Country ambience, solid Ukrainian grub
Considering the large Ukrainian population in Toronto, there is a surprising lack of standout Ukrainian restaurants. Barrel House Korchma easily vaulted to the top spot when it opened last year. The ambience and cookery certainly merits this.
The food
What I like about Barrel House Korchma is that it goes beyond the common Eastern European fare of cabbage rolls, vareniki (dumplings), and sausages. But if you are looking for those, Barrel House Korchma does them well.
Same goes for the renowned beet soup, borscht (борщ). It originated in Ukraine and has spread from Poland to European Russia. Honestly, I haven’t had good borscht until I tried the one at Barrel House Korchma. It always struck me as a boring root vegetable soup. Not here. The colour was also different, a tomatoe-y red instead of dark red or pink.
The flavours were fresh and varied. I got a burst of pork here and some tangy tomatoes there. Individual ingredients didn’t lose their identity and they harmonized well. The beets were not cloyingly earthy. Oh, and the pork was of the perfect doneness. 8.5/10.
The soup came with butter buns, presumably to dip in the borscht. I didn’t have to because they were good on their own. The buns were freshly baked and redolent of aromatics: butter, garlic, and sesame. The finishing touch of parsley added bitterness to round up the flavour. 8.5/10.
Palushky (палюшки) is a potato dumpling that goes by different names in Eastern Europe. For some reason, it’s not that common in Toronto although it can be found in a few Polish restaurants. Again, Barrel House Korchma had the best rendition that I’ve tried. The secret is in the well-caramelized bits of onion.
The dumplings weren’t shabby either. They were bouncy and tasted fresh-made. The bitter parsley and sweet bacon bits balanced each other out. Sour cream (сметана) was provided, but I didn’t need it. 8/10.
Another Eastern European dish that is popular in Ukraine is salo (сало), a slab of cured pork fat. It’s hard to come by in Toronto so I was excited to see it on the menu. The traditional Ukrainian preparation is an open-faced rye sandwich with some garlic.
What I wasn’t expecting was a slice of raw garlic. It was a wake-up call like wasabi. The sliver of salo was tasteless, being dominated by garlic and dill. Its contribution was a gelatinous texture. The pickles were ordinary. The rye bread was delicious though. It had a malt aftertaste. Overall, the ratio of ingredients was traditional but I would have preferred much less garlic. 7.5/10.
The most unusual dish here has got to be the layered liver cake (Печінковий торт; pechinkovii tort), a delicacy in Ukraine and Russia. Mmmm…liver cake. I’m sure it will be a hit at children’s birthday parties. It’s not as scary as it sounds. It’s just alternating layers of crêpe and mayo. The batter has ground chicken livers. If you don’t tell anyone, they’ll think it’s just a savoury pancake.
Barrel House Korchma’s version was quite attractive. It was topped with mayo and crumbled egg yolks. The sides were plastered with dill. The mayo layers were remarkably thin.
It was my first time trying this dish and honestly I was disappointed it didn’t taste enough of liver. I suppose it’s great for people who hate the taste or are squeamish about livers. The dominant flavours were dill and mayo. The crêpe was chewy and mild-tasting. 7.5/10.
The place
The restaurant is decked out like a log cabin pub, with hipster retro bric-a-brac from the 18th and 19th centuries. It’s a portal to the Ukrainian countryside.
It gets packed at weekend nights with Ukrainian diners.
Weaponry such as daggers and pistols sit alongside more pastoral decorative items. There are also write-ups of famous Cossack figures if you want to learn more about Ukrainian history.
There is a small area at the back for merch and fundraising for the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the covered outdoor patio has been a boon. Even as pandemic restrictions have been lifted, it’s still a popular place for diners.
Verdict
Barrel House Korchma does justice to traditional Ukrainian cuisine, a clear standout from all its competitors in Toronto. Cozy cabin atmosphere and agreeable prices. 8/10.
Practical information
- Name
- Barrel House Korchma
- Rating
- 8/10
- Recommended dishes
- Borscht with meat
Palushky - Prices
- Borscht with meat: $9.04 ($8.00 excluding tax)
Palushky: $11.30 ($10.00 excluding tax)
Salo: $11.30 ($10.00 excluding tax)
Layered liver cake: $11.30 ($10.00 excluding tax) - Address
- 2385 Lake Shore Boulevard West
- Hours
- Tuesday to Thursday 1100h – 2100h
Friday to Saturday 1100h – 2200h
Sunday 1100h – 2100h - Date of visit
- September 2021, April 2022