Whether you’re an early riser looking for some BBQ smoked meats or you’re an evening dweller during the weekend, The Carbon Bar can accommodate your experience. The restaurant just recently launched it’s weekend brunch menu, as well as extra dinner hours on Sundays.

The concept of Southern BBQ brunch is a rising & popular American option, and The Carbon Bar is accompanying our familiar favourites like egg bennies and pancakes. Although the restaurant is paved with dynamic undertones, such as bringing attention to details in contrasting wooden accents and industrial concrete, the overall ambiance is polished and relaxing. The seating booths and light fixtures are eye-catching, and there is plenty of room to wind down for a comfortable dining experience.

House baked goods

House baked goods

 

Their house baked goods ($3.75) are delightful. The New Orleans Style Beignets and the Rum Raisin Cinnamon Roll both exhibit multiple textures and carry tart flavours that lightly warm up the stomach for the meal. The Beignet has a crispy, powdered sugar exterior with a light doughy crunch; the cinnamon roll has a hint of cinnamon with a flakey exterior, and a chewy moistness in the centre. One thing I’ve noticed at restaurants, is that when even the slightest details, such as the pastries are enticing, you know you’re in for the real deal with the plates.

Mezcal & Lime Cured Salmon ($18) is a build-your-own with a deluxe twist. The salmon is salt cured in-house with lime, spices, and a slight smokiness. Thick, vibrant orange slices are methodically laid to cover the bottom of the plate, and is delicately decorated with smoked tomato, frisee, picked onion, crispy capers, aji crema, and Nicoise elements. It is served with a Montreal-styled St. Urbain bagel & a deeply flavoured cream cheese.

Chicken ‘N’ Waffles ($17) is one of my favourite dishes for brunch, and Carbon Bar shines with this dish of culinary art. They spent approximately 2 months on the recipe by working on recreating the heavily-textured Belgian Waffle and transforming it into a lighter and more savoury variant to accommodate the density of the buttermilk fried chicken meat. The citrus crema has notes of chili, honey, and garlic, and really makes this dish a favourite amongst many of the chefs, and diners like myself.

Chicken ‘N’ Waffles ($17) buttermilk fried chicken, citrus crema, chili + honey + garlic sauce

In terms of presentation, The Huevos El Carbon ($17) brings it home. Each of the ingredients is placed beautifully on a wooden serving vessel. The deconstructed taco incorporates minced beef crumbled over two eggs sunny, alongside black beans, chorizo and refreshing components of a delicious guacamole, coriander, charred pico de gallo.

Huevos El Carbon with warm tortillas, black beans, two eggs sunny, chorizo, guacamole, charred pico de gallo, coriander, lime shown with 3 extra a la carte sides

 

Smoked Brisket Benny with high rise biscuit, two poached eggs, red cabbage slaw, Anaheim chili, dill pickle, hollandaise

 

The plates can be incorporated into their Prix Fixe option ($25/person), complete with a bottomless tea or coffee, a pastry, and a chocolate bourbon skull.

Even their Fixin’s are the perfect way to recharge oneself after a long stressful week. The Smoked Pork Sausage ($6) has a resilient chewiness with an overpowering jalapeno kick and a cheddar dip. The Smashed & Fried Potatoes ($8) provides a balance in flavours between the citrusy kimchi and parmesan.

The newly added hours to The Carbon Bar allows for the restaurant to showcase their well-known barbequed platters and savoury roasted fare at the beginning of the day with their new menu. In addition to that, the smokey flavours are notably highlighted by citrus undertones to balance out the smokey flavours of the southern-styled comfort food. There’s even a Caesar Bar and Rise & Shine Alcohol Menu to fulfill that morning alcohol fix. The restaurant is already receiving incredible reception; many had booked a reservation for the first weekend that brunch was available.

Carbon Bar Chef Hidde Zomer

Carbon Bar Chef Hidde Zomer

 


 

Photos by Nick Lee

http://www.thecarbonbar.ca/
99 Queen St. E
Instagram: @TheCarbonBar
Twitter: @TheCarbonBar
Facebook: /TheCarbonBarTO

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