There are no reservations, tickets, or secret handshakes required to get in on this action. The Grid is celebrating its first year by hosting a week-long pop-up lunch at one of our favourite eating and drinking holes, 416 Snack Bar (181 Bathurst, at Queen), starring six of the best dishes we ate this year. Each day at noon, a different chef will be there churning out $5 plates until they’re all gone. Did we mention that the price includes a bottle of SmartWater or Vitamin Water?
Even better, $1 from every sale will go towards a community-improvement project that will be defined and carried out by the Grade 2 class of The Grove Community School.
Here’s the calendar of who will be popping by 416 starting tomorrow:
Thursday, May 10: The Harbord Room‘s chef Cory Vitiello will be making a lunchtime version of his soft shell-crab tacos. They’re so good, we did a feature on the dinner version of them last year.
Friday, May 11: The residents at 416 Snack Bar will be making their Taiwanese steamed pork, fish, and veggie buns that made the bar so popular in the first place.
Saturday, May 12: For the people who didn’t realize there’s a world north of Bloor, you’re in luck. Amazing barbecue restaurant The Stockyards on St. Clair West will be down here serving three different kinds of house-made hot dogs.
Sunday, May 13: We’re all nursing hangovers so there is no food to be had. Come back Monday.
Monday, May 14: Another great barbecue place, Barque Smokehouse on Roncesvalles, will be serving slow-smoked beef short ribs with a sweet barbecue glaze. We’ve seen head chef David Neinstein in action before, and he knows his meat.
Tuesday, May 15: Black Camel, located just outside Rosedale subway station, does some of the best brisket and pulled pork sandwiches in town. (Some of the chefs we surveyed in last year’s Chef’s Guide said it’s their favourite.) For the pop-up, they’ll be making their famous pulled-pork sandwiches with barbecue sauce, chipotle mayo, and caramelized onions.
Wednesday, May 16: There’s this little-known restaurant on Dundas West called The Black Hoof and we think it’s going to be big. Anyway, head chef Brandon Olsen will be making a lunch version of his fried pork belly with pickled shimeji mushrooms, nori paste, and puffed rice.
