Introducing: Home of the Brave, an all-American diner from the owners of La Carnita
Introducing: Home of the Brave, an all-American diner from the owners of La Carnita
Name: Home of the Brave
Contact Info: 589 King Street W., 416-366-2736, thehotb.com, @theHOTB
Neighbourhood: King West
Owners: Andrew Richmond, who also owns Little Italy taqueria La Carnita
Chefs: Jonathon Hamilton and Nate Middleton, La Carnita’s executive and sous chef, respectively
The Place: The second-floor space feels like an updated diner with retro orange booths, graffiti wall art and touches of vintage Americana, like Liberty Bell light fixtures and artwork scrawled with the revolutionary motto “Join or Die.” A small front patio overlooks King Street.
The Food: American comfort food, like tater tots with gravy and a fried bologna sandwich topped with house-made processed cheese. The Kentucky Fried Handshake Sandwich comes with a chicken foot dangling out one side.
The Drinks: Spiked slushies, root beer on tap and an elaborate cocktail menu divided into three sections: house drinks, guest book cocktails (borrowed from popular American bars) and Prohibition-era classics.
The Numbers:
• 50 mason jars stocked with herbs, spices and other ingredients for concocting house-made bitters
• 36 hours in the smoker for the smoked pork belly sandwich
• 10 litres of spiked slush sold per night
• 3 desserts: banana split, ice cream cookies and red-velvet funnel cake
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- The space feels like an updated diner with retro orange booths and art by graffiti artist Andrew Kidder
- (Image: Megan Leahy)
- Introducing: Home of the Brave
- Introducing: Home of the Brave
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- A touch of vintage Americana: lighting fixtures shaped like Liberty Bells
- (Image: Megan Leahy)
- Introducing: Home of the Brave
- Introducing: Home of the Brave
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- The small front patio overlooks King West
- (Image: Megan Leahy)
- Introducing: Home of the Brave
- Introducing: Home of the Brave
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- Mason jars behind the bar are stocked with herbs, spices and other ingredients for concocting house-made bitters
- (Image: Megan Leahy)
- Introducing: Home of the Brave
- Introducing: Home of the Brave
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- Summer in Sakon: Thai-spiced vodka, pineapple ginger beer and lime ($12)
- (Image: Megan Leahy)
- Introducing: Home of the Brave
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- Cornmeal johnnycakes with smoked trout, cream, maple syrup and chives ($14)
- (Image: Megan Leahy)
- Introducing: Home of the Brave
- Introducing: Home of the Brave
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- Fried bologna sandwich with house-made American cheese, toasted pistachios and spiced sour cream ($11)
- (Image: Megan Leahy)
- Introducing: Home of the Brave
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- Tater Tots with cheese, gravy and herbs ($5)
- (Image: Megan Leahy)
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- Introducing: Home of the Brave
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- Iceberg wedge with yogurt-dill dressing, heirloom carrots, Parmesan, pork belly and micro greens ($11)
- (Image: Megan Leahy)
- Introducing: Home of the Brave
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- Red velvet funnel cake ($7)
- (Image: Megan Leahy)
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Yea, because the one thing Toronto is desperately in need of is more American culture.
Looking at the picture above, I assume eating that much pork fat cannot be good for you. I remember my grandfather telling me that he used to eat fried pork during the depression years since meat was too expensive. I guess we are going back to the depression era foods since real meat has become too expensive in today’s economy. What’s a good steak at a restaurant cost these days, $40-$50?
the steak is a 20oz meant to be shared, not your typical 8oz ribeye.
To be fair, nobody is suggesting you eat THAT MUCH pork fat on any sort of regular basis. If you go to any fine dining restaurant you should expect that the meal you’re eating is as bad, if not worse for you than fast food. That doesn’t mean you can’t indulge every once in a while, life cannot be all quinoa, kale and tofu afterall…
Having eaten the bologna sandwich at the DOS event at Brickworks I can say it was AMAZING. A spectacularly delicious sandwich. Frankly, dismissing the food because of the country of origin is elitist at best. The owners and staff are Canadian.