Barbecue comes to Birch Cliff

Beef short ribs by chef Mike Beck at The Kingston Social House.

Brisket, beef short ribs, jerk chicken, smoked sausages.

Is your mouth watering yet?

If so, you’ll definitely want to check out the Kingston Social House on Sat. Jan. 4, relaunching under new management at 1427 Kingston Rd., just steps west of Warden Ave.

The new owner is Mike Beck, a barbecue master who’s been cooking in and around Toronto for the last 20 years, mostly in the east end. Among other things, Beck is a former kitchen manager (head chef) at Prohibition in Leslieville, he’s manned the smokers at Cherry Street Barbeque and is a veteran of fine dining in Muskoka.

“My passion is barbecued smoked meat,” said Beck, who smokes his brisket for 12-14 hours and has installed a smoker behind the Kingston Social. “I’ve been doing a side business doing catering and pop ups, at breweries and things like that. So every Saturday will be barbecue — I’ll do full smoked meat barbecue.”

Fish, vegetarian and gluten-free options

But it’s not just about the meat. The Kingston Social will be open from Wednesday to Sunday for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch with a menu that Beck describes as Canadian comfort food with a multicultural twist. Sunday brunch will include Eggs Benedict, omelets, salads, and a brisket hash. The menu will include fish, vegetarian and gluten-free options.

Beck has done pop-ups at the Kingston Social in the past and said he decided to buy the business after a chance meeting last summer with former owners Polina Privis and Tanya Dercach, who were thinking of selling and liked Beck’s deep east end roots and sense of community.

Maple habanero side ribs, smoked sausage, turkey.

Brisket Big Mac.

Beck is an east ender

Beck grew up at Birchmount and Eglinton and attended both Birchmount Park Collegiate and W.A. Porter (SATEC). He said the time felt right to take the plunge into owning his own local business.

“I’ll be 40 in January. And, you always see how it’s done. And I think I can manage the kitchen pretty well. And so I decided I’ve got to try to manage a restaurant well. And do it for myself. I finally hit that point.”

Beck said he’s excited and nervous but also very optimistic even though he’s opening in January, which is traditionally the slowest time of year for restaurants.

“It’s a chance for me to have my own menu. And at the end of day, have my own menu and cook my own food. But as a chef, it can’t just be about you. It can’t just be about I want, you know, it’s got to be what people want to eat.”

Former owners Polina Privis and Tanya Dercach.

New challenges for Privis and Dercach

Selling the Kingston Social is a big change for Privis, a civic-minded activist who blew into Birch Cliff like a breath of fresh air five years ago.

She first opened the Kingston Social as a rentable event space and art gallery and then, with her partner Dercach, transformed it into a popular neighbourhood eatery and meeting place.

They sold the business because their lease was coming due and they wanted to get out from behind the kitchen and focus on their other businesses, including The Elevated Wellness Company.

The pair has invested a lot of energy in improving the Birch Cliff retail environment and was determined not to leave an empty building behind.

“It’s bittersweet because we’ve put a lot of blood sweat and tears into this place and a lot of time,” Privis said.

“We’ve come a long way in five years and this is our baby”, Dercach added. “We’ve worked really hard to create something and the evolution of what we’ve created. And now that we’re handing it off to somebody else it’s bittersweet but we know that it’s going into good hands.”

Privis and Dercach are urging the Birch Cliff community to support the new Kingston Social and all of the other businesses on Kingston Road.

“Get out and walk the street,” Privis said. “Because that’s the key – walking and supporting the businesses that are here. Not looking to see what new can come. Support what’s here. Yes, the bank is empty, things are empty. But there’s businesses that are trying to survive and trying to create the community for the better. Support those guys. You don’t have to do a lot.”

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