On Friday night, when we visited, the patio was in full swing with customers enjoying some of the local goodness Teo puts together. The patio, which only seats around 25 people, is fully equipped with it’s own barbeque and a composter which, tucked away to the side, is how they recycle much of their organic kitchen waste.

the back patio at Union Restaurant.

Teo was out serving the best hamburgers and sausages I think I have tasted in a while, with some great condiments. Mike Layton, our Ward 19 counselor,  stopped by and chatted with Teo, explaining that these are the kind of local places that we need in the neighbourhood.

Right now, but current bylaws, Union cannot open their patio to the public, so they will need to go to the Committee of Adjustment. During these hearings, letters of support from locals can be helpful.

Teo’s goal for Union is to be a refuge for both farmers and patrons, and he has wanted a patio since he began his journey to ownership. The idea for the patio is that it would serve a maximum of 24 people, and also house his composting area as well as a charcoal barbeque. Produce from local farmers will also be showcased along the wall. It will close at 11pm, so as not to disturb local neighbours.

He is asking for letters of support so if you can email him at chefteo@gmail.com a letter noting your support, he can then use that at the committee meeting.

Good thumbs up!

The staff was friendly, and quite casual, and invited us to sit down at a table. They warned us that they might not be able to make all the menu items, which was fine. We ordered a salad and the charcouterie platter, as well as a couple glasses of wine. One of the glasses was a little sweeter than we preferred and they were quick to replace it with a another.

Both dishes were quick to arrive and were both interestingly presented as well as made with fresh ingredients. Neither were particularly complex dishes, but sometimes those are the hardest to perfect. Overall a great meal. We’ll need to head back for more!

Oh, and they have their website going at www.union72.ca

The crowd seemed to be friends and local foodies who had also and already heard about the opening as well as a few people who just walked by and poked their head in the door. It’s a small room, with seating for only about 30 people, and a bar near the front – which I’m certain will be crowded with people – offering room for about 10-12 more. I also poked my head out the back door and checked out a decent sized space, currently littered with trash from opening, which could be used for about 30-40 more seats. (We’ll see whether our rather dictatorial city councilor will allow that)

The appetizers I tried were excellent – elk sliders which had a delicate oil to them, crisp fries with a flavoured mayo, some local cheeses with fresh bread and other good things. The wine they were serving was good too; I believe a local Tawse Reisling. I’m not a restaurant reviewer, so we’ll leave it up to the local foodies to get more detailed, and I know they will.

I saw a copy of the menu, which I assumed was a ‘start-up’ menu, as it only had about 10 items on it. The price range was wide with appetizers at a reasonable $8 up to entrees at as high as $45.

Union will be a worthy addition to the neighbourhood. It’s the kind of place I like to go to – a local atmosphere with friendly staff. It doesn’t look too expensive to stop by for a drink and some munchies, without being too ‘elite’ to feel like I’d be breaking the bank. I’m just worried that this will be my last chance. It’s going to be packed!

(Unfortunately I didn’t bring my camera, but here’s a quick Blackberry shot – I’ll try and head back for more)

Update: Union is now getting real restaurant reviews. Martini Boys visited there and offered their take.

Update #2: Teo Paul updated the Toronto Life Blog!

After pronouncements of “Opening Soon” hitting the headlines I think those who lived in the neighbourhood were quite skeptical. While we were awaiting this opening, other places like The Painted Lady and BQM opened and set themselves in as neighbourhood fixtures.

What is even more astounding is that the most recent blog post on the Toronto Life blog is on May 1st proclaiming that they were “almost” there. Shouldn’t we be kept more up to date than that?

In any case, here’s the info for the place:

The website, according to YDF, who seems to be ‘in the know’ is www.union72.ca, but it doesn’t seem to be operational as yet. UPDATE: The website is up and running.

We’re now looking forward to The Saint (another upcoming restaurant hyped by Toronto life, but not open) and Salt, both who seem to be on the verge of opening, but have been on the verge for months.