Introducing: Thoroughbred, a tri-level snack bar and restaurant in the middle of the Entertainment District
Name: Thoroughbred Food and Drink
Contact Info: 304 Richmond St. W., 416-551-9221, tbto.ca
Neighbourhood: Entertainment District
Owners: High school buds Ariel Coplan and Jacob Fox, and Robin Kemp
Chefs: Ariel Coplan, the former executive chef at Nyood
The Food: The restaurant is divided into several sections, each with its own menu. The main floor serves smaller plates (fried sweetbreads, kung pao cauliflower), while the second floor offers a more traditional menu of burgers, mains and playful apps, like airy pea fritters served with house-made ricotta and macerated carrots. The chef’s table is reserved for family-style meals, the most lavish of which may be the “Ain’t No Party Like an East Coast Party”—a $250 feast of lobster, clams, mussels, chorizo and sides.
The Drinks: The eco-conscious wine list includes organic and biodynamic options. There’s also a Riesling on tap, plus a seasonal selection of craft beers. Cocktails range from classic mint juleps to signature concoctions like The Art Vandelay, a gin-based coup with Dr. Van Nostrand’s Tonic, sage and grapefruit bitters.
The Place: The three-storey Victorian has been done up with a minimalist industrial vibe: lots of raw wood, brick and cold-rolled steel (over the next few months, artists such as Whatisadam will enliven the space with displays and murals). Coplan and Fox are currently keeping mum about what they have planned for the building’s third floor. Based on the smothered giggles and shifty looks, we’re sure it’ll be something interesting.
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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.
