Ever since Dark Horse Espresso packed up the Elektra at their original Riverside cafe and headed for new digs down the road, the wood-swathed corner unit at 682 Queen East has sat empty. That’s about to change, thanks to the folks at Aft Kitchen & Bar two doors down.
Co-owner Paul Campbell reveals that the team behind Aft has been hard at work transforming the space into what will soon be known as KT, a brand-new cafe/sports bar concept. The name stands for Kids’ Table, which was meant to convey a sense of play (if not their desired age demographic).
“It’ll be a little multi-use space,” Campbell says. “With rents being what they are on Queen East, we looked for two different business models.”
In the morning, they’ll be doing breakfast items, pastries and espresso from Jet Fuel. In the early afternoon, they’ll turn on the TV screens and begin serving drinks and a snacks menu that will let the Aft kitchen staff, led by executive chef Michael Beck, experiment with culinary possibilities outside Aft’s barbecue menu.
“There’s a lot of replication in Aft. The type of cuisine we do – it’s very satisfying, but it’s not as creative. That’s more of a science. We wanted to open something that would allow the guys in the kitchen to express creativity.” The menu will be eclectic and ever-changing – Campbell says he’s a particularly big fan of their pastrami.
The opening date is currently up in the air, but Campbell says they’re hoping to have the doors open sometime in March.
food@nowtoronto.com | @nataliamanzocco
