By Ember, Contributor
Recently, there’s been a lot of push for individual initiatives to combat climate change. This can be considered admirable and noble – but they hardly scratch the surface of the problem. These initiatives tend to overlook industries as the largest contributors to climate change, the Global North’s role in plastic pollution and they place misdirected blame on disabled people.
In a scientific paper that outlines that the Pacific Ocean is rapidly accumulating plastic, Laurent Lebreton et al. states the following findings.
“Over three-quarters of the [Great Pacific Garbage Patch] mass was carried by debris larger than five cm and at least 46 per cent was comprised of fishing nets. Microplastics accounted for eight per cent of the total mass but 94 per cent of the estimated 1.8 (1.1–3.6) trillion pieces floating in the area,” they say.
Almost half of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch’s mass is abandoned gear from industry fishing. Another 20 per cent of the mass is thought to be remnants from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan. In comparison, Seth Borenstein, a journalist, noted the extremely small proportion of plastic waste made up of plastic straws.
“Straws on average weigh so little – about one sixty-seventh of an ounce or .42 grams – that all those billions of straws add up to only about 2,000 tons of the nearly nine million tons of plastic waste that yearly hits the waters,” Borenstein said.
Banning plastic straws seems pretty asinine when you consider a few different factors. It’s interesting how alternatives like the new Starbucks lids were created to replace the use of plastic straws, but they have been found to contain an equivalent amount or more plastic than what a plastic straw contains. Christian Britschgi, an associate editor at Reason, described the miniscule impact of the Starbucks nitro lids.
“Right now, Starbucks patrons are topping most of their cold drinks with either 3.23 grams or 3.55 grams of plastic product, depending on whether they pair their lid with a small or large straw. The new nitro lids meanwhile weigh either 3.55 or 4.11 grams, depending again on lid size,” said Britschgi.
Point blank, this “solution” is performative – it is a cheap tactic spearheaded by a corporation to make the common folk feel like they’re making a difference in regards to climate change when it really amounts to nothing.
Then why not use paper straws or reusable straws? Well, because these options are awful. Often times, banning plastic straws does not take into account how alternative straw materials can be detrimental to disabled people.
“Biodegradable [straw] options often fall apart too quickly or are easy for people with limited jaw control to bite through. Silicone straws are often not flexible – one of the most important features for people with mobility challenges. Reusable straws need to be washed, which not all people with disabilities can do easily. And metal straws, which conduct heat and cold in addition to being hard and inflexible, can pose a safety risk,” said Godoy.
Another thing to keep in mind is that biodegradable straws can also be made of soy – a common allergen – and because it isn’t food, corporations aren’t required to disclose ingredients on the packaging.
Putting the responsibility on disabled people to survive in public without plastic straws because you don’t believe stores should offer straws is venomous.
It’s not that disabled people don’t care about the environment – we absolutely do. But instead of demonizing us for existing, shouldn’t able-bodied people help create an accessible, environmentally friendly alternative to plastic straws?
Currently, I am a student studying earth and environmental science, and I’m aiming to get a minor in sustainability. I am also disabled and I realize that climate change is larger than any one of us.
However, it’s important to note that often disabled people are the ones being accused of holding the environmental movement back, while corporations are conveniently cropped out of the frame. The big picture of climate change and environmental collapse is large enough for all of us to fit inside – so please don’t forget that industries play a large part, too.
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In 2013, Culantro Peruvian Cookery opened up on King William Street, hoping to help Hamiltonians discover Peruvian cuisine. Three years later, the restaurant moved locations to Main Street East, but the new venue has not changed its goal to cook up authentic Peruvian food for the residents of the city it loves.
The restaurant’s chef and owner is Juan Castillo, who has a long history of working in restaurants. When his family moved from Lima, Peru to San Francisco, California when he was a teenager, Castillo began working in restaurants as a dishwasher. In time, he realized that the kitchen was where he wanted to be.
Castillo’s love of cooking, however, didn’t start in San Franciscan restaurants but in his mother’s kitchen. The recipes that he uses belonged to his grandmother and mother. He was raised by and among chefs, with his family currently operating the Limon Rotisserie restaurants in San Francisco and Fresno.
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“Cooking was an inspiration… growing up. My mom used to cook all the time… Sunday was the day that everybody in the family would come over, uncles [and] aunts. My mom was one of the best cooks in the family so everybody asked her to make things for Christmas or birthdays... Growing up we always [had] people cooking in the house,” Castillo explained.
Castillo left California for love over 10 years ago and settled in the north end of Hamilton with his wife and daughter. The city has always felt like home to him as it reminds him of San Francisco and has hot summers like Peru.
Culantro is the only Peruvian restaurant in Hamilton. Castillo recognizes that the cuisine of his home country is largely undiscovered but, in his research before opening the restaurant, found that many Hamiltonians have experience with Peruvian or Latin American food.
Castillo wants all patrons to feel comfortable in the family-friendly restaurant, regardless of whether or not they have tried Peruvian food in the past. Not only is the atmosphere welcoming to families and students alike, but the affordable menu is too. Most appetizers are under $10 and most main courses are under $20.
In the last year Culantro has added new items to the small menu including the slow-roasted lamb shank and the Peruvian platter. Castillo also enjoys exploring new ideas in the kitchen.
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“[I like] the inspiration that you get from people. A lot of people come over here asking you for certain things that you don't have or… they give you feedback. I think that's what I like, the challenge of having something new when I come over to work, having a kitchen that I can make whatever I want. That day if I want to change it, I'll change it… [T]he liberty that I have with that is amazing,” Castillo explained.
Culantro aims to use the freshest and most authentic ingredients. Key Peruvian ingredients are sourced directly from Peru such as the Peruvian aji peppers, Peruvian soft drinks and the purple corn for Chicha Morada, a Peruvian corn drink. For other main ingredients, Culantro tries its best to source locally from places such as the Hamilton Farmers’ Market.
It is not just local farmers that Culantro supports but local charitable organizations as well. They have supported churches and fundraising events, such as the Annual Salsa for Heart in 2016. The city has inspired Castillo to give back.
The cookery is also a place where members of the community can gather. The restaurant regularly hosts open mic nights and live music performances. There have also been special celebrations for occasions such as Peruvian Independence Day.
Culantro is currently operating with a small staff consisting of Castillo, manager Susan Abbey and waitress Julianna Lachance. But don’t let the small venue, menu or staff fool you — this restaurant is serving up big flavours, big passion and big heart to the community.
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Nestled away right off of Main Street East and Ottawa Street South lies Jordan Weisz’s newest venture, Café Baffico, alongside his long-time friend and colleague, Fady Dawood. Together, the two have set out to bring the joy of good food and rest to the bustling Crown Point neighbourhood.
Dawood and Weisz met about six years ago when the two both worked on Locke Street South; Weisz was running Johnny’s Coffee while Dawood worked at Brux House. The two bonded over their love of coffee and their shared fine dining experience, having both worked in high-end restaurants at some point.
Over the course of their friendship, they both knew they wanted to eventually open up a restaurant, with the goal to make great food more accessible to the general public.
“... [W]e both worked in fine dining, and we wanted to do high quality food but for everyone at a good price point, because neither of us could afford to eat at the restaurants we worked at,” said Weisz.
Following years of planning and one successful pop-up, the pair opened up Café Baffico in December 2018. While Weisz and Dawood are the main owners and operators, the café by day, restaurant by night has had support from the Hamilton community.
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All the dining ware was made by Speck and Stone, a local pottery shop run through the Cotton Factory. Their tables were made by their server, Lauren Goodman, who even helps out with repairs in between lunch and dinner service. She busied herself repairing some picture frames when I came by.
On the walls are a series of photographs and pieces of artwork; some from friends, some from Weisz’s trips to Italy. These trips play a huge role in Café Baffico, which serves up a series of traditional Italian dishes alongside seasonal classics.
“It's an Italian restaurant more in its ethos. There's a lot of Italian food on the menu, but personally, I love the seasonal cuisine over there and the particularly the regional cuisine,” said Weisz.
Weisz began his forays to Italy during his time as a student at McMaster University, after taking a trip with its art history department. He ended up staying in Italy well after the trip ended, working in restaurants. It was in Italy where Weisz credits his love for food began.
“Most people think that Italian food is just pasta and pizza and that's it, but every single town, every city has its own kind of pasta, its own style of pizza and so many different dishes, so there's a long culinary tradition there,” Weisz said. “I studied history at [McMaster] so I have respect for preserving and respecting those traditions.”
Weisz also took particular interest in the culture surrounding eating in Italy, where patrons sit with their coffee and enjoy it in-store as opposed to the takeaway drinks popular in North America, appreciating the way food and drink brought people together.
“Obviously I'm generalizing, but Italians, they go out to eat, they go out late at night and eat well into the night with lots of wine on the table and it's simple. It's really about the food and the people you're with, whether they're loved ones, friends, or strangers, and that's what Baffico, to me, means,” Weisz said.
Although Crown Point may be a bit of a trek for McMaster students, Weisz and Dawood both appreciate the distance from the main restaurant scene and the freedom it allows them.
“[The Crown Point area’s] not just an up-and-coming neighbourhood, it's a well-developed community,” said Weisz. “It's also very much a mixed-income neighbourhood, whereas downtown has become gentrified and the artists that make downtown what it is now... can't even afford to live downtown.”
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It is clear right away that Weisz, Dawood and everyone else at Cafe Baffico is committed to making high-end dining more accessible to all those who enter their restaurant.
“Because of the neighbourhood we're in, someone who drinks [Tim Horton's] everyday can come in and it's not so acidic and different that it really trips them out, but also a coffee snob could come in and enjoy it,” said Dawood. “And that's what we're trying to do with all the food. I wanted it to be something super approachable by everyone.”
The food, of course, is nothing short of fantastic. The ingredients are fresh, with all Italian cheeses directly imported from Italy, locally-sourced cheese plates, sourdough bread made in-house everyday along with another dozen little things that elevate their deceivingly simple dishes. You can even grab a loaf of sourdough bread to take home, if you were so inclined.
The menu is written up on a blackboard everyday, rotating with whatever seasonal ingredients are available. Some recent dishes include squash soup, cacio e pepe, carbonara, sun-dried tomato and onion pizza and eggplant parmigiana. The staff is mindful of any sort of dietary restriction, so feel free to ask for accommodations if needed.
Don’t be surprised if you see either Weisz or Dawood come out from the kitchen to clear dishes or strike up a conversation with you; the two will often come out to help support their serving staff and bond with their customers.
So come by Café Baffico and try some wonderful dishes, but don’t forget to bring a friend, family member or lover, someone to share the bread and butter with and truly experience what Weisz and Dawood mean by Italian hospitality.
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Thanksgiving pulls people back home. Set at the beginning of Reading Week, it will see many students travelling both near and far to spend time with their families and old friends. It causes most of us to pause, even for a moment, and reflect on who, what and where we’re grateful for.
However, Thanksgiving is not always festive and fun. Founder of Every Golden Moment Carina Noyes knows that the holidays can be hard. That is why she created Friendsgiving Dinner, a community Thanksgiving meal.
Friendsgiving Dinner takes place on Oct. 7 at vegan and gluten-free restaurant, Planted in Hamilton. Featuring a plant-based diet, it is the first in a series of holiday gatherings hosted by Every Golden Moment, the business that Noyes launched earlier this year that curates bohemian style picnics.
“Friendsgiving was created initially because I had my parents separate last year. [I]t just inspired me to think…with our little groups of friends, you have your little celebrations...But what can I create that can bring more people together in the community?” explained Noyes.
The result of this thinking is Friendsgiving. Open to all ages, Noyes wants to bring people from all different backgrounds to experience the magic of new connections. She loves the idea of strangers becoming family by eating together and sharing what they are grateful for.
Gratitude is important to Noyes. In the past year she’s seen drastic shifts in her life, replacing partying and drinking with more depth and thankfulness. It’s this journey that inspired her to create Every Golden Moment.
“I've seen my journey and…I want to create a platform [for] people that have that moment [of] life is more than what this is right now… I wanted to create Every Golden Moment to… connect … people that are on a similar journey…[T]hat's what I come down to: community and connection,” she explained.
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[spacer height="20px"]She has seen what gatherings like these can do. They have restored hope after failed relationships and joined strangers together in friendship. Whereas media and many we may know focus on one type of family, events like these remind us that the word also describes bonds that aren’t blood.
Thanksgiving is often tied to tradition. The idea of stepping outside of one’s comfort zone on this holiday might not seem appealing. However, Noyes notes that there are so many people in this city that we can learn from and form genuine connections with.
It is a genuine connection that partnered her with Planted in Hamilton. Vegan and gluten-free herself, Noyes always features plant-based food in her gatherings. She chose Planted because the staff always value her as a person and appreciate her business. Their support of her vision and their commitment to creating community made them a perfect fit. [spacer height="20px"]
https://www.instagram.com/p/BoIczn5ha1t/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
[spacer height="20px"]Noyes aims to partner with new establishments during each upcoming holiday gathering. It is important to her to support Hamilton businesses.
“[T]here's so many vegan restaurants… popping up… I want to cycle the business back to these Hamilton businesses. I don't want to take away their business. I want to put a new spin on it and make it like these cool events and have people come out,” said Noyes.
In getting people to come out to these holiday gatherings, Noyes is starting a new tradition in Hamilton. She hopes that attendees walk away feeling closer to the city and the people in it, giving everyone another reason to be thankful.
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If you’ve been to Kuma’s Candy at some point this year, you probably found your feet slowing down outside its new neighbour next door. One glance at the bright yellow door and big windows of Nannaa Persian Eatery could make almost anyone want to step inside.
The décor is a special element of the experience at the eatery. The modern, youthful vibe will surely attract hungry students and elements that celebrate Westdale will appeal to the community at large. Along one wall, there is artwork purchased from the Westdale Cinema’s fundraiser to get the theatre reopened.
Restaurant owner, Mohammad Emami, wants Nannaa Eatery to become a part of the community. He grew up in nearby Dundas and has several friends and family members who attended McMaster University.
“We wanted to be very close to McMaster. This is a fast-causal concept… so it's people who want good quality food, but not necessarily have a full sit-down meal and have to wait for service. And you know with students, with the hospital being there, with the movie theater being next door… Being here really fit,” he explained.
The most eye-catching details of the restaurant are those that reflect Persian culture. Along one wall, there is artwork from a Persian comedian, based off the work of famous Persian poet, Rumi. At the back of the restaurant, there is a graphic of a deconstructed Persian rug hanging from the wall to the floor.
However, some of the most impressive pieces are right when you walk into the restaurant. Along one wall, a series of plates are hanging and, on the other wall, there is a huge mural of an ancient Persian marketplace.
“Persians are very artistic. [These are] all hand-hammered plates that come from a city in Iran called Isfahan, where a lot of…creativity comes [from]. You have people in a marketplace that will hammer it in front of you. So we definitely wanted to have that authentic element in here,” explained Emami.
The culture is not only represented with the art, but also with the music and the staff uniform. The restaurant’s playlist will feature a variety of Persian music for customers to enjoy, alongside some English-language music. Phrases like “nooshe jan” are featured on the staff t-shirts, with the translation ‘bon appétit’ underneath.
All of this is simply the backdrop to the restaurant’s mission: to put Persian food on the map. Emami wants to see Persian food become more widely consumed.
“You'll see other types of Middle Eastern food, you'll see Chinese food, Indian food has grown. We are one of two or three Persian restaurants west of Toronto. So we want that exposure to happen. I think it's about time,” he said.
Customers from all backgrounds will be able to find something that they enjoy on the menu. A section of the menu is dedicated to twists combining Persian with non-Persian dishes, such as the koobideh poutine, olvieh baguette and pulled lamb tacos. There are also more traditional Persian menu items, such as bademjoon stew and dahl addas, a curry-like potato, cauliflower and lentil stew. Several gluten-free and vegetarian options are also available.
Emami’s passion for food stems from his mother’s cooking. It inspired him to open Burlington restaurant, Rayhoon Persian Eatery and now Nannaa. He realized when he was growing up that you don’t have to be Persian to enjoy Persian food.
“I was born in Iran, but I didn't grow up in Iran. So one of the major connections I have with Iran is the food because it was consistent in my life with my mom's cooking. [T]hen my friends who were non-Persian would come over, have the food, and they loved it.”
Emami’s mission also includes a desire for people to learn something about Persian culture. He believes that connecting through good food is one of the best ways to do that.
“[I]f you go to Iran to visit on vacation, everyone is very welcoming. You can't walk into a house where they won't offer you food constantly–you can't say no, it's rude to say no. So it's not only about the food, it's about the culture, it's about the hospitality as well,” he explained.
Whether you’ve grown up with Persian food or want to try it for the first time, Nannaa Persian Eatery has opened its doors to welcome all of Westdale and beyond.
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By: Celia Kwan
Dedicated vegan restaurants and bakeries are more often associated with fancy salads and subpar substitutes to classic baked goods than junk food favourites.
The Hearty Hooligan, however, is a vegan restaurant and bakery aiming to change that perception by explicitly specializing in hearty vegan comfort food on the corner of Main Street West and Locke Street South.
The first of its kind in Hamilton, the Hearty Hooligan is owned by Staicha Kidd and David Haradyn, who have collectively lived a vegan lifestyle for over 16 years.
Kidd and Haradyn did not always plan to be in the restaurant business. The two first oriented their careers towards academia, studying library and informational sciences and biomedical engineering respectively.
“Between the two of us we have five degrees. After a while we didn't think that was really working out for us… so one day we decided to throw it away and do something we are really passionate about: vegan junk food,” said Kidd.
The Hearty Hooligan’s menu mainly features soups, salads and desserts. One notable item is their pizza buns, a vegan take on pizza pockets. Two varieties Kidd and Haradyn have whipped up are stuffed with poutine and mac and cheese. The restaurant is committed to being completely meat, egg and dairy free, while also offering a number of soy-free, gluten-free and raw options.
Their desserts include a vegan take on Reese’s peanut butter cups, cookies and cookie sandwiches. The Hearty Hooligan also serves a variety of special order cakes, ranging from strawberry shortcake to chocolate salted caramel and pumpkin cheesecake.
“What we are really about is making junky comfort food… [we want] to show people how indulgent you can still be while eating vegan food,” explained Kidd.
“Our policy is we want everybody to be able to eat… We want to make sure everybody who comes in can leave with something.”
Kidd and Haradyn havecommitted to use fresh local ingredients from the Hamilton Farmer’s Market or from Our Father's Farm, a local farm that lets buyers pick their own vegetables.
The restaurant is also planning to host artists’ work, adorning the walls with a rotation of local creations.
“We got a great response from the community – many artists are willing to hang their art in the shop,” Kidd said. “We also want to have a shelf of hand-made arts, [where] local artists and crafters can display their [works].”
Kidd acknowledged that the city has many vegan options, but she hopes that the Hearty Hooligan can add another location that is completely committed to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.
“I'm actually really impressed by how much is offered… what I like about [the city] is everywhere you go you can find something [vegan-friendly]. It’s fantastic… but I don't see a ton of fully vegan places, which is interesting for a city with such a big vegan community.”
The Hearty Hooligan was initially set for an early December open, but has since pushed their opening date for sometime early this year.
Currently, Kidd and Haradyn are taking special orders through social media and selling their foods at a variety of local events.
In the meantime, hungry vegans and curious non-vegans alike can anticipate an additional hub for the local food, vegan, and arts community to enjoy.
“It became more than just a hot dog stand on campus,” said Jim Bontaine, owner of the McMaster Willy Dog stand and several other locations around Hamilton.
“To this day I still find it surreal to have become, well, an institution within an institution.”
This fall marks 12 years of the Willy Dog stand on campus, and with this milestone comes exciting news that Bontaine will be expanding his services into a fixed restaurant location in Westdale.
Every student and staff member at McMaster knows the iconic red and yellow cart located outside the Student Centre. The Willy Dog stand has always been open to provide delicious hot dogs and sausages to the McMaster community, whether it’s during a crazy and chaotic Welcome Week, after a brutally long night class, or simply during your lunch break when you need a mid-day pick me up.
The Willy Dog stand first opened in November of 2003 after a former McMaster hot dog vendor closed up shop.
“Right away we had a lot of business, but what I found out was [the vendors] that had been here before, everybody loved them… I knew right away that I had some big shoes to fill,” said Bontaine.
Bontaine has since filled those shoes, and has become a staple in the McMaster community. In the 12 years he’s been here, he has gone on to win the Best Hot Dog Vendor in North America in 2014, and came in second place in 2015. He has spent time taking part in charity events on campus, donating annually to bursary programs and Charity Ball fundraisers.
He initially got started after an old friend introduced him to the vendor business. “Willy Dog was started by a friend of mine who I grew up with. He had been involved with a few business ventures, and at one point he decided to start a hot dog cart. His name was Will, so he came up with Willy Dog,” said Bontaine.
"To this day I still find it surreal to have become, well, an institution within an institution."- Jim Bontaine, Owner, Willy Dog
“I was working elsewhere and helped him whenever I could as far as dealing with his business, setting up new franchises, going to franchise shows… He had been bugging me to get into it. I tried it a few times, I knew about the business… my boss at the time wouldn’t give me time off to try [vending], so I quit a sales job I had for five years and started this.”
Bontaine’s initial set-up involved a primary cart on Dundurn as well as working the bars late at night.
“When I started, business was great in the summer, but by the time October rolled around, I wasn’t earning enough to make a living.” In an effort to expand his business, Bontaine used his sales background to setup more shops and daytime locations throughout Hamilton. After doing this for 8 years, he opened his spot on campus.
Bontaine has always been involved in the food industry. As a teenager, he spent time working at his parents’ trailer park in Cayuga running the snack bar.
“Growing up with my parents owning a trailer park and running the snack bar, it was a sort of natural direction,” he said.
When Bontaine first setup shop on campus, it crossed his mind to open a storefront, but time constrictions already associated with running multiple stands made him put this on hold.
Twelve years later and Bontaine is now opening up that shop close to the intersection of King West and Paradise North in Westdale. The store will be called Great Tastes Only and will offer takeout and delivery items including fresh ground beef burgers, fresh cut fries, a variety of poutines, specialty sandwiches, salads and of course, willy dogs and sausages. The restaurant is predicted to open by the end of this coming July, and will also be setup to accept meal plans and student cards as a form of payment.
The new location will have a different moniker, but the name Willy Dog won’t be lost. The stand on campus will still be fully operating as well as a few other locations around the city. Bontaine’s friend who initially coined the name is no longer in touch with the new franchises, and Bontaine is ready to develop a style of his own.
“I’ve always loved the Pontiac GTO cars… since I was on the drag strip in Cayuga in my youth. I decided to try to see what I could come up with name-wise to use the GTO acronym, and that’s when I came up with ‘Great Tastes Only’.”
Bontaine is one of a few street vendors looking to setup a permanent home, with both Hamilton’s Gorilla Cheese and Southern Smoke looking at locations on Ottawa North. The food truck and stand industry can be a lucrative one, but with it comes a lot of red tape surrounding health and safety issues as well as challenges with cooking space and storage. Brick and mortar shops allow vendors to create a more diverse menu with more freedom.
Bontaine has run a catering business out of Hamilton for the last few years, and has a loyal following not just from there, but from his many stands as well. He is currently in the process of hiring a chef to help make his dreams a reality, and would also like to develop a food truck that he has already purchased.
It’s been a busy 20 years running the Willy Dog stands, and Bontaine hopes that the new restaurant as well as some new staff members will help lighten the load and change his style of work.
“I have Scott coming on board who is going to look after the Mac location. It needs more than I’m going to be able to give anymore because of the expansion, and I don’t want to lose that personal touch,” he said.
Scott Bennett will be overseeing the cart. He has always had a passion for street vending and a daughter who recently graduated from Mac has made him well acquainted with our campus community.
“Almost every occasion I’ve been working—Canada day, Victoria day, you name it, I’ve been working, and it’s taken me away from my family. Especially now that I have grandchildren it’s all about trying to oversee it now and spend more time with my family,” said Bontaine.
Playing more of a management role, Bontaine is ready to take on a different approach to vending. Westdale will be his new main location, but McMaster will always be part of his business.
“I owe the success on campus to the support I’ve had over the years. I enjoy the interaction with students and faculty, it’s something that I think is a great privilege.”
Despite being a relative newcomer to Hamilton’s restaurant scene, The Burnt Tongue has already had remarkable success. Located between Cannon and James, owners Leo Tsangarakis and Dan Robinson hit the ground running when their doors opened in the midst of a 2013 Super Crawl. Since then, their restaurant has been featured on The Huffington Post, the Food Network, and topped a number of Hamilton “must eat here” lists.
Every stop at the Burnt Tongue has yet to disappoint. From butternut squash, spicy chipotle, dhal, or Finnish split pea and apple, the list of soups offered goes on. Better still, each of the soups can be paired off beautifully with daily sandwiches and salads during the summer, or with classic burgers, fries, and grilled cheese. They even provide Rudy’s Pallettas and ice cream if you’re in the need of a refreshing dessert.
While some of these sides are certainly good enough to stand on their own, the soups at The Burnt Tongue always take centre stage through an ever-changing daily menu. In its first year of business alone, the Burnt Tongue has offered more than 600 soups, each posted on their signature chalkboard menu, displayed across their Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, everyday at 11:30.
After talking soup, small business, and social media with co-owner Leo Tsangarakis, it’s easy to see why The Burnt Tongue is such a success. By mixing culinary talent with smart business and design decisions, Tsangarakis has made The Burnt Tongue Hamilton’s latest foodie staple.
Leo stresses that his restaurant was created to be accessible to everyone, in terms of both the food and the aesthetic.
“People relate us to a kind of ‘barn-like’ [atmosphere]...to me that just ends up meaning comfortable, organic and rustic. I had a very clear vision of how I wanted to do that. The massive community board was a must down here. I wanted a whole wall dedicated to corkboard and just nothing but people putting their business cards or whatever because that’s just how James Street came to be, just from the community.”
Leo personally created the interior design some friends who helped to craft the industrial design-inspired touches, such as the hanging Mason jar light fixtures (a clever play off of the soup theme), concrete sinks in the bathroom, and the dedicated cork board wall. The nostalgic décor combined with friendly counter-service has allowed many diners to take ownership of the space and further spread the word.
“Every other day we have people bringing their friends and they’re showing them their place and that’s more then alright with us… you don’t really get that from dine-in restaurants. You could, but you’re left more alone at The Burnt Tongue. Yeah, we will check up on how your food is doing and we hope everything is alright, but the casual nature creates a bit more ownership for the consumer for sure.”
The daily menu updates on social media was conceptualized from the beginning, and Leo believes it contributed greatly to the restaurants early success. “I would definitely use the exact same format if I opened another restaurant.” The restaurateur has hinted to the possibility of opening a second location.
Clearly, people are paying attention, as “@theburnttongue” currently boasts 3,000 followers on Instagram and nearly 4,000 likes on Facebook.
While the Burnt Tongue’s dynamic daily menu and comfortable atmosphere no doubt contributed to the early success of the restaurant, it couldn’t have been pulled off if it wasn’t for the work of the stellar chefs behind every bowl.
Head chef and co-owner Dan, (or “the Tongue” as Leo put it), has a knack for consistently creating a large variety of flavours, each of which can satisfy even the most adamant “not-a-soup-guy” guys.
Dan and the kitchen team head to Westdale’s Fiddes Wholesale Produce early in the morning, take into account the weather forecast and other elements that influence customers’ cravings, and formulate the day’s menu. Certain fan favourites are always subject to make a reappearance based on request or simply how fast they sell. While vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are almost always a mainstay on the menu, the kitchen staff first and foremost commits to using fresh ingredients every single day.
While soup isn’t exactly synonymous with the summertime, The Burnt Tongue’s vast menu offerings and the quality of each and every bowl makes this place a must visit this season.
The positive reception is well deserved, and though he wouldn’t confirm or deny the whereabouts of the pending second location, Leo again and again expressed their excitement and gratitude for the continued interest and love that the city has given them as they approach the two year mark.
Serving up BBQ chicken and a personally renowned piri piri sauce, Charred is one of a few Hamilton restaurants devoted to the art of chicken.
We headed to Charred on a weekday at lunchtime and it was bumping. The restaurant’s twenty-customer size was packed with a line going out the door. It was a bit of a wait but we were thoroughly entertained watching the chicken grill in their open-concept kitchen and eavesdropping on conversations echoing across their high ceilings and exposed brick walls. Unfortunately we ended up waiting for a half hour before being seated, or even being talked to, but we ended up with a window seat looking onto the slightly dingy but still charming James Street North.
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We ordered the “Charred Sandwich” ($8) which was pulled chicken on a bun with assorted vegetables and aged cheddar. It was generously sized with a really tasty ciabatta bun, but the vegetables were uncooked and cold, the chicken was weirdly room temperature, and the cheese was pretty much non-existant. They also ran out of roasted potatoes so it came side-less, which was a bummer.
We also ordered a regular-sized house poutine ($7) with added shredded chicken on top ($3). The cheese curds were doused in piri piri sauce, which gave the normally bland dish a unique flavour. It was really tasty and once again, a totally massive serving that could easily feed two people.
Contrary to our long wait in line, our food was at the table with fifteen minutes, and the service was friendly and familial. They even have framed vintage family photos on the wall that evoke a homey and nostalgic feel.
Charred is in an easy to access location, for both drivers and commuters, and serves a variety of dishes with their signature BBQ’d chicken that is grilled fresh throughout the day. Their menu has more sit down prices, but they also prepare whole chickens for takeout at a reasonable $14.
Charred produces Swiss Chalet-superior chicken and an accessible location for wandering students. They understand the art of chicken.
10 Cannon Street East
4/5 Stars
Sneakily hidden behind craft stores and mini-marts sits one of Hamilton’s newest novelty food hotspots. Sandwiched between two of the city’s busiest streets, James North and Cannon East, is the new gourmet soup advocate, The Burnt Tongue.
The Burnt Tongue has been up and running since September of last year, selling a variety of homemade soups alongside fries and burgers. Located in the Hammer’s cultural hotspot and primary Artcrawl location, the restaurant has been well received in the high-traffic area (a Twitter search of their name will bring up songs of their praise from an already devoted following).
I headed to the restaurant with a friend on a day when their rotational menu included macaroni and cheese, cabbage roll soup, and sausage and sauerkraut soup. She ordered the cabbage roll, and I had the sauerkraut (size small, $6.50). Moderately priced, the soups were served quickly and cleanly from their friendly staff.
The cabbage roll soup had an even ratio of meat to vegetables, featuring a mix of peppers, beef, and naturally, cabbage. Flavourful and filling, my friend, whose Ukrainian heritage had her closely examining the variation of her country’s classic, gave the dish a stamp of approval.
The sausage and sauerkraut was equally as tasty, with a hearty mix of meat and veggies and a surprisingly large size for the “small”. It was like eating a high-class Willy Dog in a bowl (which is a good thing).
Much like their soup portions, their small fries was equally as generous and was enough for the two of us to share. Overall, I didn’t have any complaints about their food, and would definitely go back again, especially during these cold winter months. But forewarning, bring a scarf if you’re heading over. They’re located in an older city building and it can be a bit chilly even indoors.
In addition to quality food, the restaurant also sells quirky sodas from small companies, featuring flavours like cotton candy alongside other classics. Their clean and stylish branding make them stand out on the street, even though they’re tucked away and a bit hard to find for Hamilton novices. They also have a great social media presence, making it easy to find out their rotating daily menu which they post to Twitter and Instagram every morning.
Contrary to their name that makes them sound too hot to handle, The Burnt Tongue is actually one of Hamilton’s coolest new food sensations.
