Introducing: Barque Butcher Bar, a butcher shop by day and bar by night on Roncesvalles
(Image: Gabby Frank)
Name: Barque Butcher Bar
Neighbourhood: Roncesvalles
Contact: 287 Roncesvalles Ave. , 416-532-7700, barque.ca/butcherbar
Owner: David Neinstein, Jonathan Persofsky
Chefs: David Neinstein, Jo Castrinos
Bar Manager: Gerardo Diaz
The Food: Both prepared and cooked meats (chicken, ribs, brisket, sausages, bacon, burgers—all treated the way they are at Barque), salads and side dishes to-go, and various raw veggies from 100km Foods Inc. are sold both day and night. After 6 p.m. however, the focus is on snacks and small plates: chorizo ribs, smoked venison tartare, jerk-fried cornish hen and a poutine waffle, to name a few. “It’s a little more playful and aggressive in flavour than we can do at the restaurant. It’s less kid-friendly and more internationally-influenced,” says Neinstein.
The Drinks: VQA wine, beer, cider and sake, all on tap; and 10 cocktails, the most popular right now being the Smoke ‘n’ Choke . Playing cards do double-duty as coasters, but full decks are also available upon request if it’s a rousing game of Crazy Eights you’re after.
The Space: Previously kid-centric crafting café Smock, the space is now a butcher shop by day and a snack bar by night. (The butcher counter actually flips open to create a wider bar.) Instead of a glitter and paint corner, the spot has its own DIY centre where customers can buy pre-portioned spice baggies (all $1 each), and with some guidance, make their own rubs right there. “We want to teach people to smoke—that’s our little tagline,” says Neinstein.
315841 From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the space operates as a butcher shop (but customers can still order up a drink and sip while they shop). (Image: Gabby Frank) https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-02-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-02.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-barque-butcher-bar-butcher-shop-day-bar-night-roncesvalles/slide/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-02/ toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-02 0 0
(Image: Gabby Frank)
315843 The barbecue centre, complete with rubs, sauces, cookbooks and tools. This is also the work station for anyone who wants to try their hand at making their own rubs—those drawers are full of different spices. Tools, charcoal and wood chips are also available for any last-minute barbecue needs. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-04-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-04.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-barque-butcher-bar-butcher-shop-day-bar-night-roncesvalles/slide/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-04/ toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-04 0 0
315847 Prosciutto with pickled and smoked grapes ($8). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-08-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-08.jpg 1200 795 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-barque-butcher-bar-butcher-shop-day-bar-night-roncesvalles/slide/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-08/ toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-08 0 0
315848 Chorizo-flavoured baby back ribs with pickled veggies ($12). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-09-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-09.jpg 1200 795 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-barque-butcher-bar-butcher-shop-day-bar-night-roncesvalles/slide/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-09/ toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-09 0 0
315849 Smoked venison tartare with cured egg, freshly grated horseradish and crostini ($13). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-10-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-10.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-barque-butcher-bar-butcher-shop-day-bar-night-roncesvalles/slide/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-10/ toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-10 0 0
315852 Black cod with crispy rice and lime foam ($10). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-13-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-13.jpg 800 1160 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-barque-butcher-bar-butcher-shop-day-bar-night-roncesvalles/slide/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-13/ toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-13 0 0
315850 Asparagus salad with hearts of palm, arugula, sunflower seeds, beets and herbed yogurt ($9). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-11-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-11.jpg 1200 749 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-barque-butcher-bar-butcher-shop-day-bar-night-roncesvalles/slide/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-11/ toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-11 0 0
315845 The Smoke 'n' Choke: smoked Maker's Mark, maple, cynar, orange zest ($12). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-06-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-06.jpg 800 1181 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-barque-butcher-bar-butcher-shop-day-bar-night-roncesvalles/slide/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-06/ toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-06 0 0
315846 Two Against the World: rose gin, st-germaine, cucumber, pepper ($15). https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-07-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-07.jpg 1200 800 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-barque-butcher-bar-butcher-shop-day-bar-night-roncesvalles/slide/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-07/ toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-07 0 0
315844 After 6 p.m., the counter turns into a bar with comfy barstools. "We tried to find the most butt-conscious chairs as possible," says Neinstein. Despite the furniture, customers are still able to shop from the freezers below the bar. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-05-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-05.jpg 800 1179 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-barque-butcher-bar-butcher-shop-day-bar-night-roncesvalles/slide/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-05/ toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-05 0 0
315853 "We have a minimum 45-centimetre rule: every person must be 45 centimetres away from a stranger. A study in the UK surveyed a few thousand people to determine what private space really was, and they determined it was 45 centimetres," says Neinstein. https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-14-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-14.jpg 1200 784 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-barque-butcher-bar-butcher-shop-day-bar-night-roncesvalles/slide/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-14/ toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-14 0 0
315840 https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-01-150x150.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-01.jpg 800 1200 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-barque-butcher-bar-butcher-shop-day-bar-night-roncesvalles/slide/toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-01/ toronto-restaurants-barque-butcher-bar-01 0 0
West: 96
East: 6
wow, another article on a roncesvalles business. i live in parkdale and even i find tl is way too focused on the area.
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