King + Bannatyne

King + Bannatyne – The Sandwich Shop on the Corner

Unit 4 – 100 King St (southwest corner)

https://www.kingandbannatyne.com/

mgmt.@kingandbannatyne.com

204-691-9757

Twitter:  @kingandbann

July, 2016

I asked someone if they’ve heard of the new restaurant in the Exchange District, King + Bannatyne.  She asked what the name of the restaurant is and I answer, King + Bannatyne.  We look at each other like we’re both daydreaming for a while.  Then we get it and now we’ll remember it forever.

With high ceilings, exposed steel ducts and wooden frames, the place looks both modern and rustic at the same time.  The small menu sits on a chalkboard and service follows at the adjacent counter. 

King + Bann features two daily sides and three staple mains.  Today’s sides include roasted red pepper soup in carrot bisque or potato salad.  The potato salad comes well made; the potato wedges taste just cooked and the dressing has a nice flavour.  It tastes a bit too acidic, likely a by-product of the pureed pickle.  I would like to see a bit less of the pickle and a bit more of the dill weed, which would soften the taste and give better balance.  While fine as is, I would also add something for pizzazz, perhaps the crunchy bits of pork skin from the roasted bellies. 

By contrast, I wouldn’t change the soup at all as it tastes spectacular just the way it is.  The bold flavour of the roasted pepper stars as the main attraction while the carrot base forms the body and the spine.  Finely diced chunks of vegetables (onions I think) add substance and great texture to this complete dish.

The staff highly recommends the Spicy Cuban Porchetta, which only tastes a tad spicy, so it’s approachable to all.  The staff slathers a thick layer of whole grain mustard on a fresh bun and follow up with a mound of pork bellies.  As you can imagine, the cut of meat has a lot of fat to it, which means big flavour, nicely augmented by some earthy spices.  The lean parts taste a tad dry but there’s enough fat to make up for it.  A couple of cilantro sprigs and cubed pineapple cuts the fattiness of the meat and injects freshness to the package. 

If meat is all you want, opt for the River City Brisket, complete with a thin, delicious layer of fat rind.  King + Bann guarantees a half pound of meat, in the form of huge, moist, tender slabs of beef.  Mustard is the only thing that stands between the fresh bread and meat; I would like to see at least a bit of vegetation but the brisket purist would strike me down for that suggestion.  If brisket is new to you, that’s the cut that gives you genuine corned beef.

Finally, the King + Bann BLT substitutes pork bellies for bacon.  In actuality, it’s not really a substitution since bacon comes from pork bellies, sliced and smoked afterwards.  Instead of smoking, the King + Benn roasts the bellies and chops it into bountiful chunks.  Inherent with the cut, there’s quite a bit of fat but the fresh vegetables offer a nice contrast.  The bottom of the pork belly tastes a bit like burnt-ends.  This isn’t a slam on the cook!  In the Deep South BBQ world, burnt-ends come from the edge of slabs of smoked meat.  This is the most flavourful part as it gets the highest intensity of smoke.  Proper burnt-ends see a lot of heat but they’re neither burnt nor dry, just like they are here—moist and flavourful. 

As relative newcomers to the area, King + Bann has already amassed a considerable following, thanks to their genuinely delicious food, and their exceptionally friendly service.  I would like to see options for bread.  Although what they serve tastes oven-fresh, some multigrain or herbed options would accommodate people looking for healthier starches. 

King + Bannatyne is a welcome addition to a vibrant area already boasting of great food.  It’s a small dining room so you may not always find a place to sit.  I’d be very happy to take it to go if they’re full—hopefully there’s a show at The Cube across the street.

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