Restaurants › American
Phil’s Original BBQ
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- 838 College St. (at Ossington) • View on map »
- 416-532-8161
- http://www.philsoriginalbbq.com/
This homey rec-room-meets-diner rib joint—tiled floor, wood-panelled walls, mismatched tables and chairs, blues posters—has been smoking and barbecuing for 13 years. The air is thick with the heady aroma of smouldering apple wood, and the room is full of unapologetic carnivores enjoying piles of ribs, brisket and chicken. Phil Nyman perfected the craft of the ’cue by tasting his way through the American barbecue belt. His Venezuelan wife, Gloria, adds her own touch to the menu with cachapas—Venezuelan corn pancakes, gooey with melted mozzarella and studded with fresh, sweet corn. Hush puppies are golden and slightly sweet, and the baked beans are some of the best in this city: not too sweet, and meaty with chunks of pork rib, beef brisket tips and offcuts from ribs. Smoked and slow-roasted for 14 hours, brisket disintegrates at the poke of a fork, and pork ribs are perfectly smoky, tender and moist, and not overly sauced as many versions are. The barbecue chicken—smoked and then finished on the grill—is a tad dry and uninteresting. The coleslaw is of the tart, vinaigrette variety. Rotating desserts—on this night, creamy, rich rice pudding and yummy warm apple pie—are decent, though not made in-house. Super-friendly servers seem right out of the Deep South. Mains $15–$26.
- Closed Sunday
838 College St. (at Ossington)
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