Nice to meat you

Dear reader,

This morning, I was flipping through our recipe books (I use that term very loosely as they’re actually a few Ziploc freezer bags stuffed with loose pages) to figure out what to make for lunches and dinners next week, and nine out of 10 recipes involved beans of some kind. We’re meat eaters, but we tend to save the steaks and burgers for when we treat ourselves to dinner out—at home, we champion the heck out of legumes and tofu. Related: my colleague Barry Jordan Chong recently introduced me to something called egg tofu, which is a combination of those two proteins, packaged somewhat unnervingly in a squeezable tube, but rich in protein and only a few bucks. Time to update the recipe bags!

But Toronto has no time for lentils right now: this week’s Table Talk is another beefy one. The city developed an obsession with Texas barbecue back in 2016, when early morning lines formed outside a nondescript building in an East York industrial park for trays of Adamson’s smoked meat. (The less said about the rise and fall of that particular business, the better.) Cherry Street Bar-B-Que opened in the Port Lands that same year. And a little while later, Beach Hill Smokehouse blessed the intersection of Main and Gerrard with the scent of burning maple. Fast-forward to 2024 and Golden Horseshoe BBQ—a pop-up run by an adorable mother-and-son team—is reviving Toronto’s lust for the Lone Star state’s specialities.

To further satisfy the city’s appetite for meat, Hot Pork, a new deli on Dundas West, is now open and churning out sandwiches stuffed with all manner of smoked animal products. (For any vegetarians or vegans who have felt left out of the last two newsletters, please email me at [email protected] and I will personally send you one of my favourite plant-based recipes.)

In the words of Beyoncé: this ain’t Texas. But 23-year-old Andrew Golden is trying to convince his customers otherwise, one plate of brisket at a time. After working at some of Toronto’s barbecue joints (Benny’s, Cherry Street, the Carbon Bar), Golden spent a few months learning the art of Texas barbecue in the Lone Star state. Now, he and his sous-chef mom are popping up at breweries across the city—and selling out quicker than you can say “burnt ends.” Read Golden Horseshoe BBQ’s full story here.

There must be a sale on smokers. Hot Pork, a new, hilariously named deli and hot counter in Trinity Bellwoods, is now open and selling house-made burgers, sausages, charcuterie and made-to-order sandwiches. Also: poutine with local curds and gravy made using smoker drippings.

Mimi and Sunnys Chinese chef Braden Chong took us for a tour of his favourite Chinese restaurants in Markham and Richmond Hill. Featuring—wait for it—tofu! But also rabbit, cold-skin chicken and stir-fried beef throat.

In the latest issue: how two faux-Inuit sisters cashed in on a life of deception. Plus, the city’s best cheap eats, a suburban holy war between religion and real estate, a bittersweet memoir about ditching Toronto, and more. Still not receiving Toronto Life at home? Subscribe today.