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I just ate lunch there and I have to say, it was fantastic.
I got the regular sandwich with truffle oil, mustard, and hot sauce, and it was really amazing. I'm not a big eater so the regular sandwich was more then enough for me (I was pretty stuffed by the end). Nice bits of crackling throughout, great blend of flavours...overall a really great meal and, for me, a good deal at under $10.
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cynalan
Jan 11, 2013 07:58 PM
Having read many good comments about this restaurant and finding myself in Toronto on Thursday, I had to give this place a try.
I tried their special pork sandwich, upgraded to a 6 oz portion that included: truffle sauce, grated parmesan, grainy mustard, though I passed on the hot sauce. The sandwich was absolutely delicious. The bun was fresh, the pork moist, tender and tasty served with a good dose of crackling.
Frankly, I have nothing negative to say about the food itself. The only concern is the cost to portion ratio. The sandwich was about the size of a regular hamburger bun... combined with a can of diet pop the cost was nearly $14. As good as it was, I do find this pricy for a sandwich. I am not sure if I would repeat as there are other more filling options available for the same price.
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Saw on BlogTO this morning that Porchetta and Co is celebrating their 2nd year anniversary next Thursday (20th) with $1 sandwiches (toppings extra):
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re: ylsf
justsayn
Dec 14, 2012 06:34 AM
Ate there just this week and last - the pork was sliced to order and it was super fresh and great. The popcorn could be awesome but there is so little pork rind you cant find it, and they added cornflakes to the popcorn which IMO completely ruins caramel popcorn. I wont share my cynical view of them as to why they added the cornflakes...
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re: justsayn
justxpete
Dec 15, 2012 11:56 AM
They use the crackling for their sandwiches. I'm sure they have it sparingly, so it's not a surprise to find a bag that isn't full of crackling. I had it, accepted it for what it was, and enjoyed it. If it was a bag full of crackling, they'd probably have to charge quite a bit more, and then I'm sure you'd complain about that too.
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re: justxpete
justsayn
Dec 15, 2012 04:56 PM
I think the popcorn would be A LOT better with noticable crackling because that's what the place specializes in, not popcorn nor caramel. Had it been Kernels popcorn I would have the same complaint but it would be more understandable.
If he increased the price to $5,00 for a bag of popcorn and added some crackling, no you would not hear me complaining about it. If he made it 7.50, I would not be complaining. I pay for good food I like without any remarks.
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Can anyone confirm if they are slicing on request now or just pre-slicing and holding as before?
Since there was some discussion about this that isn't here anymore.
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re: justxpete
Is it really that hard to slice on demand....just doesn't make sense that this place would do this when customers tell them outright, they don't like it.
Can't understand restaurants who don't listen to feedback when it is so accessible...all they have to do is search and read and fix it.
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i am totally confused by these reviews as i was when eating there about a month ago for the first time. we walked in as they were unlocking the doors and the pork was already on the steam table. i had the meal with rapini, beans and bun. gf had the sandwich with rapinin and some other toppings. with all the positive reviews, i couldn't wait to dig in. i expected a great marriage of flavours. herbs, garlic, slow roast juicy, fatty pork, crackling and prosciutto. so good cause how can this be wrong?
i was totally underwhelmed with every bite of my meal. tried the gf sandwich and it was pretty much the same. besides the flavour of salt, the meat was dry and lacked any complexity. the rapini was overcooked and was just rapini. the beans were ok but nothing special. the crackling was basically unedible. thick and extremely hard. after a couple of hearty attempts, i reluctantly quit trying thinking i might break my teeth. i could eat crispy skin of anything by itself as a meal so this says alot.
basically the meat was dry and flavourless. the sides to be just ok. i understand i will sound quite critical with this post but i am honestly just baffled by how many ppl love this porchetta.
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re: jennjen18
jennjen18,My first vist a few weeks back was also when they just unlocked the doors and i had the most amazing sandwich ...so I dont think the inconsistency stems from there....I think It just depends on the cut you get....not sure how they apply the herbs,spices and garlic on the pork....but I'm assuming the middle portion does not get much of the flavours and hence the inconsistent flavours...IMHO....
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re: justsayn
That's too bad.
I only went once, within the first 2 weeks of their opening. It was great.
I haven't returned since cuz of the inconsistent reviews and I guess there's just so much else to try in Toronto.
I'm happy I got a taste when I did. At least I got a good sandwich once! A bit apprehensive about returning but we'll see.
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re: justsayn
pinstripeprincess
Jul 18, 2012 06:11 AM
shame, the last couple sandwiches i had from them were among the best... super moist and lots of crunchy easy to eat crackling.
they're just inconsistent. luck of the draw. shame really.
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re: justsayn
scarberian
Jul 18, 2012 11:20 AM
I thought they were doing well. Why the change when the "wheel" was obviously not broken? When you start tampering with what got success in the first place, before long you'll find your queues empty. Some of the best sammies I've ever had. Shame.
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re: justsayn
justxpete
Jul 19, 2012 10:37 AM
And what did they say when you told them?
I go there often. I don't have a phenomenal sandwich every time, but I do get a phenomenal sandwich MOST of the time.
I don't find what you say about the flavouring to be true, either - the flavour is always there for me, and has been consistent all along.
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www.foodnerds.ca-
re: justxpete
justsayn
Jul 19, 2012 03:56 PM
First of all, I was there the day they opened and quickly became a regular and friendly with them. It was over a year ago on a couple of occassions I mentioned that I miss the hits of garlic and herbs because it made the sandwich more interesting. He told me 1) they wanted to tone it down for more pork flavour. 2) they were perfecting the recipe/process. 3) some people didn't like so much spice because it didn't go with the toppings. Later I asked if others have mentioned it as a negative and he said, no I am the only person who misses it - everybody else is happy with him "perfecting the recipe". I left it at that and still ordered the sandwich occassionally. But then they started pre-slicing and reheating the pork. I had a few sandwiches like that and I gave up. I didn't bother saying anything about this. I still take people (out of towners mostly) for lunch, and occassionally I will get served a "fresh" sandwich and it is still very very good. But I can't stand the reheated (greasy/dry) meat that also takes on a different flavour profile.
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re: justsayn
Splendid Wine Snob
Jul 21, 2012 06:40 PM
Couldn't agree more. The Sudbury version of porchetta has that stronger hit of herbs and garlic. It's amazingly delicious and much better than the stuff they're doing now at Porchetta and Co. I've also had the reheated/pre sliced problem and gave up after that.
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Finally tried the Porchetta sandwich today...One word to describe it...Amazing....count me as a fan...by coincidence I reached at exactly 11:30 when they just openend the door....even though ey had the Soft shell crab po boy special....I had been following them on Twitter and seems like on request of many customers they were doing it in the morning instead of 4 pm which they normally do...
But getting back to me,I went for the Porchetta sandwich...with a topping of rapini and some hot sauce....said no to the mustard.....since I was the first customer,I got the sandwich in minutes....I took it to go....I had kept my expectations low.....but when I had my first bite,it was just delicious....the meat was moist,cut just the right size and the crackling was just heavenly...just a faint hint of rosemary.......the bun was a perfect complement to the pork....next time I'm gonna avoid the rapini....I think it's a distraction....so is the hot sauce....I wasn't disappointed and I think it's priced right.....if you are someone who has been thinking about visiting this place ,don't hesitate ....›10 Replies-
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re: justxpete
scarberian
Jun 17, 2012 02:24 PM
Wait a minute... soft shelled crab and then a layer of porchetta? DAMN! I can feel myself reaching for my cholesterol meds. As Anthony Bourdaine said (I'm paraphrasing), "I had a choice of taking cholesterol meds with their side effects OR give up pork. Well you know what choice was made. If my liver explodes because of the meds, blame the pork."
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re: jennjen18
I went on saturday and decided with no toppings and just mustard....I was able to figure out why there are such polarised opinions.....My first visit had been a 5 star...the second one would rate a 3 Star.....
Here is why....did not taste the rosemary or garlic....the meat was on the dry side....the bun was too toasted ,so basically I was just having tasteless roast pork on a extra crusty bun.....The cracklings were still very good though....If this was my first visit,I would have wondered what this hullabaloo was all about....
I went just before noon,so there is no excuse that I was getting the leftovers.....I'm gonna make another visit and hope that this was just a one off.....
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scarberian
Jul 17, 2011 07:57 AM
From the recent reviews about the sandwich from customers who ate there on opening day, maybe it's a good thing I never tried the sandwich when they first opened because having it for the first time yesterday, it was one of the best sandwiches I've had in the GTA in a long time. I had mine with just rapini and it complimented the pork very well. I took the family there for lunch and both wife and daughter enjoyed their sandwiches without any toppings.
BTW for dessert, the wife went over to Odile chocolatiers a few doors down and we had some very good dark chocolate truffles with a hint of cardomom.
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re: scarberian
To chime in with some support for an establishment that is really getting it right, let me just say that this restaurant is insanely good. The sandwich with truffle oil, hot sauce and mustard is perfection. I've also tried the beans and the soups. Their mushroom soup was as good as I've had anywhere - I like mushroom soup and order it when I see it listed on menus at restaurants with good kitchens.
Anyhow, here is a shop that focuses on a few things and gets them bang on. If you like food and you like sandwiches, do yourself a favor and add this place to your rotation of take-out options.
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Bobby Wham
Jun 6, 2011 08:14 AM
Man that breakfast sandwich is insane, this place has really stepped it up since it opened.
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re: Herb
I had my first Porchetta & Co. sandwich and found the basic sandwich with Dijon and hot sauce tasty, but missing a few things, namely the herbs that are supposed to be in the recipe. I am not implying that they were not there, but there was no taste of anything other than pork, plus some salt. I was sorry that I did not opt for any rapini, which looked tasty. Truffle sauce sounded good too, but I was afraid it would drown out the pork flavours. I liked the texture of the bread and enjoyed the cracklings. In fact, they really made the sandwich. I wonder whether a reduction of the pan juices would return the herb flavours to the meat?
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Porchetta & Co.
825 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON , CA-
re: 1sweetpea
justsayn
Jul 15, 2011 04:50 PM
They cut back on both herb and garlic significantly just a couple months after opening, and the sandwich has never been the same! Judging by how they measure every micro ounce of pork and crackle on a sandwich, my guess is the change is for profit taking. As well, they have cut back on the olive oil - again hurting the "umami" of the sandwich. Its really too bad actually. I used to love the different flavour notes jumping out with each bite. Now the whole sandwich tastes the same bite after bite and because of no "distractions" the grease can be more prevalent than wanted.
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mlukan
Jun 5, 2011 08:58 AM
Anyone else love this place as much as I do? When they are good they are REALLY GOOD. I had one bad sandwich with too much fat. I would prefer a little more meat on the sandwich, but can't complain. The roasted potatoes are excellent and judging by raves about the specials, I gotta get in on that. It has kinda taken over as my fave sandwich spot. The owner seems like a good guy. I do wish his staff would pick it up a bit, they make a sandwich like they are performing surgery. It ends up being a sloppy sandwich anyway. Anyway, LOVE this spot!
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re: ms. cornbread
Noo :( I called at 6 when I got off work (of all the Saturdays to work a solo shift...) and they apparently ran out 30 minutes prior. From the photos it didn't look fried, so I'm curious as to whether it was a super thin, super light batter (badass) or a lobster roll (equally as badass, just named incorrectly)
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I've been here twice now and am still undecided. The first time I went I thought the sandwich was amazing and went around telling many people about the place. Great flavour and I loved the crunchy bits in it.
Last time I went my experience was quite different. After walking in sunday afternoon around 4 there was only 1 customer. All the staff continued talking to this customer for several minutes without even acknowledging me while I waited rather impatiently as I was parked illegally. Finally they got around to taking my order and when I bit in to the sandwich it seemed to lack the flavour that I remembered from my first visit. I am not sure if this is a weekend vs. weekday thing (maybe different cooks) or maybe I just had a bad experience. Regardless I will give them a 3rd shot and hopefully they redeem themselves to the flavour I remembered from my first visit.
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re: gastrojunkie
pinstripeprincess
May 18, 2011 01:36 PM
my last plain sandwich was fairly uneventful with just mustard, but my friends' with the rapini and truffle paste was just great. i know they've adjusted the recipe since the first few weeks and with such large roasts there could be quite a bit of variability.
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re: pinstripeprincess
justsayn
May 18, 2011 08:39 PM
I have found there to be less herb and garlic flavours compared to when they first opened.
Improved for me:
crackle is now less fatty
don't get hard inedible crackle anymore
don't get huge fatty pieces anymorenot as good:
bun not warmed as long so not toasty
less olive oil drizzle on the bun
never taste procuitto anymore
used to enjoy hits of herb and garlic but that is all but gone nowStill love the sandwich!
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jlunar
May 4, 2011 04:13 PM
Soft-shell Saturday (May 7th) this weekend!
from their Twitter: Ok. Just so we're clear. This Saturday will be #softshellsaturday
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re: JennaBean
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re: JennaBean
I was underwhelmed by Porchetta & Co..
The meat to bread ratio is too low IMHO and the baked beans while tasty were slightly undercooked.
If I lived nearby I would likely return, but I don't.
While there I thought of Burger's Priest and Paul and Sandie's BBQ. All 3 places are about the same price point and travel time for me but given the choice I would go to the much more generous Paul and Sandie's every time.
I estimate the food cost at Porchetta and BP at about 15% and Paul and Sandie's about 30%. They all use good ingredients carefully prepared but they hardly compare in terms of value.
Generosity = repeat business. Decent seating helps too.
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re: pinstripeprincess
I just missed out on it yesterday. Next time I'm going to snag me one before going to the gym. I called around 12:30 and they only had 4 left. When I called them they said that it would be gone in about 5 minutes. The owner said they got 70 that day and it was gone in a flash. Even if he doubled it I'm sure he would still be sold out long before closing.
It would be great if there was more meat but I think it was a good amount. The server actually weight it before putting it into the bun. Since I missed out on the crab I got the regular sandwich with truffle sauce. The meat was still the star of the show and the bun and sauce played supporting roles. When you crush the fluffly bun in your hands then the bread to meat ratio doesn't seem so large. There were juicy fatty pieces but it only added to the flavor. The cracklin is a nice change from the chinese roast pork skin which can be sometimes oversalted. It is not as charred and crisp as it chinese couterpark but instead it is more brittle and a bit tougher. No complaints were found and it is great alternative to somewhere like Caplansky's. The day was wrapped up by going across the street to Caldense Bakery for their sweet flaky custard pastries. When I am in the area I will definitely go back!
I will post some pictures in the gallery.
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re: geekwithspatula
I enjoyed the soft shell crab sandwich at Porchetta and Co yesterday. The pickled ramps were a nice sweet touch. Went around 11:30 and there was a line-up. Guy in front of me ordered 8 sandwiches so you can see how they sell out quickly.
Good sandwich, but nowhere near as tasty as the soft shell taco at Harbord Room -- that I would return for in a second.-----
Harbord Room
89 Harbord St, Toronto, ON M5S1G4, CA
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re: jlunar
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re: table4onthefly
Not even two hours and they were sold out. I called him at 12:30pm and he said they had 4 left and they do set aside for people and they open at 11:30am. Last time he ordered 70 crabs and he already had a line up before opening. This time he has doubled his order but it will still out way before he closes up shop. I have heard 1 person bought 8 in one order so 70 crabs won't last for long. This time I am skipping the group exercise class to make sure I get one or more! :)
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re: geekwithspatula
Finally tried the Softshell Crab... what a great sandwich (and trust me I have been looking hard for good sandwiches lately)!
Here's a pic from mine: http://lockerz.com/s/120776052
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I know I'm going to regret this...
Tomorrow Saturday April 8th, Nick will be serving SOFTSHELL CRAB SANDWICHES at the counter. I think he said he only got a case of 200, so they're in limited supply. I found out yesterday, and I've been conflicted since about hoarding the secret to myself, or being a good CHOW member and sharing the wealth.
Looks like you guys struck it lucky this time, but I swear to God if I get there and they're sold out because all of you guys lined up before they opened, I might just hang myself with butchers' twine. Just saying.
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re: Splendid Wine Snob
I recommended following the Porchetta & Co twitter feed; with the seasons changing, he'll probably be running a lot of specials like this, and he usually only posts them on twitter. Oh and I forgot to mention he's starting the Porchetta Breakfast Sammy; Porchetta, Cracklings, Egg and Smoked Gouda on the classic Caldense bun!
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Porchetta & Co.
825 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON , CA-
re: table4onthefly
Splendid Wine Snob
Apr 8, 2011 09:31 PM
Oh god, my stupid F^&%$#@ diet just went off the rails. I detest twitter-the navel gazing set on facebook has never had any appeal either, but I can see how social networking has it's benefits with this industry!
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re: Splendid Wine Snob
Just had my soft shell sammy! Deeeeeelicious! Maybe could've used some hot sauce though, but the included lemon wedge was a nice touch. I hope this is the sign of good things to come this summer!
EDIT: It's 2:47 and word has just come down the wire that they have SOLD OUT!
Here's a pic, for all you people who weren't able to get one :(
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re: table4onthefly
jlunar
Apr 9, 2011 12:40 PM
lol, I got two of the last three sandwiches. I thought it was only okay until I hit the fat meaty part of the crab. Then it was really good. A thinner coating is my preference, however, so you can taste them crispy legs. The batter-to-meat ratio on the legs was too high, I felt.
Minor gripes at any rate. Perfect lunch on a sunny day, for sure.
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Wow just had a sandwich for lunch today, the truffle/rapini combo, and it was light years better than the last time I had it. The crackling was crispy, not the hard tough nuggets I had before. The bun seemed lighter somehow and crispier. And the meat was just spot-on. Probably the best sandwich I've eaten this year.
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Bobby Wham
Jan 17, 2011 07:52 AM
Yeah this place was alright, the meat was cut too thick and was too chewy and the cracklin skin was way too hard, felt like i was gonna break my teeth, I ate half the sandwich,hucked the rest, then went to Don's for a cheeburg, If they used a meat slicer or something and shaved the meat rather than carve thick chunks i it would be way better...
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re: jlunar
pinstripeprincess
Jan 17, 2011 09:16 AM
i enjoy the thick slices of meat, it was quite tender and moist enough for me that the thickness wasn't an issue. next time i will be requesting no crackling on the sandwich. the skin is just too thick. they can do it well, but it's just not consistent enough and my jaw/teeth can do without the soreness.
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re: petek
Every time I go for a sandwich (and soup...and beans...), I walk back to the Bathurst and Dundas bus stop to head North. Consequently, I get to walk past a big McDonald's window. Imagine; if they walked a block further, and spent an extra dollar, they'd be eating something 100x better! haha
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re: table4onthefly
picked up some take out today. 2 sandwiches and a soup (lentil and beef). I was really impressed...the meat was so moist and every bit of skin was oh so good. i got them plain with just hot sauce and grainy mustard. soup was a great as well, but the star was the porchetta.
2 sandwiches and the large soup were about $19. if i am in the neighborhood again, i will definitely hit them up again.
also, the place smells wonderful.
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jlunar
Jan 11, 2011 08:01 AM
blog/photos/intro: http://www.foodpr0n.com/2011/01/11/dr...
I pretty much went in with no expectations. It helped that I hadn’t had a proper porchetta sandwich before.
Given my greenness, I decided that basics were in order and opted for their plain porchetta sandwich. Nice bits of crackling, charred and caramelized fatty bits, a little olive oil on the bun, and all that lovely porky goodness. It’s an excellent sandwich, but I didn’t think it was worth the insanity. Except I kept thinking about it. That taste. The textures. And when I could make my next visit?
Two days later, I found myself at their door again. I didn’t think I’d be back so soon, but the memory of my first sandwich lingered and thoughts of my next sandwich compelled me. This time, I took the recommendation of rapini and truffle sauce. To be honest, I thought the bite of the rapini distracted from the delicious nuances of porchetta and that the truffle sauce got lost in it all. Not bad, but the plain sandwich was better to me. Luckily, you can get the rapini on the side, which is perfect, I think.
And speaking of sides, I tried the potatoes. While okay, I don’t really need to supplement my sandwich with anything, so these spuds are off my re-order list.
Also on offer is a soup of the day. Their creamy cabbage soup with smoked bacon was quite nice, not too salty, and had a liberal dose of grainy mustard. Very chowder-like and fortifying against the cold. With the sandwich, a small soup was a bit much for lunch. I managed not to fall into a food coma when I got back to work.
Despite the distance travelled, I didn’t have to wait long to get my food – maybe 5 minutes at off-peak hours – and I managed to snag one of the few stools in the small space both times as well. But I can imagine that during the lunch-hour rush, you’d be out of luck.
Wish they had a place closer to where I work!
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Porchetta & Co.
825 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON , CA›9 Replies-
re: jlunar
pinstripeprincess
Jan 11, 2011 08:14 AM
that reminds me that i failed to mention that the soup was quite nice. they cooked the beans properly so that they were intact and well textured.
the main thing that surprised me was that everything was appropriately salted. i expected that soup cooking down, pork cooking away, etc etc... would leave me gasping for water after having both for a meal... but no. quite impressed with that.
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re: jlunar
pinstripeprincess
Jan 11, 2011 09:03 AM
nearly daily change up with the soup. was just impressed that for a place doing a daily change-up it was so well prepared.
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re: EarlyDrive
Went in last Friday. Loved the ambiance; the big glass window with black windowsills was awesome. The casual atmosphere really fit the bill with this sandwich; as it was being prepared Nick and I had a pretty intense conversation about trying Mangalitsa pig shoulders for span. Great guy, great sandwich. Return trip is inevitable.
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re: downtownfoodie
num nums
Jan 8, 2011 06:02 AM
their hours are posted on their twitter page:
http://twitter.com/PorchettaAndCocheck it out regularly as they will post what the soup of the day is and if they are sold out.
also, they just launched their website. but crazily enough it doesn't post their hours:
http://www.porchettaco.com/-
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re: bytepusher
jlunar
Jan 8, 2011 07:02 AM
lol, was that you bytepusher? I was going to comment too until I saw the reply from Nick.
P.S. Going this afternoon. aiming for 3ish. Say hi.
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http://www.foodpr0n.com -- food. is. love.
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Tried it today and loved it, the porchetta sandwich with rapini was perfect except maybe the crackling was a bit tough. I ended up pulling a few chunks out and eating them on the side. But great flavour and super moist meat. Potatoes were stellar too. I'll be back.
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re: jlunar
I went there tonight with my sister and we both ordered the porchetta sandwich "straight up" and yes...it was good. Very good. The pork was tender, the crackling crunchy and the bun was warm (the splash of olive oil added an extra lusciousness to the sandwich). Yeah, I'd definitely go again.
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re: childofthestorm
pinstripeprincess
Jan 9, 2011 04:56 AM
had the sandwich twice now and the first time the crackling was a little shocking because it was a bit thick (thought i'd hit some bone somehow) but i could bite away at it relatively easily still. yesterday it was a jaw workout. my teeth were not happy trying to navigate around the crackling when it was surrounded by the moist, tender and beautiful meat. i quite like their gobs of fat - rendered nicely, not chewy... flavourful.
rapini is too mushy, truffle sauce is quite aromatic but gets lost in the sandwich very easily, and i really don't think knives in the communal mustard pots is a good idea when they give you the sandwich with the bun already pressed on top.
this is the porchetta sandwich i expect vs what stockyards offers. no crackling sandwiches for me anymore though.
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We live in the neighbourhood and tried it within the first few days of opening. The people are really nice and I really hope this takes off for them. As another reviewer mentioned, I was also a little turned off by the amount of fat in the sandwich. I don't remember this being an issue with the Stockyards' porchetta sandwich. The rapini was good and soup of the day was amazing. He called it porchetta chowder. It was white beans, porchetta bits in a thick cream base. Extremely rich but really good. My husband and son had no complaints at all though, both are immediate fans and will be pushing for frequent visits. I need a lower fat option if this is going to be a neighbourhood favourite.
Porchetta is on the south side of Dundas two and a half blocks west of Bathurst, between Euclid and Palmerston.
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I went for lunch today.
Pluses:
Excellent bun
I enjoyed the bitterness of the rapini although it was a bit overcooked.
I loved the way the mustard cut the richness of the pork
The meaty and crunchy bits of pork were super tastyMinuses:
Big, nasty gobs of chewy fat that had to be either pulled from the sandwich or my mouth. Gross.All in all, the big gobs of fat kinda ruined it for me. I know, it's porchetta, it's supposed to be fatty. But biting in a chewy piece of fat in a sandwich is not at all enjoyable. They only way that fat in a sandwich is good is if its super soft and melting. In this case, it wasn't.
Perhaps I can ask them for more well done, leaner, crunchy bits, or more of the leaner loin pieces. If they can do that, I'll be back a whole bunch. If not, that was my first and last.
I hope they monitor this board.
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re: acd123
Hi acd123,
I had the same experience as you earlier this week and wasn't quite sure the sandwich was what it should be. I went back today and got one that was more evenly split between the 3 types of pork.
And it was deeeelicious!!
With rapini and truffle sauce, tabasco and grain mustard.
Give them a second chance for sure... -
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Ate there yesterday for lunch. Had soup (shared) and a platter with rapini and potatoes. The meat was very tender, moist, and flavorful. The crackling was delicious. That being said, when I go back, I'll definitely ask for all belly pork.
The soup was very good, but then I can make very good home made split pea soup. Lots of shredded meat in there.
Seating space is very limited. 4 stools only!
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miketoronto
Dec 20, 2010 03:06 PM
Went tonight for a quick dinner. A really solid sandwich.
$5.95 for a straight up porchetta on a nice Italian/Portugese roll w a drizzle of olive oil. Extras (mozzarella, shaved reggiano, tomato sauce, truffle sauce, rapini, mushrooms) are all extra, usually around $0.75-$0.95 each. Mustard on request.
They had a split pea and ham hock soup which looked really good but didn't try.
He uses pork belly , proscuitto, and pork shoulder in his porchetta. Looked amazing under the warmers! I decided to add on rapini, mushrooms, reggiano. Came to just under $10. He made sure to have a bit of crackling and meat on each sandwich. Good man. The crispy skin went a long way :)
Similar price/value to Black Camel in my opinion. Great quality ingredients prepared really well, modest size, really tasty. The add-ons were great but perhaps a bit overpriced. I realize they gotta make money from a sandwich somehow, and $5.95 for a killer (plain) sandwich is good value.
Go and support these guys if you're around Dundas W, I'm assuming opening mid-December is not so hot for your first month of revenue !
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Black Camel
4 Crescent Rd, Toronto, ON M4W1S9, CA›9 Replies-
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re: num nums
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re: GoodGravy
miketoronto
Dec 22, 2010 05:21 AM
Yeah, very similar to the NYC Porchetta. Very limited menu, small, tastiness.
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re: miketoronto
Splendid Wine Snob
Dec 20, 2010 07:20 PM
Very excited to try it too. Curious to see how it compares to the way the Italian population up North do it up. Its all about Porchetta (or Porketta if you will) Bingo.
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re: miketoronto
It's my first post on CH but I've been a long time lurker. I thought it was time I shared my experience with CH'ers esp on a new place that people will want feedback on.
I live pretty close to Porchetta and Co, and have been waiting for opening day. Am I glad I went for a visit last night! It's a small storefront with a menu focused on their house-made porchetta. I had the sandwich, and it was recommended by the owner that I have it plain on first try, with no add-ons to really get a taste of the meat. The nice Portuguese style bun was drizzled with lots of olive oil. They said that the sandwiches are 4 oz of meat - and as miketoronto mentioned above, they made sure they gave a mix of meat and crackling. 4 oz did not sound very substantial (they actually pre-weigh the bun, and then add on the meat), but it was a sufficiently filling, and delicious, sandwich. The meat was moist, and the odd bite with crackling made it all that much better. The taste was smoky, just the right amount of salt, and a mix of textures. It was well worth the $5.95.
I recently had the porchetta (on a piadina) at Libretto, and I'm a fan of Chinese-style roast pig. In comparison, the porchetta in the sandwich I had last night was a less salty (a good thing!) and way more moist.
When I was there, they offered hot sauce, and two types of mustards that you can add to your sandwich yourself (the bottles/jars were available on a side counter). I left mine plain but my SO added grainy mustard to his. There are a few stools for you to eat in, but it looks to be mostly take-out.
Further to the sandwich, they offer a Prochetta platter, with meat and veggies. I think that'll be my next try. This area on Dundas is evolving, and I'm excited that there are lots of quality food choices opening up. I hope my mini review of Porchetta and Co will inspire other CH'ers to give it a try!
Also, to wrap up my first post, I want to thank all CH'ers for the many helpful comments that I've relied on. I'm going to make a resolution to put up more posts in 2011!
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