Toronto Life: What’s on the menu at Drake Commissary, the hospitality group’s new production bakery, bar and restaurant in the Junction Triangle
Name: Drake Commissary
Contact: 128 Sterling Rd., 416-432-2922, drakecommissary.ca, @drakecommissary
Neighbourhood: Junction Triangle
Owners: Jeff Stober (The Drake, Drake One Fifty, Drake Devonshire)
Chefs: Executive chef Ted Corrado (The Drake) and commissary chef Jonas Grupiljonas (Thuet, Tartine)
The food
This bakery, bar and larder is the new heart of the Drake’s culinary network: all of the breads and sauces that will supply every outpost are now coming out of Drake Commissary’s 5,000-square-foot kitchen. All-day service includes bread, pastries and pizza from the grab-and-go counter, and heartier plates like rotisserie roasted jerk chicken or house-made pasta with duck confit. “It’s food with an emphasis on fermentation and slow cooking,” says Grupiljonas. The pickled herring on the smørrebrød, for instance, takes three months to cure, while the brisket is a 14-hour labour of love. Guests have the option of dining cafeteria-style or sitting down for traditional service. And it wouldn’t be a Drake restaurant without brunch.
The drinks
The non-alcoholic game is strong here: cold-brew coffee, Pluck iced teas, toasted oat lattes, cold-pressed juices, kombuchas, smoothies and more. But there’s booze, too. Signature cocktails include the Queen Street Sour, which mixes Gooderham and Worts whisky with carrot-apple-tumeric-lemon juice, topped with a vegan foam made from aquafaba.
The space
John Tong (+tongtong) has Draked up the old condiment factory. The exposed beams and brick remain, but the walls are now clad with heaps of art like a 35-foot mural of a fantasy landscape created by local artist Alex McLeod using 3D-modelling software. The room is divided into three main spaces: a sit-down dining room, a living room-inspired area perfect for enjoying a drink with a snack, and a to-go counter with 40-foot-long marble display counter piled high with pizzas, scones, pies and salads. The patio seats 40.
BY CAROLINE AKSICH | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLINE AKSICH Read the article: https://torontolife.com/food/restaurants/whats-menu-drake-commissary-hospitality-chains-new-production-bakery-bar-restaurant-junction-triangle/
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