If you like your stand-up comedy with some tasty Filipino barbecue on the side, since July 15th, this unique two-for-one special has been permanently on offer in Kensington Market.
Nothing Fancy is a Toronto indie comedy club that’s been hosting local and visiting comedy acts since 2018. At its original Dundas West address, the club’s humble moniker accurately described its edible offerings, which included the likes of Ruffles, Lays and (for those with a sweet tooth) Rice Krispie Squares. However, when the owners decided to move into new two-level digs at 276 Augusta Avenue, they decided it was time to up their culinary game.
The new game, Tito’s Barbecue Cookout, was created by two friends, Joe Harlem and Miles Medrano, who literally met on the street. It’s thus fitting that, on steamy weekend afternoons, they head out back to stoke the coals and serve fired-up renditions of Filipino barbecue favourites -- grilled and skewered pork, chicken and (for the veg crowd) pineapple -- made “just like our Titos did it.”
Back inside, while patrons laugh their guts out at the downstairs club, upstairs at Tito’s they can stuff their guts with crispy classics such as soy-sauce brined chicken wings and pork and chicken lumpia. The no-nonsense fries are unabashedly “bought from the Costco Business Centre in Scarborough. What am I going to do? Lie to you?”
There are also more robust offerings . The burger-esque Lasing Sando consists of a sweet sausage patty topped with a fried sunny-side egg, doused with spicy mayo and layered between a toasted egg bun. The Sisig takes pork to town by boiling it in spices, then grilling, deep frying and tossing it with secret sauce before finally serving it up on a hot skillet with onions, jalapenos and an over easy-egg. For something a little unpredictable, the Ulam of the Week promises a steaming bowl of traditional soup or stew, concocted according to available ingredients and the chef’s inclinations.
At Tito’s, everything is made fresh, which explains why certain dishes are in limited supply. As the menu states “If we sell out of something that’s it. We hate waste.” It also warns, “Be advised: Nothing comes with rice unless we say it does!”
Tito’s Barbecue Cookout is located at 276 Augusta Avenue. Regular opening hours are Wednesday to Friday from 7 p.m. to midnight and Saturday from 12 p.m. to midnight (thankfully the fryer runs until 2 a.m.), and Sunday from 6 to 11 p.m.
