What’s on the menu at Poor Romeo, Pinkerton Snack Bar’s new American sister spot across the street
Name: Poor Romeo
Contact: 1029 Gerrard St. E., @poor_romeo_bar
Neighbourhood: Leslieville
Owners: Marc Baglio, Adam Graham and Andy Wilson (Pinkertons)
Chef: Andy Wilson (Pinkertons)
The food
Where Pinkerton’s menu skews Asian, Poor Romeo’s—with snacks like nachos with cheese dip, cornbread salad and fried green tomatoes—is an all-American affair. Smashed burgers and buttermilk fried chicken sandwiches are complemented by some fancier stuff, like a whole roasted sea bream, sourced from Hooked, and served with fingerling potatoes, pickled cabbage and brussels sprouts.
The drinks
A short list of signature cocktails with cheeky names, and a selection of craft (Bellwoods, Woodhouse, Left Field) and grandpa (Molson, Coors) beers. The 10 taps change weekly, while the cans and bottles come exclusively in short and stubby formats, respectively.
The space
It took a whole bunch of elbow grease to rehabilitate this 40-seat room, previously Ruyi Chinese Restaurant. Two flat-screens above the bar are covered up by barn board doors at 10 p.m. “We want to have a neighbourhood bar vibe, but we don’t want to be a sports bar,” says Graham.
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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.
