Porchetta & Co. opens on King West
Wednesday’s lunch rush wasn’t even over, and already more than 250 sandwiches had flown out of Porchetta and Co.’s two-day-old King West kitchen. First-time customers may be struck by the brevity of the menu (just four mains and a few sides), but long-time fans will be shocked by its breadth. At the original Dundas West location, co-owner Nick auf der Mauer sells just his signature roast pork sandwich and the occasional special. At the downtown outpost (a collaboration with Pizzeria Libretto), there are two sandwiches: porchetta, obviously, and fried chicken. The porcine staple comes plain, or fully loaded with parm, grainy mustard, truffle sauce and hot sauce. Another new addition to the menu: poutine. The Quebeçois staple is topped with crackling, while the gravy gets extra oomph from pork drippings. Less decadent sides include coleslaw, baked beans and garlicky rapini.
Porchetta sandwich with all the fixings. $8.95.
Something else the new King West location has that the original one doesn’t: tables.
545 King St. W., porchettaco.com, @PorchettaAndCo
Caroline Aksich, a National Magazine Award recipient, is an ex-Montrealer who writes about Toronto’s ever-evolving food scene, real estate and culture for Toronto Life, Fodor’s, Designlines, Canadian Business, Glory Media and Post City. Her work ranges from features on octopus-hunting in the Adriatic to celebrity profiles.
