Review The Carbon Bar - Toronto

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!

Service was fast and efficient. Decor was very modern and stylish had a very comfy relax feel. Drinks were on point. Food was great, the mix meat platter was alot of options and satisfied all cravings. Dessert was not bad as we picked the chef mixed choice, but was just enough for everyone to share after that stuffing meal.

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!

Came here for some drinks and a catch up with old colleagues. We had a reservation and we're seated promptly - we went over our time limit by quite a bit and they were accommodating until another reservation came in. I had the pork tacos and they were delicious- i just wished it was three instead of two, that would have been the perfect combination. my colleague really enjoyed their food as well, they said the steak was cooked to the perfect consistency. One of my colleagues is a big bourbon drinker and was really happy to see the cart - hats off to the ops manager, he knows his stuff!

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

The environment was modern-chic; the lighting made it for an intimate time within a busy restaurant. The waitresses were all amazing, attentive, knowledgeable, and helpful. Now, let's move to the food. For the starter, we ordered the KFC (Fried Caulliflower), it was so crispy and flavourful that we were amazed and couldn't get enough of. For main course we had the Hot Smoked Salmon and Prime Beef Brisket. The salmon was one of the best salmons I've ever had. The fish was cooked to perfection and it was very fluffy. The curry sauce was absolutely delicious and you could taste every flavour. The Brisket was flavourful and it melted in your mouth. The sauce house sauce was like the cherry on top for the brisket. For dessert we ordered the Banoffee Pie and we were pleasantly surprised with how perfect it was. The toffee was well done and not overly sweet, the vanilla chantilly was balancing the sweetness of the toffee and the brulee bananas were a beautiful compliment. Drinks: we got the Pillow Talk, Whiskey Sour, and Barrel on the Beach and all three were perfection. 100% will comeback to try the Carbon Experience!

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.

Had a great experience at Carbon Bar on a Friday night! The brisket was to die for, so juicy and tender. Cocktails were great too! Great service as well. Highly recommend this place 10/10

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.

On Saturday I came here for a friends birthday. The service was horrible. The waitress was cold, and never attempted to engage with us. The food took 1 hr and 30 mins to come out. The Manager (I guess that's who he was) came by and apologized however; it was way to long at that point we were just ready for the night to be over. Our waitress then said her shift is ending and another waitress would take over. The new waitress reached across the table to fill out glasses with water and didn't even acknowledge she should have pardoned her reach. They offered us a pie, as a result of the poor service but, the pie did not taste good. They should have asked us what desert we wanted. That would have been better suited. The food itself was good, I enjoyed the platter after the long wait. Corn bread and Mac & Cheese was awesome! Not sure if I'd go back in the future. It was average

Exceptionally designed, this establishment is beautiful. Wait times can be lengthy, plan ahead. As there was a forty five minute wait, we started at the bar and had a few apps. Our bartender wasn't very welcoming, but made an exception drink. We moved to on our table where we were able to experience what team work was all about. I love going into restaurants and seeing everyone work so well together. Our server was amazing and made some excellent recommendations. My fave dishes were the peppers, Korean cauliflower and the mac and cheese. We had the meat platter and it was okay, nothing to rave about. The brisket was the best, ribs were not as flavourful. The apple pastry was a great way to end off the meal. Would definitely come back.

I recently went to the Carbon Bar for dinner after hearing amazing reviews from friends and it definitely met and exceeded my expectations! It started with great staff that welcomed us and were very attentive and friendly throughout our stay. The food was amazing!!! We ordered the KFC (Korean Fried Cauliflower) and Corn Hush Puppies as appetizers - the corn hush puppies are my new favourite app! So good! We shared the Pit Master Platter which I highly recommend if you visit. You get pork ribs, beef brisket, and fried chicken. It is a must have if you go! I will definitely be recommending Carbon Bar to my friends and family!! And can't wait to go back!

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.

Really terrific meal put on by Carbon. The KFC is off the hook. Both the brisket and ribs were top notch, and our sides and drinks were delish!

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!!!

My boyfriend and I went for a late Valentine's meal here yesterday and we're very satisfied with the food, the service and the venue! The staff were super friendly and attentive. The food was delivered promptly, hot and was nothing but delicious - with special emphasis on the ribs and the death by chocolate! Also the venue was super clean, well presented with a light and friendly atmosphere. Would definitely eat here again and recommend to other to try out!

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

I had a large group for my bday yesterday and we all had a spectacular experience. Food was delicious (I just had a piece of leftover fried chicken-YUM) service was top noch. From accommodating all dietary restrictions (we had lots), to separate bills to amazing bar and wait staff . Thank you!

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.

We were there for my friends 40th birthday and had the sample menu. It was magnificent! Our servers were great (Shelly you rock) the food was amazing and of course the prosecco!! Our friend had a terrific birthday. I highly recommend your restaurant

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

Service and food was amazing. Our waiter was super friendly and the food was both delicious and delicious. Lol

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!

The perfect place for the perfect diner. I have to stop by everytime that I'm in Toronto. It's just that good.

really excellent food in a modern environment<br/><br/>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!

2019/06/04<br/>After a company customer event, about 8 of headed to The Carbon Bar for dinner. Large dining room, high ceilings, elegant decor all made for a comfortable atmosphere. <br/><br/>We started out by sharing the huge Fishmonger Platter, which had a variety of tastes and textures: oysters, snow crab ,Argentinian wild shrimp, little neck clams, mussels, mezcal & lime cured salmon, tuna ceviche nikkei. Not sure I could pick a favourite in that bunch. It was all good. <br/><br/>Then we shared the Pit Master Platter, which was also huge and filled with St. Louis cut pork ribs, prime beef brisket, buttermilk fried chicken, dill pickles and fries on the side. All good, but my favourite was the brisket; lean, smoky, tender and lots of flavour. <br/><br/>Finally we shared an indulgent (and huge) Rocky Road Sundae. Finished the meal on a sugar high. <br/><br/>Fortunately someone else picked up the tab. 🙂

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.

Girls night! When my friends come from out of town, we’ve got to go out for dinner, drinks and good times. I wanted to try somewhere I’d never been and Carbon Bar, at Queen and Church, had been on my list for awhile! Reservations were made and off we went. . The unusually large entrance welcomed us as we were seated. High ceilings with sleek lighting greeted us with trendy, yet comfortable décor. At the front of the dining area is a large bar with seating all around with more fabulous lighting and wood accents. This place is on point!

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

Perfect for a date night. Food and service are great. Their cauliflowers are so delicious! Love it! <br/>PS. The bartender looks delicious too hahaha

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. <br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.

Phenomenal food, trendy decor & atmosphere, and fantastic service. The staff there was efficient and polite when we notified them that we were in a hurry to get to a show. The food came quick but it was all still flawless. We unfortunately had to rush through dinner but already have plans to go back so we can stay and enjoy for longer!

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!

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 beef brisket was 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.

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

Nestled away on Queen Street E & Church, The Carbon Bar serves up their fair share of your not-so-average dishes. They don’t do normal over here; they have options to enhance patrons’ experiences by offering items in platters to ensure patrons are stuffed trying a galore of different items whether that’s from their seafood bar to their wood fire pit offerings. I’ve visited The Carbon Bar on two occasions. Once in their dining room section and the other time at the bar – both visits left me a happy camper.

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.

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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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 and Brisket Burnt Ends. Both of them were yummm.<br/><br/>For drinks - we had singles of whiskey (Collingwood & Canadian Club) and a glass of house White wine.<br/><br/>The cost of the dinner came to $68 including HST.

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!<br/><br/>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.

Overall the carbon bar is good, its very much a networking/business atmosphere. Not the best place for families or a romantic date. Its really urban, and industrial looking. The service is awesome, the only thing i didn't love was the menu. Good food but not great, still really worth the money.

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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>Loved our personable server and surroundings, but not sure we would return for the unexceptional food.

I've been meaning try this restaurant for the longest time a d glad we finally did. We were throwing a friend a surprise party and the staff were very cooperative and accommodating to us. The waitress Ashley was very helpful to use the entire night from start to finish. We ordered the "KFC" which is Korean Fried Cauliflower, a common staple here. It was quite good and I loved the batter used to make it this way. The entire table ordered their signature dish which was the Meat Platter filled with Beef Brisket, Ribs and Fried Chicken. It was so good and really love the juicy parts of the brisket. It came out to $30/person but well worth the price to try their awesome meat. Our waitress Ashley was super nice and friendly as our host for that night. Great ambience and dining experience. Highly recommend it to others and meat lovers alike.

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.

A short haiku review from me to you! Hope you enjoy it!<br/><br/>-----<br/>Birthday group dinner.<br/>Pricey seafood and meat mounds. <br/>Food for everyone.<br/>-----

I went there for winterlicious menu.<br/><br/>Great service as usual. The menu didnt have that much of variety but still great!<br/><br/>They always have good food and services, and they have not disappointed me this time!!<br/><br/>Their apple crisp was a delicious dessert! Yum yum. <br/><br/>I can never say one about bad thing about this restaurant.

Tip to restaurants: when you proclaim a menu to be an “experience”, be confident you’ll be able to provide the entire package. It’s not a “tasting menu”, where food is king; you’re now promising diners something more that extends beyond the stomach. Which is exactly why The Carbon Bar needs to rethink if they’re able to execute on the “experience menu”, unless you want a frustrating start and ending to be what diners remember.<br/><br/>When a group of friends and I went for the Carbon Bar experience menu ($49 per person having dropped the fish course), we were expecting tons of food, served family style, which would leave us in a meat coma. <br/><br/>What we didn’t expect was having to wait over half an hour for

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. <br/><br/>And be prepared that the prices are more upscale than other bbq places around but what you get is very good <br/><br/>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<br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>The cobbler was very fresh tasting and a better deal at only ten dollars <br/><br/>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 post contains images of our recent lunch at The Carbon Bar on Queen Street East in Toronto. The place itself is a big, modern bistro, brick walls, maroon booths and a dozen spherical light fixtures suspended from the ceiling on pantographs. This building previously housed a Disney rehearsal space, a City TV broadcast studio (famous for the 1970s Baby Blue movies) and the Electric Circus nightclub. A few design details pay homage to that history, like a clubby neon sign and a collection of 15 Donald Duck figurines remembering the building’s former life as a Disney rehearsal space. There are 104 restaurant seats, 45 bar seats and 30 seats in the second-floor private dining room. It took eighteen months and three million dollars to renovate the historic building. We drank a Cottage Life Caesar - beefeater 24, clamato, jalapeno garlic, rosemary, wasabi pea rim $12 and a Dockside Sangria - Havana Club rum, St. Germain, wine watermelon mint shrub, strawberry $13. We ate Caesar salad - romaine, bacon, six-minute egg, oak smoked bacon, garlic croutons $13; Cumbrae Farms steak tartare - puffed beef tendon, makers mark, tajin $16; Bacon cheeseburger - oak smoked bacon, gouda, pickles, mustard mayo, fries $20; and BBQ Mac & Cheese - pit-fired pork, aged cheddar, gruyere, mozzarella $20. As it was lunchtime, we passed on desserts.

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....<br/><br/>BBQ Dusted Crackling ($5) with Sweet chili vinegar<br/><br/>K.F.C. ($5) Korean fried cauliflower<br/><br/>Goose Island IPA ($5)<br/><br/>and Complimentary Snack <br/><br/>Only offers at the bar area and Served Thursday through Saturday (11pm - 2am)<br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>I haven't try any BBQ items on the menu which the restaurant is famous for. I guess there will be a next time....

We definitely enjoyed The Cottage Experience Menu when we returned to The Carbon Bar on Queen Street East in Toronto for The Cottage Life (Where every day is the weekend) to enjoy "The Cottage Experience Menu" which was $59.00 per person and was designed and created by Chef Hidde Zomer who has been the Executive Chef at The Carbon Bar Toronto for over two years. We chose to drink beer and enjoyed a 16 oz. Rolling Rock Premium Extra Pale Lager draught and a Labatt 50 Ale (710 ml.). We ate smoked salmon on saltines; mesquite tortilla chips and with guacamole and smoked oyster sauce; oysters and condiments; heirloom tomato and& herbed cottage cheese; wild shrimp salad, watermelon and feta. The main part of the dinner was a massive platter called the Cottage BBQ Platter consisting of St. Louis cut ribs, jalapeno/cheddar sausage, Cumbrae farm sliders and buttermilk chicken. This was accompanied with Corn on the cob and TCB slaw. Dessert was Campfire s'mores and a large slice of Niagara peach pie with ice cream. The food was tasty and the service exemplary. The décor pays homage to the building's history which included a Walt Disney studio, a discotheque and the City Television studio during the baby blue movie era.

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).

This post contains some images of our recent dinner at The Carbopn Bar in Toronto. We drank Steamwhistle Pilsner draught and Leffe Blonde draught. We ate Beef Croquettes dill mustard; Fried truffled Mac & Cheese; Blistered Shishitos guajillo spice sesame, lime; the Pit Master Platter - pork ribs, beef brisket, buttermilk fried chicken, dill pickles, fries; TCB Slaw - corn nuts; Corn Bread - cheddar, chili & lime butter; fries & chipotle mayo and various sauces and the house sauces.

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. <br/>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. <br/>I am such a fan of this place, form the ambiance, to the food to the service to the vibe. <br/>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.<br/><br/>As a huge consumer of eventing BBQ in Toronto, hands down best brisket in 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.<br/><br/>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". <br/><br/>Well done Carbon team!

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!

The night ended with a bang with the innovative desserts — the small but memorable Carbon Chocolate Bar with bourbon caramel ($3), and various ice cream flavours like coconut, goat's milk & wild honey, or lychee & kombucha.   The dining experience overall offers a bit of everything here. The menu is part-barbecue, part-Latin.

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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.  <br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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!

I've walked by this place a billion times and every time I've tries to make a reservation it was usually fully booked. So when I finally got my reservation to fall through I was pretty stoked (do people still use that word?). The outside leaves a lot of mystery so once I made my way in it was nothing like what I had expected. It was a lot more hip and casual inside. Most people inside were wearing jeans and a sweater while I came in with my little black dress and heals...I guess it's better to be overdressed than underdressed right? I started with the hamachi ceviche for an app and to this day it still plays back on my tongue. As for the main I kept safe with a burger, but I must say it was in my top 3 best burgers I've had in my life. I know it's a burger but dang! And with some perfectly crisp fries on the side...I lost it! I definitely look forward to going back there!

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!

Brisket: great. The rest: meh.. We went here for my birthday. I'm a BBQ fan and want to get a smoker this spring so naturally I was intrigued by the offerings here. The service was without reproach. Very attentive and helpful. The food was OK. Frogs legs and beef croquettes were good but didn't warrant the price tag considering the portion size. The pit platter looked promising but the only amazing part was the brisket. Fried chicken was crispy sure... But bland. Same with the ribs. Kinda dry and chewy. And the total for 2 people was a smidge surprising. Again not all bad and the venue looks amazing but the actual BBQ was just OK.

It was OK - not amazing. The Carbon Bar is beautifully designed. The front staff and waiters were very pleasant, attentive and efficient. We were told that we had two hours to eat before the next group would come. (We just barely finished by 2 hours. Hey, whose fault is that?)<br/>The starters were nicely presented but not much food on the plate. Our desired wine (Pinot Grigio) was not available. I hate that. Someone is not doing their job. The substituted wine was not very good. The calamari and the trout were excellent. Our friends had the mixed meat platter. They were underwhelmed especially since this should be Carbon's hallmark dish. For dessert, the banana pie was great.<br/>All in all, OK, but I would not bother to return.

Chicken skins. Sounds gross - it's delicious. but the place is rather pricey for the amount of food you get.

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.

WOW halibut paired with glazed pork belly and "ribs on the side" - oh and a pulled pork slide to start. Best meal of '14

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.

Yes.. Went to The Carbon Bar last night with 12 other people. Excellent service & DELICIOUS food. We all went home stuffed! No idea how this place only has a 71% rating! Can't wait to go back.

Left Hungry. The Carbon bar is a gorgeous room, service was 4/5. There is not a great selection on the menu and if you order the sea bass you will leave hungry. The size is more like an appetizer. The flavors are great, along with some of my friends meat dishes - I needed to try as I was done my meal very quickly!<br/><br/>Would not return.

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 beef brisket was 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.

Bad service, bad bar. I booked a table for 8 at the Carbon Bar 2 weeks prior to my birthday. We had a reservation for 8:30pm. Our group arrived on time and we were asked to wait in the bar area for our table. The bar staff was extremely slow (once we got a bartender's attention it took 20 minutes to get 8 drinks) and the selection was very limited... no mojitos, no martinis, not even a cosmopolitan. We got vodka 7up and scotch on the rocks. We were finally taken to our table at 9pm (no apologies for the half hour delay) and were given a table all the way at the back, overlooking the kitchen! So much for booking two weeks in advance!<br/>Our waitress was extremely slow, messed up our order on numerous occasions (wrong drink, wrong appetizer, etc.) and was not the least bit apologetic when she did. I've been to much nicer "it" places in the past where the wait staff's attitude and service level was bad but this one pretty much takes the cake.<br/>Only redeeming qualities: cool ambiance and certain plates ordered were quite good.<br/>All in all, for the $1000 we spent on 8ppl that night, we could have gone somewhere with the same cool factor, ate just as well if not better and not had the bad experience we did.<br/>Advice: go elsewhere.

Overrated and small portions. Trendy spot. Nice atmosphere. Mediocre food.

Toronto needs The Carbon Bar!!. It's tough to put this gourmand's dream in a category, except the category of no restaurant like it in Toronto. From the moment you are welcomed by the refreshingly attitude-free hostesses and walk through the large airy space and take in the feel and vibe of the modern yet warm, hip yet relaxed decor, to the intimately knowledgeable tour of the menu delivered by the casually-dressed yet eminently professional service staff, you know you're in a different kind of place. Then there is the food. The Hamachi tartare with mandarin and pear pieces sings in your mouth with a slight Peruvian accent. The split pea fritters and cheese croquettes with apple chipotle dip put a smile on your face that only exquisitely executed comfort-food appetizers can! Then there's the sustainably caught yet unsustainably delicious Chilean sea-bass carefully blackened and resting on to-die-for grilled yuca with chile and lime. And finally, the dessert. First the carbon chocolate bar, a simple yet sinful marriage of pecan ganache and caramel and lastly, to put any doubts about the word class status of this place, a banana toffee cream pie that chases out every worry in your head replacing it with a sweet sense of bliss. Chef de cuisine Hidde Zomer's name is not yet bantered around the Toronto foodie scene but I can bet that is about to change. Toronto has itself a truly unique food landmark in the Carbon Bar.

Good drinks and Salads. Apps were good but like everything was more expensive than it was worth and tiny portions. Don't get the Pit Master platter, which was $90 shared between 3 people was barely enough for two and meat was tasteless. Service was good.

we always have room for more "friends" in our life—especially when it comes to delicious, easy-on-the-budget snacks that can be eaten while enjoying live music and DJs. Available Thursday to Saturday from 11 p.m. until 2 a.m., the resto's late-night menu boasts seven items to satisfy those midnight munchies, from spicy (shishito peppers—watch out! -

I enjoyed the openness of the dining room, where noise levels are kept well under control. I found that the food was average, although a couple of dishes were made with ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking, which was quite delightful. The way that they organized the wine list was smart, with wines neatly categorized under $39, $59, and $79. However, if I have to pin-point, location is probably one of the main reasons of why I would return. Worthy of mentioning is that TCB’s washrooms are modern, roomy and clean. This is pretty hard to come by for a downtown restaurant, unfortunately!

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.

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

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).

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. - See more at: http://www.abbeyskitchen.com/blog/review-carbon-bar-toronto-restaurant-review/#sthash.1WdeSCK2.dpuf

Southern/Texan cuisine and succulent meat slow-roasted in an actual wood fire pit? Hells yeah. And the verdict? Absolutely worth the visit. More on my blog post!

The overall look and feel of the place is that of a vintage diner, with burgundy colored booth seats that fill the open space. The open kitchen draws much attention as does the bar which are at opposite extremes of the restaurant. If you raise your head slightly, you’ll see an elevated platform/balcony that is reminiscent of where the banker sits à la “Deal or No Deal” – that’s where the 30-seater private dining area is. Plenty of privacy.

Like Breaking Bad, Carbon makes chemistry cool again. In this case, the chemistry is a mix of great food, courteous and intelligent service and a great environment.

I caught word of Toronto’s The Carbon Bar back in January. When I first saw “Goat Ribs” as a weekly Friday special, I knew I’d eventually have to make my way down there.

I was most enthusiastic about conquering the offerings from the kitchen and did not hesitate to march through a few appetizers which offered up an addictive munch and crunch (don’t miss out on crispy chicken skin, explosive cheese croquettes and split pea fritter dunked in pico de gallo).

The Carbon Bar is a great environment that can provide some wonderful surprises for the palate. The wallet may take a beating, but the experience is worth it.

The Carbon Bar on Queen and Adelaide opened not too long ago, in fact, just in time for my birthday dinner back in December! Obviously I was taking my chances since I haven't been to the restaurant before, haven't tried their food and bringing such a large group and everything. <br/>However, The Carbon Bar is brought to us by the same team behind the famous Nota Bene- well known restaurant near Queen and University where I've been before and had a good experience- so I wasn't too worried.

Nothing to do on a Monday? Well come on down to Chef David Lee’s GOLDEN. BROWN. DELICIOUS. #GBDMondays at The Carbon Bar for fabulous fall fare. I’ve always loved this space with it’s tall

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.

After a year and a half of renovations, the Carbon Bar (@TheCarbonBar) finally opened on Queen East in December. Serving up Southern-inspired fare, this new restaurant is brought to you by the Nota Bene team – Yannick Bigourdan, David Lee and Franco Prevedello.

Bought to you by the same team behind Nota Ben, The Carbon Bar ( @TheCarbonBar ) definitely have big shoes to fill.With food bought to you by the same and only Chef David Lee, it's was very promising. We headed there last Saturday for the Birthday of fellow foodie Justine ( @foodigatorJ ) since the large space is perfect for hosting larger group. Love the super high ceiling with the brick wall, the booths and the big round light fixture that was perfect for the space. Love the brightly lit room instead of the dark restaurants that I am rather bored of, it's just so much more lively... and really, I like to see what I am eating. Love how they have bits and pieces in the decor which is nod to the space former self such as a Disney rehearsal space, City TV Broadcast studio and nightclub Electric Circus.   Collective Arts ( @CollectiveBrew ) ~ Rhyme & Reason $7 This extra pale ale was rather sweet malty flavor which is very easy to drink. Love how the brewery use all those different arts p

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.<br/><br/>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. The brisket in the 'hot mess' was definitely a highlight which is why I think their other mains would be good.<br/><br/>Service: Very friendly and attentive with great knowledge of the menu which is always a plus.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>It had been a long week for all of us so drinks were a must:<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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).<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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!<br/><br/>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!<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>At a glance:<br/><br/>• Southern-inspired fare/bbq brought to you by the Nota Bene team<br/><br/>• Gorgeous space located on Queen East (at Church)<br/><br/>• Open for dinner (until late) Mondays to Saturdays; closed Sundays<br/><br/>• Prices are on the high side, especially for the portion sizes<br/><br/>• Loved the goat ribs which are only available on Fridays<br/><br/>Ratings (out of 5):<br/><br/>• Food: 3.5 stars<br/><br/>• Service: 3 stars<br/><br/>• Atmosphere: 4 stars

The Carbon Bar is spacious and has great food. I was impressed with the Pit Master Platter. It has brisket, ribs, chicken and much more. Try the "Hot Mess" dish.. very unique dish that contains sweet potato, cheese curds and brisket. I like going on Mondays for the #GBDMondays special menu. They also have a new late night menu with food items for $5 after 11pm.

see Abbeyskitchen.com <br/><br/>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. <br/> <br/>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. <br/> <br/><br/>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!<br/> <br/>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!<br/>Carbon Bar Julep (2 oz)<br/>Lapsang Infused Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Lime, Mint, Simple Syrup<br/> <br/>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.<br/>The Black Mamba Margarita (3oz)<br/>Charcoal Infused Tromba Tequila, St. Germain, Bowmore, Lime, Sea Salt Rim<br/> <br/>I may copy this idea for Halloween- though I might leave the pyrotechnics to the professionals…<br/> <br/>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. <br/>Kick Ass Fried Rice<br/>Beef Brisket, Steamed Egg, Sweet Chili Soy<br/> <br/>Fantastic fried rice- exactly the kind of comfort food you feel like eating late at night. <br/>K.F.P<br/>Korean Fried Pork Ribs<br/> <br/>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.<br/><br/>Popcorn Chicken<br/>With Kimchi Mayo<br/> <br/>Tender chicken, crispy skin with a fantastic level of seasoning. I particularly loved the pungent kimchi mayo with each bite. Yum.<br/>Shishito Peppers<br/>With Pit-fired Eggplant Dip<br/> <br/>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.<br/>Veal Tongue Sub<br/>Dill pickle, Pickled Cabbage and French’s Mustard<br/> <br/>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. <br/><br/>Crispy Sticky Tofu<br/>Chinese BBQ Sauce, Ginger, Green Onion<br/> <br/>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.<br/><br/> <br/>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! <br/> <br/>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.<br/><br/> <br/>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!<br/><br/>Contribution by AK Tasters: Savannah Onofrey & Sharifa Campbell

Chef David Lee is a force to be reckoned with in Toronto restaurant scene. He has run the noted Nota Bene (located on Queen West) with front of house partner Yannick Bigourdan and together they have decided to take the plunge on another restaurant. The space has a bit of history attached (having one housed CityTV) but with this newest venture, Lee and company have decided to write their own history.<br/><br/>The restaurant is The Carbon Bar and inside you’ll find a smartly designed and hip interior with brick walls and maroon booths. As homage to the old CityTV days is a bright club-light “Electric” sign. Everything is perfectly thought out the entire resto – right down to the branding on the plates.<br/><br/>I asked David Lee what the most difficult thing was about opening a new restaurant was and he told me, “you have little to no time for yourself and family. But also, it is difficult to get to know a new kitchen, space and a brand new team.” If David has had any trouble getting acquainted in the new space, the indication did not come to light upon my visit to Carbon Bar. The fare is a simple barbecue restaurant but it pulls from the chef’s Italian and pan-Asian influences. This is not your typical meat & potatoes.<br/><br/>David tells me, “I’ve been in love with natural wood and charcoal fire cooking since my childhood. Every country has a BBQ story, and mine was growing up in Mauritius and cooking over charcoal in a drum; making Char Sui / BBQ pork belly, & Peking ducks. I wanted to create a restaurant where these flavors were accessible to everyone”<br/><br/>We saddled ourselves up next to the Crispy Chicken Skins with sweet chill vinegar, Hamachi with clementines, pear and kombucha vinegar and the Cabrito Papusa conveniently stuff with goat cheese and tomatillo salsa. 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’m not sure if Chef David takes order for that. But if he does, I hope he is listening. The Hamachi was lacking a bit of acid which is a shame for a good Hamachi dish. But please, whatever you do: order that Cabrito Papusa. It is heavenly and cheesy.<br/><br/>From there, we feasted upon what is known as the Pit Masters Platter which contains pork ribs, beef brisket, cornmeal fried chicken, pickles and smoked in white oak and black cherry wood. Lee tells me, “We season our meat with only salt & pepper. This allows for the guest to taste the meat and all of our cuts come from Cumbrae Farms,” With each platter, several different sides are to be chosen and on this night we picked the TCB Slaw ($6) and Collard Greens ($5). The signature TCB Slaw topped with corn nuts is one word: genius! It adds this little crunch and pop each time you bite in.<br/><br/>But let’s rewind back to that meat for a moment: this platter included some of the juiciest BBQ I have tasted and well, I have been to some BBQ joints in the city. The one that stood out most to me was their turkey, which was juicy and tender and moist. Also, lest not forget the Jalapeño Sausage. The sausage had hints of jalapeño with little to no fat. It was pure delicious. Basically everything on this platter (brisket was fatty and moist, ribs fall off the bone good — I don’t want to spoil the entire platter for you) was incredible and well worth the price. Even if some meat sweats ensued.<br/><br/>For dessert, we were delighted with the Cheddar Ice Cream Sandwich – which I must say – was amazing. I am not a huge sweets fan and this was everything. The right mix aged cheddar ice cream, thin wafers and the ultimate Canadian treat: maple syrup.<br/><br/>Nota Bene is a loved restaurant by many in this fine city and David Lee may have just created another restaurant that will be loved by one and all once again. From entry through the door to first plate to exit, The Carbon Bar is sure to be making many Top Ten Lists for 2014.

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. <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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).<br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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! <br/><br/>abbeyskitchen.com

Bought to you by the same team behind Nota Ben, The Carbon Bar definitely have big shoes to fill.<br/><br/>With food bought to you by the same and only Chef David Lee, it's was very promising. We headed there last Saturday for the Birthday of fellow foodie Justine since the large space is perfect for hosting larger group.<br/><br/>Love the super high ceiling with the brick wall, the booths and the big round light fixture that was perfect for the space. Love the brightly lit room instead of the dark restaurants that I am rather bored of, it's just so much more lively... and really, I like to see what I am eating.<br/><br/>Love how they have bits and pieces in the decor which is nod to the space former self such as a Disney rehearsal space, City TV Broadcast studio and nightclub Electric Circus.<br/><br/> Collective Arts ~ Rhyme & Reason $7<br/>This extra pale ale was rather sweet malty flavor which is very easy to drink. Love how the brewery use all those different arts pieces as their label. This is their Label #1 by Halifax artist Rich Aucoin<br/><br/>Cannonball Wine Compny ~ Sonoma 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon $20 for 8oz<br/><br/> Queso De Cabeza $13<br/>~ fried suckling pork, pork & beans, hen's egg, pickled beetsDon't you love the idea of having breakfast/brunch for dinner (^_^)This is a rather large app to have on your own, so I would recommend sharing this since it's rather filling. Love the melt in your mouth fatty flavorful piece of fried suckling pig; let's just say everything on this plate was delicious even the 2 slices of brioche toast.<br/><br/>Crisp Chicken Skin $6<br/>~ sweet chilli vinegarWhat can I say, it's crispy goodness, perfect with the vinaigrette which cut down the fattiness. But I would have to say rather pricey for 2 small piece of chicken skin.<br/><br/> Pit Master Platter (minimum 2 order) $29 per order<br/>~ ribs, brisket, jalapeno sausage, pulled pork, turkey<br/>This was a 2 serving plate and I find it rather expensive for $56 considering it didn't even came with a side. The brisket was my favorite here, it was perfectly moist with just the right ratio of fat vs meat and not overly seasoned so you can taste the delicious meat flavor while controlling the amount of sauce which was on the side. I find the ribs very salty (you can actually feel sprinkles of salt on top) while the pulled pork was rather bland. While I am not a big fan of turkey, these was rather moist. Second to the brisket was the sausage which was very delicious with the perfect casing.<br/><br/>Next time, I'll probably just order the beef brisket $18 and I am dying to come on a Friday to try their Goat Ribs $16 that everyone have been raving about.<br/><br/>Porcini N' Grit $19<br/>~ grits, sauteed porcini mushrooms, deep fried egg yolk, crisp kale, huitlacoche dust<br/>Love everything about this, from the crispy kale, perfectly fried egg and the earthy porcini with the creamy flavorful grits. Ok I didn't know what huitlacoche was but after googling it, I don't think I want to know (it's corn smut/fungus)<br/><br/>I didn't try the following 2 dishes!!!<br/><br/>Blackened Sea Bass $22<br/>~ yuca, chili, lime, coriander, tomatillo chutney<br/><br/>Oak-Fried Octopus $21<br/>~ okra, sausage, hominy corn & lobster gumbo<br/>I was originally debating between this and the grits and this end up looking so good, have to order this next time.<br/><br/>TCB Slaw $4<br/>~ with Corn Nuts<br/>Really like this, very different with the crushed corn nuts on top.<br/><br/>Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream $9<br/>~ rice pudding, barberries, wild blueberries, candied sunflower and pumpkin seeds, spiked eggnog<br/>Not sure how to describe this, it's interesting. Definitely tasted like pumpkin pie.<br/><br/>Cheddar Ice Cream Sandwich $9<br/>~ aged cheddar, wafers, maple syrup<br/>Love it, the thin crispy wafers with the cheddar ice cream. Would have thought it would be cheesier but it wasn't but very well balance, not too sweet and perfect with the yummy maple syrup.<br/>Love how they give you a card after packing your leftovers to be picked up at the door with your coat check. <br/><br/>Verdict: <br/>Amazing service, very attentive and friendly.<br/>Some hit and misses but would love to come back to try more dishes especially the Goat Ribs.<br/>My fave part was the decor with the high ceiling, brick walls & cool lighting.

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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>We started off with fried oysters, which were every bit as amazing as they sound. The spicy mayo worked really well.<br/><br/>OCTOPUS & LOBSTER GUMBOOkra, sausage, hominy corn, poblano peppers & chorizo<br/>$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.<br/><br/>“HOT MESS”<br/>Sweet potato, cheese curds, crema, pickled jalapeño, chopped brisket<br/>$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.<br/><br/>BEEF BRISKET<br/>Dry rubbed with sea salt & black pepper and enhanced by the smoke of white oak and cherry wood<br/>$19 | Very easily the showstopper of the night for me! Melt-in-your-mouth amazingness. I’m salivating again already.<br/><br/>BBQ TOFU & CHEESE AREPA<br/>Pinto beans, tomatillo salsa, pickled mushrooms<br/>$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.<br/><br/>BROCCOLI SALAD<br/>Blue cheese cream, raisins, almonds<br/>$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.<br/><br/>BANANA TOFFEE CREAM PIE (for two)<br/>$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.<br/><br/>CHEDDAR ICE CREAM SANDWICH<br/>Aged cheddar, wafers, maple syrup<br/>$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.<br/><br/>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.

Carbon (the foundation of organic chemistry) is a new restaurant/lounge that has opened at the corner of Queen and Church. Owned by the Note Bene group, the website describes it as a place “where fun-loving aficionado’s, gourmands and bon vivants meet to share un-pretentious snacks, plates and platters delivered with impeccable hospitality in a space inspired by the storied pAst of a rock’n’roll discotheque, an upstart TV station and a media giant’s studio”. When you walk in, you’re not sure if you’re entering a dance club or a Moxie’s. Smiling woman greet you and offer to take your coat. When you climb the few stairs and turn the corner you walk into “the space”. It has dimensions that could double as Walter’s meth lab. It’s a roomy, square dining area with a big bar, an open kitchen and a combination of booths and tables. The ceilings are high and it’s decorated in a simple but attractive fashion.<br/><br/>From the bar, there’s a decent cocKtail list, a nice array of wine and a somewhat unimpressive list of cliche Beer. I started with the Smokin’ Manhattan ($14), made with tobacco-infused Maker’s MArk, bitters and a couple of booze soaked cherries. It was well made but the price put it on the upper limit of acceptable.<br/><br/>The second drink was the Carbon bar Caesar ($16), made with tequila, chiLi, lime, clamato and a 37 spice rim. It was surPrisingly unremarkable and nowhere worth the price.<br/><br/>The hit of the night seemed to be the Volstead which a few of my friends at the table ordered. Made with gin and Montenegro and flavoured with lemon, orange bitters and Cucumber, it’s a perfect summer drink that still holds it own during the winter months.<br/><br/>I ended with a Kensington brewing company Augusta ale which was one of the only draught beer worth drinking.<br/><br/>The menu is small plate and mainly focuses on the trenDy cuisine of the southern US with a spattering of favorites from other parts of the earth. It’s always interesting going out to a restaurant with the concept of sharing when you’re with “peskies” (a generic term which includes the likes of peScatarians, those with gluten intolerences and pescatarians with gluten intolerences). The waiter was excellent. He knew the menu cold. For example, he identified there would be gluten in the soy sauce of the jerk cornish hen and in the sugar coating of the pecans in the celery, apple salad.<br/><br/>We sampled a number of dishes so I’ll be short but sweet:<br/><br/>Hot Mess ($11)-sweet Potato, cheese curds, Crema, pickled jalapeño, chopped brisket:<br/>It tastes like it sounds. A well executed and modern Version of Canada’s iconic poutine. Delicious.<br/><br/>Raw Salad ($12)- avocado, pear, radish, sHaved coconut,corn nuts, coriander, lime viNaigrette<br/><br/>Fresh, acidic and pRetty. Definitely a sharable because it starts Snappy but can a bit boring after a Few bites.<br/><br/>Quezo de Cabeza ($13)- Fried suckling pig, pork ‘n’ beans, Hen’s egg, pickled Beets.<br/><br/>The perfectly cooked egg sat atop this childhood favorite. It had great flavour although I wished the pork was fried a little more and was a little less fatty.<br/><br/>Blackened Sea Bass ($22)- yuCa, chili, lime, coriander, tomAtillo chutneyThe tender bass was complimented with an array of flavours but the highlight was the tomatillo chutney. A well balanced dish.<br/><br/>Jerk Cornish HeN ($18)- black eyed peas, Coconut milk, mango & papaya salsa<br/><br/>Although the chicken was moist, the seasoning was a little lack lustre. The dish had a uNiformly smoky flavour which could not be overcome by the timid salsa.<br/><br/>Oak-Fired Octopus ($21)- okra, sAusage, hominy coRn & lobster gumbo<br/><br/>All the components of gumbo with the addition of tender pieces of Octopus. It worked.<br/><br/>Porcini and Grits ($19)- grits, sautéed porcini mushrooms, deep fried egg Yolk, crisp kale, huitlacoche dust (a type of corn fungus)<br/><br/>The table consensus was this was the best dish of the night. The flavour was incredible but very rich so definitely recommend as a shared plate. The crispy kale was a great touch. It could have used more mushrooms. Great for the pEskie at your table as well.<br/><br/>Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream ($9)- rice pudding, barberries, wild blueberries,candied sunflower and pumpkin seeds, spiked eggNog<br/><br/>Sparked a little controversy at the table. The rice Pudding was average but the addition of the other ingredients pumped it up. The ice cream was seasoned well with earthy spice and sweet pumpkin. I think warming the rice would have added to the overall experience.<br/><br/>Sorbets and Ice Creams ($3)- apple, lychee kombucha, buckthoRn, goat’s milk ice cream & Wild honey<br/><br/>A refreshing and delicious finish to the meal. The buckthorn seemed to be the favorite. Was initially served with graham Crumbs but that didn’t work for the peskies so it was replaced quickly and without question.<br/><br/>My Take<br/><br/>Carbon is Note Bene’s response to the continued demand for casual eateries which serve good food instead of standard and water downed versions of foods that were popular two years ago. I think they succeeded. The cocktails are a bit pricy, especially the less than impressive caesar. The beer selection is more trendy than it is good. Otherwise, it’s a safe but well executed menu that was not shy on flavour. The highlights were the porcini ‘n grits, octopus with gumbo and the sea bass (especially the tomatillo chutney). The service was incredible and environment (including the music) was current, hip and applicable to the diverse clientele scattered across the roomy interior. Like Breaking Bad, Carbon makes chemistry cool again. In this case, the chemistry is a mix of great food, courteous and intelligent service and a great environment.

The Carbon Bar (TCB), is the newest venture from the same owners as Nota Bene. Quality food is what these two restaurant have in common; Nota Bene serves up haute cuisine and TCB serves up “haute” Southern cuisine with a more casual and fun vibe.<br/><br/>The restaurant is located at Queen + Church; it has housed Electric Circus and was also once a Disney rehearsal studio. Remnants from its predecessors take form of a neon light beaming the word Electric and some Donald Duck figurines as well as sound boards, which serve as wall décor where the washrooms are located.<br/><br/>The overall look and feel of the place is that of a vintage diner, with burgundy colored booth seats that fill the open space. The open kitchen draws much attention as does the bar which are at opposite extremes of the restaurant. If you raise your head slightly, you’ll see an elevated platform/balcony that is reminiscent of where the banker sits à la “Deal or No Deal” – that’s where the 30-seater private dining area is. Plenty of privacy.<br/><br/>Executive chef David Lee is seen mentoring his staff hands-on while the abundance of serving staff trickle in and out of the kitchen like a colony of ants.<br/><br/>The wine list by the glass is regrettably short, but solid. Wine by the bottle comes in three tier pricing ($39, $59 and $79). There’s a good mix of import versus domestic. There are also currently 8 beers on tap. We opt for the cocktail list and decide on two Carbon originals (nice juxtaposition of words here) – the Deal Closer ($14), a tequila-infused concoction with campari, cardamom and ginger beer and the Risk and Reward ($14), a mix of spiced rum, Aperol + Amaro Montenegro.<br/><br/>We opt for the Crisp Chicken Skins ($6) for the same reason why I love chicken wings – the fat is in the skin which = flavor! These dehydrated crisps unfortunately do not have the same allure and are pretty bland on their own. Thank God for the sweet chili vinegar? Not so much – it too does not provide the flavor boost I so desperately wanted either.<br/><br/>Redemption is found in this Cabrito Papusa ($13), tender goat meat stuffed in a masa tortilla,<br/> with tomatillo salsa + guajillo date jus. The masa tortilla knocked it out of the park as it was crispy and light (almost reminiscent of the texture of a deep-fried taro dumpling you get at dim sum). One of my favorite dishes of the night.<br/><br/>The kitchen then sends out the Hamachi ($14) on the house, a tartare with clementine, pear, kombucha vinegar and little Peruvian red peppers (Gandules) which add a splash of color to brighten up the whole dish. The sweetness from the fruits and peppers are a great contrast, both texturally and flavor-wise.<br/><br/>For mains we opt for the Pork Ribs ($18) – the simplest test of whether or not you need to try anything else from the pit. The pink smoke ring seems promising, and the texture is spot on (albeit being greasy). Flavor-wise however, the ribs are lacking and the overly tangy sauce doesn’t come to the rescue.<br/><br/>From the à la carte sides we order the signature TCB Slaw ($6) topped with corn nuts which was genius! Not overly dressed and very refreshing. We also order the “Hot Mess” ($11), a sweet potato topped with cheese curds, crema, chopped brisket and pickled jalapeno – the rather bland crema overwhelms most of the flavor and my mind starts wandering to thoughts of a loaded baked potato.<br/><br/>The kitchen again, sends out another dish, this time, a sample of the Goat Ribs ($18), which are usually only available on Fridays. The goat ribs just look intimidating, garnering fears of meat sweats to ensue but no worries, but it’s just the sheer size of the bones that carry on the illusion. Once you bite into it, it kind of makes you wish that the illusion was fake as it is extremely tender and juicy and for me, even better than the pork ribs.<br/><br/>We then feast on the Oak Fired Octopus ($21), a gumbo unlike any other. While most gumbos I’ve encountered are a brownish bowl often imperceptible and slimy, you can see the chunks of lobster sausage, and hominy corn. And the okra isn’t slimy at all. Definitely a winner.<br/><br/>We muster up the stomach space for dessert and decide to forego the ice-cream themed goodies for the Banana Toffee Cream Pie ($12) which feeds 2. I love bananas, but this pie just fell short of expectations. The cream to banana ratio was largely skewed and if there was any toffee in the pie it was drowned out in the bubble bath of cream that covered the pie.It should’ve been more aptly labelled – cream pie.<br/><br/>We can’t really explain why the kitchen sent out 2 dishes complimentary, though if I were to guess by the intensity of Lee’s hovering over the chefs in the kitchen, I would say that they were in training mode and that he had them practicing many dishes seeing as the restaurant is barely about a month old. We send him back our gratitude by sending back a glass of wine, but the chef is too immersed behind the scenes to make an appearance.<br/><br/>Service was stellar and the servers all are very knowledgeable about the dishes; questions are promptly answered and if the server didn’t know he made it a point to find out. I definitely enjoy the vibe of TCB and would come back for their delicious cocktails and some nibbles with a group of friends. And while I know I shouldn’t be comparing apples to oranges, I’d have to say I’d take TCB over Nota Bene any day. Overall, I was satisfied with my experience and I know where to go the next time I have a papusa craving, even if purists will fight me on its authenticity.

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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>For our main course, we decided to get two entrees and split them.<br/><br/>First up, we decided to order the Beef Brisket from the Wood Fire Pit ($19).<br/><br/>As per their menu, their Beef Brisket is "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.<br/><br/>It was so good! I really enjoyed this dish. Only thing that was missing was that it didn't come with enough pieces!<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>Thanks Mr. Bigourdan, Mr. Prevedello, and Chef Lee for the great meal!