimme more.

I'm giving The Carbon Bar a 4 because I love the atmosphere so much that it makes up for the dishes that were only so so.  And that freakin chocolate bar knocks it out of the park. I'll be back for drinks for sure!  Beautiful bar and great drink selection!

Pardis Parhizgar BADGALRiirii is in da building and the food is awesome! The atmosphere is so cool and unique too. Everyone gotta check it out!

Great for a light dinner. Love the open concept of the place. Great service. Food is very tasty, but if you like huge portions this is not the place to go.

Awesome! Love the design and openness of this place. Have been twice in a month and my meals gave been ace! Pulled pork, beef Brisket, TCB slaw, split pea dippers, raw salad and the pork cheek or belly starter. Service has been great, I believe it's great value. Not a huge menu but that's not a bad thing. Excellent selection of scotch!! Definitely worth a visit.

We saddled ourselves up next to the Crispy Chicken Skins with sweet chill vinegar ($7), Hamachi with clementines, pear and kombucha vinegar ($14) and the Cabrito Papusa conveniently stuff with goat cheese and tomatillo salsa ($13). These dishes touted as “Carbon Originals” and they seemed to be smashes. No lie: I would love a bucket of Crispy Chicken Skins delivered to my house nightly.

I found The Carbon Bar quite pricey. Portions fall on the smaller side. All the food is flavourful and delicious, but nothing stood out as unique. It's a brisk walk from the Eaton's Centre. In my opinion, a single entree isn't going to fill most people up and some will be leaving here hungry. If you are a fan of large portions I would not recommend The Carbon Bar. The environment is upbeat and quite open. Service staff are friendly, but I found it difficult to find my waiter when we required service (ie: more water, ordering more food) and other waiters seemed to ignore my beckoning since they weren't assigned my table. It's not near my 'neck of the woods', and I will probably not make a trip to The Carbon Bar specifically to eat there, but if I happened to be in the area or was invited to a dinner there I wouldn't be opposed to going (but mentally prepare myself for a little larger bill).

It was later followed by a plate with a platter of beef brisket burnt 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.

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 the brisket which 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 & chopped brisket ($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

see Abbeyskitchen.com

I often get asked for restaurant recommendation for a good sexy date night or fun spots for a small group that offer awesome food but won’t break the bank. It’s a tall order, but one of my go-to’s suggestions is the almost year-old BBQ joint, Carbon Bar.
 
Located at 99 Queen St. East, The Carbon Bar’s Executive Chef David Lee recently launched the new late-night menu on October 8th- a unique offering of delectable dishes with surprisingly affordable prices! And when I say it’s affordable, I really mean it- all of the dishes are just $5 each.
 

Since it’s always nice to have something to drink with your BBQ fare, guests can get in on Carbon’s signature drinks from their always evolving the menu. And if you need another reason to work your way through the entire menu, there’s also live music every Thursday and Friday night!
 
Now that you’ve read all this, I am sure you’re excited to scroll down to what kind of delicious drinks and eats await – so let’s get into it!
Carbon Bar Julep (2 oz)
Lapsang Infused Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Lime, Mint, Simple Syrup
 
Refreshing and agreeable, it wasn’t at all too strong and yet had the perfect hint of sour. I can definitely see myself drinking this on a late night.
The Black Mamba Margarita (3oz)
Charcoal Infused Tromba Tequila, St. Germain, Bowmore, Lime, Sea Salt Rim
 
I may copy this idea for Halloween- though I might leave the pyrotechnics to the professionals…
 
It may look chaotic, but the Carbon Bar folks got things under control! With the salty rim getting some solid caramelization from the torch, and the smoky tequila coming through, this was a beautifully balanced drink.
Kick Ass Fried Rice
Beef Brisket, Steamed Egg, Sweet Chili Soy
 
Fantastic fried rice- exactly the kind of comfort food you feel like eating late at night.
K.F.P
Korean Fried Pork Ribs
 
These ribs were blessedly tender, perfectly spiced and fell right off the bone – you will definitely eat the meat clean off! It may be a wee bit messy for date night, but man, it’s so good, you won’t care.

Popcorn Chicken
With Kimchi Mayo
 
Tender chicken, crispy skin with a fantastic level of seasoning. I particularly loved the pungent kimchi mayo with each bite. Yum.
Shishito Peppers
With Pit-fired Eggplant Dip
 
A Russian roulette of flavour! Why? Well, because these tasty peppers have one spicy black sheep in every stack! That makes for some pretty fun time with friends, and perfect with a refreshing bourbon based Carbon Bar Julep – especially for the unlucky one.
Veal Tongue Sub
Dill pickle, Pickled Cabbage and French’s Mustard
 
In the mood for a sandwich but looking for that special something? Try this veal tongue sub. Wow, talk about flavour. The tender meat counterbalanced the crunchy slaw and the pillowy fresh bread. Hey Subway, now this is how you do a sub.

Crispy Sticky Tofu
Chinese BBQ Sauce, Ginger, Green Onion
 
For those non-meat eaters- or simply those who love amazingly fried tofu, you’ve got to try this dish. Crispy on the outside, fluffy within and coated in an addictively sticky sweet glaze. Love it.

 
As with my previous Carbon Bar adventures, the late night menu experience was truly phenomenal and a steal at just $5 each! This is perfect for all you who love delectable eats, impeccable service and affordable addictive snacks!
 
If it isn’t already, I am positive that The Carbon will become one of your staple spots for great food and drink at a great price.

 
The Carbon Bar’s late-night menu launched officially on October 16th, and will be exclusively available Thursday to Saturday, served from 11pm to the wee hours of 2 a.m. in the morning. For more information on The Carbon Bar, visit their website and be sure to bring your friends!

Contribution by AK Tasters: Savannah Onofrey & Sharifa Campbell

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, Chopped Brisket - 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!

abbeyskitchen.com

A trio of us got together for dinner on Friday night to celebrate my friend’s belated birthday. I searched for places near King station around where my friend works, and decided to make a reservation at The Carbon Bar (99 Queen Street East) for our reunion. A gastropub place probably best known for its meats, we were pretty excited to try this place out.

Early at 5:30pm, the place was still empty. We immediately loved the decor of the place and how comfortable it felt. Our waitress for the evening, Lisa, was really friendly and helpful. Drinks are on the pricier side, so we decided to skip them and get more tapas dishes instead.

We started off with fried oysters, which were every bit as amazing as they sound. The spicy mayo worked really well.

OCTOPUS & LOBSTER GUMBOOkra, sausage, hominy corn, poblano peppers & chorizo
$24 | Feeling on the more adventurous side, my friend picked this dish for us to share. The portion was a little smaller than we expected, but it was a delicious fiesta of flavours. I was especially impressed with the octopus, which wasn’t overly chewy as I usually find them in other places. The three of us definitely polished up this dish clean.

“HOT MESS”
Sweet potato, cheese curds, crema, pickled jalapeño, chopped brisket
$11 | I’m a huge fan of sweet potato and this was delicious! This one was actually perfect for the three of us to share.

BEEF BRISKET
Dry rubbed with sea salt & black pepper and enhanced by the smoke of white oak and cherry wood
$19 | Very easily the showstopper of the night for me! Melt-in-your-mouth amazingness. I’m salivating again already.

BBQ TOFU & CHEESE AREPA
Pinto beans, tomatillo salsa, pickled mushrooms
$21 | Not one of my favourite dishes, but probably the most polished in presentation. The BBQ sauce and tofu just ended up being a strange match up for my taste buds, though I adored the cheese arepa and all else.

BROCCOLI SALAD
Blue cheese cream, raisins, almonds
$5 | Having some veggies was starting to sound like a good idea, so we also ended up getting the broccoli salad. It really doesn’t look particularly interesting, but all of the flavours – the blue cheese, the raisins, the almonds – just came together so nicely with the broccoli. I could have finished this off by myself and still want more.

BANANA TOFFEE CREAM PIE (for two)
$16 | Oh my goodness. What a perfect dessert. All three of us were absolutely crazy about it and really had to take our time savouring this rich dessert.

CHEDDAR ICE CREAM SANDWICH
Aged cheddar, wafers, maple syrup
$9 | I had my first experience with cheddar ice cream at The Black Hoof. The taste was less overwhelming here and overall the dessert was as sweet as I like desserts to be. It just definitely paled in comparison to the banana toffee cream pie though.

We were really happy with our experience at The Carbon Bar! The fried oysters, beef brisket, and banana toffee cream pie were the standouts for me, though I thoroughly enjoyed everything save for the bbq tofu. I would come back for a nice evening out with friends to try the ribs and chicken skins.

Went for the chef's tasting menu which I was a great way to try a range of dishes. My personal highlights was the salmon, fried chicken and meat platter. The fried chicken was so tender and the brisket was very juicy. More of an upscale BBQ place but a great place for a treat. Good selection of cocktails and local beers too! We were a big table and the staff were fantastic even on a busy Saturday night!

First time going and it was amazing! Everything was delicious and the quality of food was amazing! Everything was seasoned well. Tried the Chef's tasting menu and was 100% worth it, super filling. Definitely coming back! Service was impeccable as well, kudos team!

Lovely funky restaurant. Do make a reservation as it gets fully booked even in low season. Great ambience. Low lighting and super friendly and attentive staff. Food was great. They serve a meat platter for $38 and it's enough for 2 especially if you order appetizers. We went 2 nights in a row and thoroughly recommend this place. Good prices and good food. The staff are the stars of this place

Awesome BBQ, sides and drinks. It’s a big spot and has a bumping atmosphere. We celebrated a birthday party and everyone was very accommodating. They have a chef’s table, but it was already booked, so we were seated in the front booth as a group of 9 which was nice too. The brisket was very juicy and worth the trip alone. Desserts less so but by that time we ate so much it didn’t matter.