Petty Cash Opens on Portland Street in Toronto

The owners of Baro have opened a “West Coast snack bar” on the busy corner of Portland Street and Adelaide Street West in Toronto. Media and other guests were invited to a preview of Petty Cash on June 27, 2018. The kitchen is helmed by Executive Chefs Steven Gonzalez of Baro and Nate Middleton of Home of the Brave.

This casual restobar, awash in pink neon lights, is fairly spacious with two bars, a pool table on the upper level for post-work relaxation and a DJ booth. Be sure to snap a photo of the wall of cassette tapes behind the table! If you are looking for a more chill experience, you’ll definitely want a seat on their east-facing patio.

The healthy yet tasty menu features options for a range of appetites including a Power Bowl Salad and Poke Bowl, as well as Buttermilk Chicken Wings, a Broccoli Cheese Melt and a seven layer dip.

We stood by the bar overlooking the pool table and were offered glasses of Campanile Pinot Grigio and Meridian Cabernet Sauvignon. My friend really enjoyed the Cabernet Sauvignon, declaring that it was sweet and fruity.

We were first offered the Chorizo Taco, $15. I’m not usually a fan of chorizo, but I was intrigued by the combination of cilantro, avocado, pineapple and chorizo so I gave it a try. It was delicious! I loved the pairing of sweet and spicy flavour profiles: the pineapple perfectly balanced the acidity of the sausage.

The server quickly came around with Faux Paté, $12, a vegan appetizer with walnuts, lentils, mushrooms and cognac. This appetizer is a great choice if you are looking for a light bite as it is much less rich than regular paté.

My favourite item on the menu is the Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich, $17. The sandwich included a fried chicken thigh on a Martin’s bun with mayo, cheese, lettuce and pickled onion. Crunchy and soft textures meet in a mouthful of deliciousness!

If you prefer a low key experience, venture out onto the pretty patio with bare wood picnic tables, fern planters, sectional with colourful cushions and faux grass.

A large pinada hung in front of the rear bar. We waited until one of the management took a baseball bat to it, resulting in a cascade of candy and party favours falling onto the floor.

Be sure to check out the washrooms for cool Instagram pics!

Petty Cash Toronto, 487 Adelaide Street West.
Follow @PettyCashTo on social media.