Toad 'n' Turtle Pubhouse and Grill

The Toad ‘n’ Turtle is a pub that prides itself on its food. Rather than serving the usual pub fare, it serves house-smoked meats and a large selection of succulent appetizers such as pulled pork poutine and coconut shrimp.

Prior to opening Toad ‘n’ Turtle’s flagship Barlow location in 2001, founder and co-owner Paul Tomlinson visited busy pubs all across North America to learn their secrets. “I realized besides having good service, it was good food,” he says. “We have chefs in every location, and our food is made in-house, not out of a box.”

Those chefs smoke their own meats and cheeses, creating unique flavours that are hard, if not impossible, to find elsewhere in the city. The Toad’s loyal clientele return again and again for pulled pork, brisket and pastrami sandwiches. Even the pizza sauce is smoked.

Tomlinson is most proud of the establishment’s enormously popular Maui ribs, a recipe of his own invention inspired by Azeka Ribs, a famed but now defunct Korean short-rib shack in Maui. He intuitively experimented for over seven years by plying his relatives and friends with regular, experimental barbecue meals, and the effort paid off. “I’d say it’s 90 or 95 per cent of what Azeka had,” he says with satisfaction. “You can’t get it anywhere. It’s prime rib cut across the bones. They aren’t short ribs. The meat is tender. We marinate it for a minimum of 72 hours before we will serve it.”