Finding Big Crow for the first time may be a challenge but once you see it, it truly cannot be unseen… or forgotten. Head just west of Dupont and Davenport, locate Rose & Sons restaurant and follow your nose down the alleyway to its backyard sister. A big A-frame shaded patio will welcome you, flanked on either side by refurbished shipping containers and a blazing wood fired grill. It’s homey, inviting and it smells so damn good!
Although the menu may be hard on the eyes, the table side service and knowledge of the wait staff is incredible. We were given concise explanations of the whole list and then left alone to decide. Went for the Ox Tongue and N’Duja Sausage Toast as our appetizers, finished by the Reuben sandwich. Cooking tongue can be very demanding as it is such a tough piece of meat, however, Big Crow definitely did it justice. The meat was very soft and silky on the inside surrounded by a slight crisp from the grill. Complemented perfectly by a spicy beet and horseradish salsa, it had me hooked! The grilled octopus and arugula salad that followed was flanked by two generous portions of spicy n’duja sausage slathered on crispy toasted bread. Last but not least, the reuben. Although enjoyable and filling, it was the least exciting of the bunch. If you find yourself out on a date at Big Crow and are still keeping up appearances, please do yourself a favour and stay away from the reuben. It is messy!
Price wise, Big Crow isn’t the cheapest barbecue joint in town. With a couple of drinks each and three shared plates, our bill came to about $100 for two people. However, if you’re craving meat cooked on an open fire and don’t feel like making it yourself, head there and you won’t be disappointed.
