food twice eaten

Czehoski
678 Queen St West

Upon arriving at Harlem Underground and finding that it was closed for an exclusive event, I looked across the street and found a great second choice — Czehoski. And, of course, it being such a beautiful 1st of July, we had to go for the backyard patio.

My apologies for not remembering the drink names. (I swear I will get better. We’ll bring a notebook next time!) However, they were delicious, and I wanted to order seconds. Unfortunately, my stomach couldn’t handle any more alcohol that night.

For starters, we had the Blue Crab Cakes that were served with aioli and pickled ginger. Crab cakes might just be my favourite appetizer — it’s a toss-up between these and calamari — and these definitely do not disappoint. The flavour of the crab wasn’t overwhelmed by seasoning. The seasoning only enhanced it.

We also had some Boneless Chicken Wings which were more like nuggets than wings. Although the presentation and the look of the “wings” were a bit disappointing, the flavour was great — enough spice and the bbq seasoning was right on point.

Our entrees were definitely some that I wouldn’t forget.

Tanner’s Pierogies were hand rolled, filled with sweet potato, smoked gouda, and roasted garlic and served with braised red cabbage and creme fraiche. Its presentation made us forget the presentation of the Boneless Chicken Wings. Its flavour was to die for. The smoky flavour of the gouda was the shining factor, complementing the sweet potato well.

Phil had the Czehoski Burger which, as he explained, was juicy but lacking a bit of flavour. It was served with havarti, jalapenos, and bbq sauce.

My Angus Beef Ribs were massive. I ordered these without having any idea of its size. I ordered them merely for the fact that they were served with braised kale and I, as a foodie, have never tried it. I would say Kale is like a chewy spinach (correct me if I’m wrong?) and it was absolutely delicious with the ribs. The ribs itself was tender and melt-in-your-mouth good with the bbq sauce that they charred on it.

Tanner and I are definitely on a streak of good food. You’ll definitely see that in the next few posts.

M

p.s. Fun little fact? Czehoski’s sign is the same one from 1924 when it used to be a family butcher shop and deli, a true Toronto institution!