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Toronto Star
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Star
This mouthwatering $12 sandwich is the best thing I ate in Toronto this week
WHERE I ATE THIS WEEK A $15 three-course pasta lunch in North York, an incredible $13 muffuletta in Etobicoke, and $2 buttery Uzbek samsas in Scarborough — each week, food reporter Karon Liu travels the GTA to bring you a trusted and affordable recommendation on what to eat while exploring the city. Bangers and Mash Sando, $12, from Hot Pork at 932 Dundas St. W. Gta 4 of the best bakeries in Toronto for classic old-school doughnuts Skip the candy bar toppings and bacon bits — these Toronto spots are serving doughnuts the old-fashioned way. Gta 4 of the best bakeries in Toronto for classic old-school doughnuts Skip the candy bar toppings and bacon bits — these Toronto spots are serving doughnuts the old-fashioned way. THE DISH This delightfully messy sandwich starts with a four-ounce Irish banger patty made from Ontario pork, breadcrumbs and aromatics like allspice, mace, ginger and cloves. It's paired with a square of seared mashed potatoes — yes, an actual slab of creamy mash with a golden crust — plus caramelized onions and gravy made from smoked brisket drippings (add a double patty for $4). It's a saucy sandwich best eaten on the spot, especially when the mashed potatoes' delicate crust gives way and buttery, silky spud and gravy land on your fingers (there's a washroom downstairs). The potatoes bring butteriness, the onions a bittersweet smokiness, and the patty a gentle spice. Grab one while it's still on the menu — it's only around for another month before a lighter, warm-weather option takes its place. THE OWNER Hot Pork owner Michael Synowicki. Karon Liu/ Toronto Star Toronto is in the midst of a breakfast-sandwich boom, and Hot Pork — which opened in early 2024 — is part of the new crop. Before launching the shop, owner Michael Synowicki cooked at hotels like the King Edward and the Toronto Marriott. Like many hotel chefs, when the pandemic hit he lost his job and had to pivot. Synowicki began making sausages, using equipment and recipes from his father's long-shuttered midtown gourmet food shop from the '70s. He supplied restaurants and grocers, popping up at the Junction Farmers' Market (he's still there every Saturday), and his popularity grew enough that he opened a storefront. ALSO ON THE MENU Bangers and Mash Sando with a side kale Ceasar salad. Karon Liu/ Toronto Star Pair your sandwich with the kale Caesar salad ($8 for a small size, $16 for large): shredded kale tossed with a garlicky house-made dressing, lots of Parmesan, sourdough croutons from Lev Bakery, crispy smoked pork belly and ground fried chicken sprinkled on top. For non-meat options, there's a fried eggplant caprese sandwich, $13, a double egg breakfast sandwich, $8, and an egg caprese sandwich, $12. There's also a grocery counter of house-made pickled carrots, beets and onions, cured salmon, sausages and beef tallow. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Gta Our food reporter's top picks for meals under $15 in Toronto From prix-fixe lunches to hearty sandwiches, here are four places in Toronto where you can get EXPLORE THE AREA Hot Pork is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., ideal for early risers that want to beat the brunch crowd in Trinity Bellwoods. The place is also right at the northeast corner of the park if you want to eat the sandwich al fresco. Right next door to Hot Pork is the charming indie horror book store Little Ghosts (930 Dundas St. W.) and Ella's Uncle café (916 Dundas St. W.) is just a few minutes away. Continue the sandwich crawl by heading to Lambo's Deli (176 Bellwoods Ave.) for Italian-style subs at lunchtime. This is the Thursday, May 22 edition of Food Crawl, the Star's weekly food newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox every week.
The Hindu
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Smash Guys open their first outlet in Bengaluru with smash burgers, shakes and an unmissable Old Monk chocolate mousse
Bengaluru's love affair with burgers goes back a long way. Way back when we had popular burger joints that became city favourites such as Indiana, Ice and Spice (now known as Truffles), The Only Place, Peppa Zing and Cafe Thulp. Post the pandemic there has been a new wave of burger establishments that have refined the dish and are trying to take it from fast food to an elevated experience. Smash Guys started with this aim. The brainchild of brothers Nikhil and Abhijit Gupta, and Adithya Kidambi as chef consultant, the brand began hosting pop-ups. The first one being at the Conservatory in March of 2024. Now they open their first outlet on the swish 12th Main Road of Indiranagar. The interiors of the restaurant are designed like an American-style diner. Chequered floors, marquee signs and wooden furniture. I take a seat at the bar, getting a ringside view of the busy kitchen. It is six in the evening, and they have just opened their doors, but there is already a crowd. Their popularity is based on word of mouth from their pop-ups and a strong social media presence. What is a smash burger? Abhijit researched American burger history for two years to create this menu. 'We started with a simple idea — to bring world-class smash burgers to India. From the traditional Oklahoma onion smash and the OG cheeseburger, to our signature whopper and Elvis Presley's favourite peanut-butter-bacon burger, we are paying homage to burger styles that hold a piece of history,' he says. A smash burger is an American style of burger. It is made by cooking a smashed burger patty on a flattop grill at high heat. It is said that in the 1960s, a cook at a restaurant in Kentucky pressed a ground beef meatball to a thin crispy patty, and the smash burger was born. The flattened patties absorb more flavour and have more texture. These are then topped with onions or cheese. The menu On the menu at Smash Guys are these smash burgers, available in buff and lamb options, veggie and chicken burgers, sides, shakes and desserts. First, the sides. I see the classics — onion rings, fries, corn ribs, Ceasar salad and wedges. I try the corn ribs, the thin slices of corn on the cob are rubbed with a spice mix and served with a garlic sauce. I miss the days when burgers came with a side of fries, so I order them separately. The parmesan fries are decent, but the truffle dip saves them. Now the burgers. The meatballs are cooked on a hot plancha (iron griddle). The edges are crispy, and the insides are juicy. The OG smash burger is made with a double patty, onions, cheese and mustard. Simple and clean, served atop their in-house made sesame buns. The brisket burger has a buff patty that is topped with a slow cooked brisket. 'We sear the brisket and slow-cook it for eight hours to lock in flavours,' says Abhijit. It is topped with the signature smash sauce. The Flintstone is a buff burger served with a torched bone marrow. The smoked butter whopper is cooked in homemade smoked butter, giving it another dimenion. If it is all sounding a bit meat heavy, their veggie options are good too. The Korean fried paneer burger has flavours of gochujang and chimichurri. The magic mushroom burger is made with crisp oyster mushroom, roasted button mushroom, togarashi flakes, pickles, lettuce, truffle oil, truffle mayo. Decadent. I pair my meal with a diner-style strawberry milkshake, mainly for the vibes. The drink is sweet and served in a tall milkshake glass. I end with the highly recommend Old Monk chocolate mousse. The silky mousse is made with dark rum, and the dish is topped with whipped custard and cocoa dust. The hints of flavours from the rum elevate the dish, even for a non-Old Monk lover like me. The menu is balanced with experimental options and classics. The team's love for burgers is evident in the menu. The restaurant is loud and crowded, and the service is fast, but chaotic. Hoping these will settle down in the next few months. Cost for two ₹1,500. At Indiranagar. For more details, call 8762109796
