Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar, a new barbecue joint in Riverside
Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar, a new barbecue joint in Riverside
Name: Aft Kitchen and Bar
Neighborhood: Riverside
Contact info: 686 Queen St. East, 647-346-1541, aftbar.com, @aft_bar
Owner: Paul Campbell, formerly of House on Parliament
Chefs: Christian Butcher and sous chef Lawrence La Pianta
The food: American comfort food with an emphasis on southern barbecue, which La Pianta spent two years learning in Texas (everything is smoked on-site). Daily specials include smoked burgers ($13) and wings ($14) on Monday, buttermilk fried chicken ($17) on Wednesday and Texas barbecue on the weekends.
The drinks: Craft beer ($6.95) on tap, along with a large selection of bourbon and whiskey. Campbell plans to introduce classic cocktails like Manhattans, whiskey sours and mint juleps soon.
The place: Aft took over its tiny space from the short-lived Toucan Taco Bar, and outfitted it with plenty of wood, including a long sugar maple bar top with a live edge and shelving reclaimed from a church organ in The Beach. A backyard patio should open by mid-May, doubling the capacity of the restaurant.
By the numbers:
• 800 square feet
• 27, the number of seats inside (the patio will add another 30)
• 16–20, the numbers of hours of smoke the brisket receives (wings get about 1.5, and ribs, 8–16)
• $5–$20, the menu’s price range (from marinated olives to sous-vide steak frites)
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- Bourbon sour ($6)
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- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
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- Barbecue side ribs ($19), served with red cabbage slaw and cowboy baked beans
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- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
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- Smokehouse burger ($13): cheese-studded ground brisket with arugula and chipotle aïoli, served with frites
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- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
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- Sous vide hanger steak with chimichurri, smoked cippolini onions and fresh cut frites ($20)
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- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
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- Herb-crusted chicken with heirloom carrots, beans and garlic mash ($16)
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- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
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- Portobello mushroom frites ($8): panko-crusted marinated mushrooms with thyme aïoli
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- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
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- Chef Christian Butcher
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- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
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- Selection of bourbon, whiskey and craft beer (Steam Whistle, Mill St.’s Cobblestone Stout and Tank House, Sapporo, Blanche de Chambly and Okanagan Springs 1516)
- (Image: Igor Yu)
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
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- (Image: Igor Yu)
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
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- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
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- (Image: Igor Yu)
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
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- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
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- The restaurant was designed by the Brothers Dressler
- (Image: Igor Yu)
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
- Introducing: Aft Kitchen and Bar
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. Daily specials include smoked burgers ($13) and wings ($14) on Monday, buttermilk fried chicken ($17) on Wednesday and Texas barbecue on the weekends.
The drinks: Craft beer ($6.95) on tap, along with a large selection of bourbon and whiskey. Campbell plans to introduce classic cocktails like Manhattans, whiskey sours and mint juleps soon.
The place: Aft took over its tiny space from the short-lived Toucan Taco Bar, and outfitted it with plenty of wood, including a long sugar maple bar top with a live edge and shelving reclaimed from a church organ in The Beach. A backyard patio should open by mid-May, doubling the capacity of the restaurant.
By the numbers:
• 800 square feet
• 27, the number of seats inside (the patio will add another 30)
• 16–20, the numbers of hours of smoke the brisket receives (wings get about 1.5, and ribs, 8–16)
• $5–$20, the menu’s price range (from marinated olives to sous-vide steak frites)
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Herb crusted chicken? At a BBQ place? WTF were they thinking?
Went to Aft on a rainy Monday night and the place was packed! Sat at the beautiful bar (wood reclaimed from TO Island) and chatted it up with friendly owner, Paul. Had the portabello mushroom frites to start which came with a great dipping sauce. Next, I ordered the smoked burger and fries. The burger had nice texture and a unique bbq smoked flavour unlike anywhere else in the city. Portions are quite ample and was stuffed but finished off the meal with organic berry cheesecake served in a mason jar… nice touch! Paul told us what’s to come on the brunch menu (available shortly) so will definitely be back to Aft to check out brunch and another theme night soon! Aft is cozy, friendly, beautiful in aesthetic and does southern bbq at it’s best for great value. Check it out for yourself and you won’t be disappointed.
Oh brother. It’s called Aft Kitchen & Bar, not Big Al’s Tennesee Smokehouse. Just cuz they’re serving BBQ doesn’t mean they have to adhere to some sacrosanct notion of what’s offered south of the Mason-Dixon Line. Get over yourself.