Introducing: Union Social Eatery, a new midtown outpost of the popular Mississauga restaurant
Name: Union Social Eatery
Contact Info: 12 St. Clair Ave. W., 416-901-3456, unionsocial.ca, @UnionSocial
Neighbourhood: Yonge-St. Clair
Owners: Steve Proulx, George Kakaletns and Michael Rame
Chef: Michael Rame, who is also the executive chef at the Mississauga location
The Food: The menu lists an international hodgepodge of comfort dishes (dragon rolls; curry bowls; wanton-wrapped short ribs), plus salads, burgers and bar snacks. Everything is under $20, including an eight-ounce steak served with aioli and fries. A separate menu caters to customers with gluten sensitivities.
The Drinks: The bar’s 20 taps pour a mix of craft, domestic and premium beers. The rest of the drinks menu is still a work in progress (management welcomes suggestions from local tipplers).
The Place: Formerly home to Harry’s Social Kitchen (and before that, Fran’s diner), the renovated space is more or less a carbon copy of the Mississauga location. A poured concrete bar takes up a big chunk of the space, which is outfitted with high-top tables, brown leather banquettes and an oversized iron chandelier hung with decorative mason jars.
The Numbers:
• 200 lbs of potatoes per day to satisfy customers’ fry cravings
• 38 lbs of poured concrete on the bar top
• 20 draught lines
• 12 liters of made-from-scratch soup stock simmered per day
• $5 beers on Wednesdays
• 4 HD plasma TVs
• 1 house smoker
256286 Union Social Eatery is located just west of Yonge St. on St. Clair (Image: Jackie Pal) Introducing: Union Social Eatery Introducing: Union Social Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-11.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-11/ union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-11 0 0
(Image: Jackie Pal)
256275 The space is a dead ringer for the Mississauga original: big and casual with lots of poured concrete, barn board and brown leather (Image: Jackie Pal) Introducing: Union Social Eatery Introducing: Union Social Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-02.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-02/ union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-02 0 0
(Image: Jackie Pal)
256284 The restaurant boasts 20 taps, including a few dedicated to craft beers like Flying Monkey’s Hoptical Illusion and Muskoka’s Cream Ale (Image: Jackie Pal) Introducing: Union Social Eatery Introducing: Union Social Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-10.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-10/ union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-10 0 0
(Image: Jackie Pal)
256274 The owners created an industrial feel by heightening the ceilings and exposing the duct work (Image: Jackie Pal) Introducing: Union Social Eatery Introducing: Union Social Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-01.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-01/ union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-01 0 0
(Image: Jackie Pal)
256276 Swordfish tacos topped with cilantro slaw, wasabi sauce and lime ($11) (Image: Jackie Pal) Introducing: Union Social Eatery Introducing: Union Social Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-03.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-03/ union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-03 0 0
(Image: Jackie Pal)
256277 Fried wanton wrappers stuffed with braised short ribs, pepper jack cheese and cremini mushrooms ($9) (Image: Jackie Pal) Introducing: Union Social Eatery Introducing: Union Social Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-04.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-04/ union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-04 0 0
(Image: Jackie Pal)
256278 Almond-crusted chicken tenders and fries ($13) (Image: Jackie Pal) Introducing: Union Social Eatery Introducing: Union Social Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-05.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-05/ union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-05 0 0
(Image: Jackie Pal)
256280 Grilled swordfish with charred leeks and peppers on an Ace Bakery bun ($15) (Image: Jackie Pal) Introducing: Union Social Eatery Introducing: Union Social Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-06.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-06/ union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-06 0 0
(Image: Jackie Pal)
256281 Coconut-crusted chicken with mango brown butter and Jasmine rice ($16) (Image: Jackie Pal) Introducing: Union Social Eatery Introducing: Union Social Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-07.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-07/ union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-07 0 0
(Image: Jackie Pal)
256282 The Delux burger is topped with house-smoked cheddar and bacon on an Ace Bakery bun ($13) (Image: Jackie Pal) Introducing: Union Social Eatery Introducing: Union Social Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-08.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-08/ union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-08 0 0
(Image: Jackie Pal)
256283 Each Mars Bar brownie contains about 3/4 of a chocolate bar and comes topped with a scoop of mint chocolate chip ($7) (Image: Jackie Pal) Introducing: Union Social Eatery Introducing: Union Social Eatery https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-09.jpg 1000 667 [] https://torontolife.com/food/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurants/slide/union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-09/ union-social-eatery-toronto-restaurant-09 0 0
(Image: Jackie Pal)