Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen, a new spot for American comfort food (“Tater Tots” included)
The newest local joint serving up hearty comfort food is tucked in among the Korean eateries on Bloor Street West. The White Brick Kitchen, on the corner of Bloor and Euclid, is the work of brothers Stephen and Matthew Howell, both George Brown alumni (Matthew took hospitality management, while Stephen did culinary arts). After several years working in local restaurants—Stephen is an alum of The Stockyards and Jump —the siblings decided to combine forces on their own place.
By Stephen’s own admission, the restaurant’s interior has “no dominant design theme,” but it is clean and humble and has large picture windows looking out to the sidewalk. The partially open kitchen injects some energy into the dining space and the walls are lined with Toronto cityscapes photographed by a third Howell brother.
Stephen describes the menu as “classic America,” with homemade “Tater Tots,” made-from-scratch barbecue chips and hand-cured bacon (a skill he honed at The Stockyards). The BBLT ($13) features beef bacon (yes, we said beef), arugula and Roma tomatoes served between two pieces of thick-cut, butter-fried bread slathered with horseradish buttermilk mayo. The fried chicken ($17) comes with a cider and honey mustard glaze for dipping. The plate is rounded out with a side of garlic chili broccoli and a bowl of purple cabbage slaw. The eatery also offers a full brunch menu for those Sunday mornings when eggs and bacon win out over bi bim bap and kimchee.
146627 The Mississippi mud pie (Image: Susan Keefe) Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick13.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-white-brick-kitchen/slide/jun12whitebrick13/ jun12whitebrick13 0 0
(Image: Susan Keefe)
146628 The Mississippi mud pie has a chocolate cookie crust filled with chocolate ganache, and topped with vanilla whipped cream, salty caramel sauce and candied peanuts (Image: Susan Keefe) Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick12.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-white-brick-kitchen/slide/jun12whitebrick12/ jun12whitebrick12 0 0
(Image: Susan Keefe)
146629 The BBLT (Image: Susan Keefe) Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-white-brick-kitchen/slide/jun12whitebrick11/ jun12whitebrick11 0 0
(Image: Susan Keefe)
146630 The BBLT: house-cured beef bacon, Roma tomatoes, arugula and horseradish mayo on thick-cut buttered bread (Image: Susan Keefe) Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-white-brick-kitchen/slide/jun12whitebrick10/ jun12whitebrick10 0 0
(Image: Susan Keefe)
146631 (Image: Susan Keefe) Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick9-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick9.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick9.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-white-brick-kitchen/slide/jun12whitebrick9/ jun12whitebrick9 0 0
(Image: Susan Keefe)
146632 The chips and dip (Image: Susan Keefe) Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick8-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick8.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick8.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-white-brick-kitchen/slide/jun12whitebrick8/ jun12whitebrick8 0 0
(Image: Susan Keefe)
146633 Barbecue kettle chips with an aged cheddar pimento cheese dip (Image: Susan Keefe) Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick7-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick7.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick7.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-white-brick-kitchen/slide/jun12whitebrick7/ jun12whitebrick7 0 0
(Image: Susan Keefe)
146634 The fried chicken (Image: Susan Keefe) Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick6-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick6.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick6.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-white-brick-kitchen/slide/jun12whitebrick6/ jun12whitebrick6 0 0
(Image: Susan Keefe)
146635 For the fried chicken, a half chicken is marinated in buttermilk, deep-fried and served with a cider and honey mustard glaze. It also comes with two sides; here, creamy slaw and garlic chili broccoli (Image: Susan Keefe) Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick5-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick5.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick5.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-white-brick-kitchen/slide/jun12whitebrick5/ jun12whitebrick5 0 0
(Image: Susan Keefe)
146637 The photographs are by Matthew and Stephen’s shutterbug brother (Image: Susan Keefe) Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick3-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick3.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick3.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-white-brick-kitchen/slide/jun12whitebrick3/ jun12whitebrick3 0 0
(Image: Susan Keefe)
146638 (Image: Susan Keefe) Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick2-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick2.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick2.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-white-brick-kitchen/slide/jun12whitebrick2/ jun12whitebrick2 0 0
(Image: Susan Keefe)
146639 The exterior, surprisingly enough, is white brick (Image: Susan Keefe) Introducing: The White Brick Kitchen Introducing: White Brick Kitchen https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick_intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick_intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick_intro.jpg 656 450 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-white-brick-kitchen/slide/jun12whitebrick_intro/ jun12whitebrick_intro 0 0
(Image: Susan Keefe)
The White Brick Kitchen, 641 Bloor St. W., 647-347-9188, thewhitebrickkitchen.com,
&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/jun12whitebrick_intro-624x428.jpg&description=The newest local joint serving up hearty comfort food is tucked in among the Korean eateries on Bloor Street West. The White Brick Kitchen, on the corner of Bloor and Euclid, is the work of brothers Stephen and Matthew Howell, both George Brown alumni (Matthew took hospitality management, while Stephen did culinary arts). After several years working in local restaurants—Stephen is an alum of The Stockyards and Jump—the siblings decided to combine forces on their own place.
By Stephen’s own admission, the restaurant’s interior has “no dominant design theme,” but it is clean and humble and has large picture windows looking out to the sidewalk. The partially open kitchen injects some energy into the dining space and the walls are lined with Toronto cityscapes photographed by a third Howell brother.
Stephen describes the menu as “classic America,” with homemade “Tater Tots,” made-from-scratch barbecue chips and hand-cured bacon (a skill he honed at The Stockyards). The BBLT ($13) features beef bacon (yes, we said beef), arugula and Roma tomatoes served between two pieces of thick-cut, butter-fried bread slathered with horseradish buttermilk mayo. The fried chicken ($17) comes with a cider and honey mustard glaze for dipping. The plate is rounded out with a side of garlic chili broccoli and a bowl of purple cabbage slaw. The eatery also offers a full brunch menu for those Sunday mornings when eggs and bacon win out over bi bim bap and kimchee.
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The White Brick Kitchen, 641 Bloor St. W., 647-347-9188, thewhitebrickkitchen.com,
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looks good , now thats food!!!
On their 1st Sunday I “discovered” my brunch woes were gone! Amazing,homemade sage sausage, english muffin and not greasy home fries made their “benny” to die for. I had a taste of their home cured bacon…yummmmm and they served my tea in a real china teapot. The service was friendly ,informative and attentive. I couldn’t resist trying their homemade cinnamon bun with cream cheese/white chocolate icing…oh my! what a treat…lots of cinnamon and not “doughy” but just out of the oven fresh. I can’t wait to try everything on their menu! Hope I can get a seat now that everyone knows where they are!!!!
thank you, friends of the owners, for your two cents.
“now that’s food!!!!!!!!!” were you referring to the picture of the bottle of sprite or the potato chips?
a picture of your pop selection, carefully arranged from tallest to shortest. whose idea was that? this shows that ANYONE can open a restaurant.
the ‘bar’ has officially touched the ground.
to ‘djn’
that was the stupidest critique i have ever read. you singled out an appetizer, one of the four meals photographed in the article mind you, and a dainty display of 6 soda bottles to support your argument that this isn’t a restaurant. would it be too ironic to demonstrate your hyperbole with another hyperbole? ridiculous. if the bar has touched the ground i hope it hit your face on the way down.
Good for them. If you have a true passion for something, then go for it! I wish them the best of luck! :)
I live in the neighbourhood and was happy to see Sunset Grill replaced with something non-asian and something that was going to serve brunch! I excitedly stopped and took a peak in the window and was disappointed in the appearance of the space. I then took a look at the menu and its pretty safe and standard. I cross my fingers and hope that the food is decent, but it seems uninspired in the photos and menu descriptions. I as well thought the lame soda photo took away from the restauranters credibility. Noone says you need to have alot of money to make yummy food, but if your food and atmosphere are a yawn then why would anyone bother? Please be good. please please be delicious and tasty and maybe some much needed inspiration and love would fill your space!
The turkey club sandwich may qualify as the most delicious meal I’ve ever eaten between two thick, buttery pieces of bread: the eponymous bird mingles perfectly with outstanding house-cured bacon and sage for an experience that recalls your favourite holiday meal without being overly heavy, just savoury and satiating! I dream of this sandwich.
The White Brick Kitchen summarizes what more Toronto restaurants ought to strive toward. That is, the focus is on a well-edited menu of comfort classics done exceedingly well, without gimmick or pretension. On the latter point, this place is modest, with quality service and a comfortable atmosphere that opposes the frippery and hipster factor of recent restaurant offerings. For the quality of the food, the price is fair and to date, everything I’ve had has been superb.
I love this place, I honestly can’t stop thinking about it!
Awesome place to eat!
The staff are great and you’re always greeted with a smile. The food
is delicious and modestly priced. What more can one ask for?
Try it and you’ll be coming back, not just for weekend brunch
over and over again :)