ARTS & CULTURE
Monday , September 28, 2015 15
Jurisfoodence: An Adventure into the Toronto
Food Scene
Food Adventure #3: Earls Kitchen and Bar
anthony choi › staff writer
Name: Earls Kitchen and Bar
Location: 150 King Street West
Category: Restaurant, bar
Atmosphere: Upscale, trendy
Additional info: Has heated outdoor patio.
Website: https://earls.ca/locations/king-street
T
o d a y, o n a n o t h e r e pi s o de of
Jurisfoodence, we will be reviewing Earls
Kitchen and Bar, a well-known restaurant
chain that has dozens of locations all over
North America. Earls opened its first Toronto site in
2012. With its prime location right across from the
Toronto Stock Exchange and its supposedly stunning outdoor patio, Earls instantly became a major
hit with many who work in the Financial District.
Indeed, it has even been described by friends as one of
the nicer spots in the city, featuring private wooden
cabanas and heat lamps in a courtyard enclosed by a
gorgeous vinery amidst the towering glass towers of
the downtown core, and at the same time secluded
from the rest of the city. On the day my guest and I
arrived, however, it was pouring rain outside and we
regretfully were not able to take advantage of this
urban oasis of a patio. Nonetheless, the interior atmosphere and ambience more than made up for this lost
opportunity.
Described on their website as a place where
“casual meets elegance,” Earls definitely lived up to
this mantra. In the lounge area where we sat ourselves, polished dining tables made of a deep and
richly coloured wood were counterbalanced with
cold marble countertops and stone walls, while rows
upon rows of exposed light bulbs hung from the ceiling. Having visited on a Saturday night, the crowd
was not the same as if one had arrived after work on a
weekday; it was a lot more casual than expected, with
only a handful of individuals wearing business attire.
We were also the youngest individuals in the room by
far (both in our early 20s), while most of the patrons
appeared to be in their 30s and 40s.
As both a bar and a restaurant, Earls offers a selection of dishes that draws upon many cuisines from
around the world. This includes starters that range
from Chicken & Wontons to Italia Pizza, and mains
such as Bibimbap and Cajun Chicken. The restaurant
also offers your typical selection of North American
foods. Burger lovers, for example, have a number of
burgers to choose from, and also notably included
Vincent Vega’s favourite – the Royale with Cheese.
And for meat lovers, you can have your appetite satiated with the option of steaks or BBQ Back Ribs.
Prices range from $7.25 to $17.50 for starters and
salads, while the mains go anywhere from $14.00
for a Kung Pao Noodle Bowl to $35.75 for BBQ Ribs &
Cajun Chicken. As a fervent meat lover, I ordered the
BBQ Half Ribs, while my guest ordered the Chicken,
Brie, and Fig Sandwich. We agreed that the food
was of good quality, though nothing mind-blowing
(though to be fair, one would have to make a tremendous effort to ruin BBQ ribs; I have yet to encounter a
» see jurisfoodence, page 22
ê Above: Photo credit: Patios.blog.to.com
below: Photo credit: yelp.ca
t humbs UP
Osgoode making recordings available to all
students.