Barbecue
Big Crow 176 Dupont, at St George, 647-748-3287, roseandsonsbigcrow.com, @roseandsons Ex-Drake chef Anthony Rose rebounds with a year-round backyard barbecue located behind his popular Rose and Son diner. Where else will you find picnic tables, shareable church-social plates and the occasional passing freight train? Best: retro Shrimp Louie salads with shredded iceberg, sliced avocado, hard-boiled egg and a handful of Quebecois cocktail shrimp in Thousand Island dressing uncut jerk chicken wings with grilled pineapple splashed with coriander hot sauce smoked Cornish hen in garlicky pesto whole grilled rabbits with buttery hot sauce on the side, baby red potato salad with grilled cremini mushrooms grilled corn salad with crumbly feta-like queso and crema fresca to finish, profiterole-like s’mores ice cream sandwiches with roasted marshmallows. Complete dinners for $50 per person (lunches $40), including tax, tip and a Mai Tai. Average main $18. Open Thursday to Sunday 11 am to close, Monday to Wednesday 5 pm to close. Closed some holidays. Reservations accepted at dinner only. Licensed. Access: three steps at door, three steps to washroom. Rating: NNNN
Caribbean
Hummingbird 1276 Queen E, at Alton, 647-748-3004, thehummingbird.ca, @hummingbirdTO Conveniently located directly across the street from the Leslieville Beer Store, Otis Creary’s island-inspired bistro cum take-away breathes new life into tradition-bound Caribbean cuisine. Don’t miss the Saturday (August 10) all-day backyard bacchanal in honour of Jamaican Independence Day starting at noon. Best: saltfish and ackee bruschetta on house-baked bammy flatbread aggressively spiced jerk chicken over local greens with avocado, grape tomatoes and caramelized plantain croutons in balsamic thyme vinaigrette delicate dal puri rotis stuffed with callaloo, chickpeas and pumpkin squash Friday and Saturday nights, jerk pork kebabs with sweet peppers and pineapple sided with grilled corn, roasted sweet potatoes or cornbread at brunch, festival fritters with maple syrup and peameal bacon. Complete dinners for $25 (lunches $15), including tax, tip and a beer. Open Monday 11:30 am to 4 pm, Tuesday and Wednesday 11:30 am to 9 pm, Thursday to Saturday 11:30 am to 10 pm. Closed Monday, holidays. Reservations accepted. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms on same floor. Rating: NNNN
Contemporary
THR & Co. 97 Harbord, at Robert, 647-748-7199, thrandco.com, @thrandco The crew responsible for the impossibly hip Harbord Room switch gears with this, dare we say it,- family-friendly cantina in the old Messis. Genuinely welcoming service, an unobtrusive soundtrack of golden oldies and Curt Martin’s shareable neo-Ital carte ensure full houses. Best seats in the house: the two semi-circular red leather banquettes in the window. Best: beef-heart tartare with olive relish and dehydrated duck yolk thin-crusted pizzas dressed with nettles, potato, pancetta and a runny free-range egg papardelle with fresh garden peas and spring favas in a light lemony cream garlicky black squid ink spaghetti alio e olio-style with charred squid and bottarga poppyseed lemon cake topped with toasted marshmallow brittle and buttermilk ice cream. Complete dinners for $50 per person, including tax, tip and an Aperol spritzer. Average main $21. Open for dinner Monday to Thursday 5 to 10 pm, Friday and Saturday 5 to 10:30 pm. Closed Sunday, holidays. Reservations accepted. Licensed. Access: one step at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNN
