“Adamson Barbecue is worth a trip to the wilds of Leaside”

Adamson Barbecue

AMERICAN Adam Skelly’s barbecue is so mind-blowingly good that it’s worth venturing into the wilds of a Leaside industrial park for. The cavernous concrete space is a smokehouse pure and simple, with rolls of paper towel on the tables and a menu penned on butcher paper taped to the wall. Everything takes a spin in the Oyler 1300, a massive wood-burning smoker: brisket, already on the cusp of disintegration, melts in your mouth, and pork ribs flecked with caraway seeds are perfectly pink inside. Sides are as nature and the Deep South intended: kitchen-sink potato salad, creamy slaw and rich beans flavoured with beef tallow. There are no spoons in the collection of plastic cutlery—instead, the slices of bread served with each platter are meant for soaking up escaped sauces. Closed Saturday and Sunday. 176 Wicksteed Ave., 647-559-2080. $$O

Cherry Street Bar-B-Que

AMERICAN The faint whiff of white-oak smoke wafting over the Port Lands these days is courtesy of Lawrence La Pianta, who opened a slice of central Texas on the site of the former Cherry Street Restaurant. Brisket, pulled pork and side ribs, all sold by weight, take centre stage, scribbled on butcher paper so it’s easier to cross something off when it sells out. Brisket can be a fickle cut; it’s best to arrive early to capture it at its peak—peppered, salted and cut as thick as the accompanying slices of bread. A soggy helping of pulled pork isn’t worth the space on the stainless steel tray—that real estate is best reserved for a second cheese-stuffed sausage link. Sides are traditional (slaw, onions, pickles) with the exception of a very un-smokehouse-like quinoa salad. And it’s hard not to love an order of baked beans carrying the weight of the brisket’s burnt ends. Beer, wine and cocktails, including a mole-rimmed mangohabanero margarita, are available at both bars, including one on the skyline-facing patio. 275 Cherry St., 416-461-5111. $$O

Greta Solomon’s Dining Room

FRENCH Owner Darlene Mitchell hails from Newfoundland—home of cod tongues and flipper pie—but the food served in this tiny Leslieville room is unmistakably French. A pan-seared sea scallop, sourced from neighbouring Hooked, is flanked by crispy bits of oxtail, radish slices, plump raisins, turnip purée and pickled cauliflower, and piping-hot swiss chard gratin with bacon is sauced with creamy mornay and topped with gruyère. Ontario beef tenderloin is served on fingerling confit potatoes, and spectacular morels—done up in duck fat and demi-glace—are dressed to impress in chive-studded béarnaise. The wine list is long and thoughtful for such a diminutive spot, and the desserts— like a deconstructed fruit tart wrapped in a shortbread collar with elderflower chantilly—equally so. 1118 Queen St. E., 647-351-4527. $$V

Kub Khao THAI Don’t be put off by the rusting gas station out front—Kub Khao is a solid addition to Scarborough’s dining scene. The kitchen sends out a familiar but flawless parade of Thai classics: creamy khao soi; smoky stir-fried eggplant; and a mango salad laced with mint, chilies and finely ground peanuts that’s much greater than the sum of its parts. There’s also the odd flourish, like tender slices of roast duck tossed with fresh lychees, a surprising

combination that elevates both ingredients. An appetizer of toast—thick, deep-fried slices of bread topped with soy- and cilantro-flavoured chicken—is a unique guilty pleasure. 351 Sheppard Ave. E., 416-297-8888. $$WV

Maple Leaf Tavern

BAR AND PUB Once an east-end dive, the 106-year-old tavern has been given new life, thanks to a two-year, $2-million makeover designed to position it as a legitimate dining destination. Chef Jesse Vallins churns out what might be his best food to date, much of it from a wood-burning oven. The roasted vegetable salad with fried halloumi gives the kitchen a chance to grill up whatever’s in season, and the burger—a patty of ground strip loin topped with house-made cheese, garlic mayo and dill relish—could hold its own against any of the city’s best. Kegged rye and gingers (made with artisanal ginger beer, natch) are a fun touch. 955 Gerrard St. E., 416-465-0955. $$$OVNE

Pinkerton’s Snack Bar

BAR AND PUB With a room decked out in antiques, reclaimed wood and retro lighting, and a playlist of throwbacks, Pinkerton’s feels like a Parkdale transplant. It’s not difficult for two people to eat everything on the short menu here. Best bets are the Laotian-style beef tartare and the tuna tostada, a messy but delicious plate of raw albacore, crispy won tons, avocado crema, chilies and nori. Of the classic cocktails, the smooth and citrusy paper plane is exceptional. Closed Sunday to Tuesday. 1026 Gerrard St. E., 416-855-1460. $VN