Introducing: WindUp Restaurant, a Caribbean spot on College from Barque alumni
Introducing: WindUp Restaurant, a Caribbean spot on College from Barque alumni
Name: WindUp Restaurant
Neighbourhood: University
Contact: 382 College St., 647-349-6373, winduprestaurant.ca, @eatdrinkwindup
Previously: Wind Up Bird
Owner: Whitney Knowles and Bryan Birch (both Barque alumni)
Chefs: Bryan Birch (Barque, North 44) and Ryan Graham (Tutti Matti)
The Food: “This is a Toronto version of a Caribbean restaurant,” explains Birch, who has taken Jamaican and Trinidadian favourites and infused them with global flavours. Salt cod fritters, for example, are married with Canadian (bacon foam) and Moroccan (preserved lemon) elements. In an homage to the city’s never-ending taco obsession, the curried goat roti is served open-faced and topped with cilantro and pickled mango. The rest of the menu is rounded out with more traditional Caribbean eats (jerk chicken, ackee and saltfish) plus a smattering of international plates (falafel lettuce wrap, sesame-crusted salmon with lotus root, pulled pork tostadas). The brunch menu includes an oxtail benny served on a coconut bake, which might make for a good post-parade hangover cure come Caribana.
The Drinks: A short wine list made up of new world bottles, but all available by the glass; classic cocktails (dark ‘n’ stormy, rum punch, negroni) and daily specials (like a grilled pineapple mojito); and a selection of craft beer, the majority of which are local brews—with the exception of Red Stripe, of course.
The Place: Birch and Knowles kept the previous restaurant’s name so they wouldn’t need to apply for any new licenses. The 30-seat room is minimalist in design, but warmed up with wood features like a cedar wall, saloon doors and a black walnut bar (with stools designed by Marco Pecota of the Junction’s Pekota). A patio accommodates up to 40 street-side diners and drinkers.
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- Salt fish fritters with chunks of ackee, “bacon foam” and preserved lemon ($12).
- (Image: Caroline Aksich)
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- A very Spanish appetizer of grilled garlic crostini topped with boquerones (anchovies) and spicy honey ($7).
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- Crab cake with guava sauce and a mango-cucumber slaw ($13).
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- Coconut-breaded shrimp with ginger beer dip ($9).
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- Grilled octopus with quinoa, peanuts and pineapple purée in a soy-chili dressing ($14).
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- A Mexican take on a West Indian staple: this duo of open-faced goat and pumpkin roti is topped with pickled mango, plantain chips and a sprig of cilantro ($10).
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- Jerk chicken with deconstructed rice and peas and a sesame slaw. Bryan sources his poultry from a Mennonite farm outside the GTA ($20).
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- An oxtail-stuffed burger on a brioche bun served with arugula salad and herbed fries. The beef patty surrounding the braised oxtail is a mix of chuck, brisket and hanger ($22).
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- Instead of an English muffin, this benny sits atop a coconut bake. The oxtail is braised for six hours ($14).
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![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-windup-restaurant-a-caribbean-spot-on-college-from-barque-alumni/&title=Introducing: WindUp Restaurant, a Caribbean spot on College from Barque alumni&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/toronto-restaurants-windup-college-octopus-lead.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_320855" align="aligncenter" width="656"] (Image: Caroline Aksich)[/caption]
Name: WindUp Restaurant
Neighbourhood: University
Contact: 382 College St., 647-349-6373, winduprestaurant.ca, @eatdrinkwindup
Previously: Wind Up Bird
Owner: Whitney Knowles and Bryan Birch (both Barque alumni)
Chefs: Bryan Birch (Barque, North 44) and Ryan Graham (Tutti Matti)
The Food: “This is a Toronto version of a Caribbean restaurant,” explains Birch, who has taken Jamaican and Trinidadian favourites and infused them with global flavours. Salt cod fritters, for example, are married with Canadian (bacon foam) and Moroccan (preserved lemon) elements. In an homage to the city’s never-ending taco obsession, the curried goat roti is served open-faced and topped with cilantro and pickled mango. The rest of the menu is rounded out with more traditional Caribbean eats (jerk chicken, ackee and saltfish) plus a smattering of international plates (falafel lettuce wrap, sesame-crusted salmon with lotus root, pulled pork tostadas). The brunch menu includes an oxtail benny served on a coconut bake, which might make for a good post-parade hangover cure come Caribana.
The Drinks: A short wine list made up of new world bottles, but all available by the glass; classic cocktails (dark 'n' stormy, rum punch, negroni) and daily specials (like a grilled pineapple mojito); and a selection of craft beer, the majority of which are local brews—with the exception of Red Stripe, of course.
The Place: Birch and Knowles kept the previous restaurant's name so they wouldn’t need to apply for any new licenses. The 30-seat room is minimalist in design, but warmed up with wood features like a cedar wall, saloon doors and a black walnut bar (with stools designed by Marco Pecota of the Junction's Pekota). A patio accommodates up to 40 street-side diners and drinkers.
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West: 125
East: 9
was meh. service was slow and our last round of drinks was completely forgotten.
Just returned from an evening out at this restaurant. Dinner was delicious! I had the OxTail stuffed burger and my friend had the Pork. Both were excellent takes on traditional West Indian dishes. Several dark and stormy’s helped to wash it all down. Service was friendly and the music was great. Already planning the next “lime” for when the menu changes in two weeks.