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| - I don't usually get texts the night after an evening of boozing with my friends that say "That place was sikk [sic] dude!" But based on our experience at 416 Snack Bar, I can safely say that my mate's exuberance is warranted.
We arrived at TO's newest culinary / boozy hotspot with a fair amount of anxiousness: The lighting was dim, there was barely seating for 20+ bodies and suffice to say, neither myself nor my mates are as sophistimicated as the other hip kids that populate this establishment. However we were lucky to grab a couple seats, then a couple more for friends that were on their way.
Looking at the menu, I couldn't help but salivate over some of the options. Jamaican Patty? Veggie Tempura? Oysters? Yes! Clearly the dudes that put this place together understand the gastroethnic diversity of this city and they've gone to fairly great lengths to reflect that.
But having read and heard so much about the steamed pork buns, and being somewhat of a chinese steamed bun junkie, I decided to start my night off with said bun and a pint of Creemore. Upon my first explosively tasty bite of the bun, all misgivings of the place faded away and I experienced a feeling synonymous with my love of this great city. The pork, which was simultaneously sweet and crispy, perfectly complemented the fresh crunchy shredded veggies, all being served in a doughy but finely steamed handheld bun. Wonderful execution.
As the night went on and the booze flowed, conversation with the pretty ladies and dudes around me stayed lively and interesting and the food kept coming. Reasonably fried veggie tempura coupled with a thick and sweet hoisin sauce led to steak tartare and back to pork buns to round out the night.
And with the sounds of funky-soulful vinyl filling the room, friendly, attentive service and a general atmosphere of camaraderie among the bar's denizens, it's safe to say that 416 Snack Bar exudes the culinary fun factor and inventive potential of Toronto nightlife for 25+'ers who live and hangout in the downtown core.
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