BB’s  – 5 Brock Ave, Toronto, ON M6K 2K6
Country: Philippines         
Must-try dish:  Ginataan Curry 
Seating: Indoor and outdoor seating. 
The high: A small, authentic menu that highlights Filipino classics with a modern twist. 
The low: They only have drip coffee for those looking for something stronger at brunch. 

It’s hard not to love the vibe at BB’s right off the bat. The restaurant is tucked away on a side street as you enter Parkdale in a uniquely turquoise building that looks like it was plucked straight from a Filipino island. The decor has a retro character that’s both chic and welcoming, and interestingly enough, the staff members could be described with the exact same adjectives.  

The menu is undeniably Filipino, with a trendy element when it comes to the cocktail and natural wine selections. It’s the type of place where you can eat well, drink well, and enjoy yourself the entire time whether on the front patio or in the curated indoor space. 

The brunch and dinner menus have many similarities but a couple things differ like the egg and french toast dishes, and later in the day, the raw tuna and the pork steak dishes. As we were there during the day, we missed out on the tuna and pork, but on another occasion tried both and strongly recommend them as a part of your order. 

The most traditional breakfast option is the BB’s Silog – two sunny-side up eggs, garlic fried rice, and chorizo sausages. It’s everything you want in a breakfast with an Asian flair. This is the type of dish that anyone would enjoy unless they’re vegan. You can’t go wrong, and this was only the beginning of a delicious lunch. 

What’s Filipino Spaghetti? Think of long pasta noodles in a sweet yet savoury tomato sauce and chunks of hot dogs all on one plate. It was developed in the mid-twentieth century during American occupation in the country to suit both the western and Filipino palates. Originally, the tomato sauce was made with a banana ketchup and sausages to mimic spaghetti bolognese. Today the sauce is usually made with tomatoes and sweetened with brown sugar to adapt more with Filipino taste buds. BB’s version is a sweet tomato sauce, beef hot dogs, beef mince, and cheddar cheese.

This dish sounds weird, and perhaps the perfect plate to feed a picky child. However, we were both blown away by it and felt a little bad for judging it so harshly without a first bite. It does taste exactly how it sounds but it somehow works. This is one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, and it’s commonly eaten in Filipino households. 

 Are Filipino curries (Ginataan Curry) on your radar, because they’re on ours now! It’s not a surprise that this country’s cuisine also has its own variation of curry since all of its neighbors have theirs. This particular one is vegetarian, made with seasonal vegetables, coconut milk, and spices. The coconut flavour really comes through, while pairing well with the root vegetables that have soaked in all the seasoning. It comes served with steamed rice. This was our favourite of the meal because we’re fans of curries and the spices used in Filipino recipes. We could have ordered a second round. 

There’s a citrus fruit native to the Philippines called a calamansi, which BB’s used in its gin and tonic cocktails, and in its famous dessert that’s an adaptation of a key lime pie, called a Calamansi Pie. It perfected the balancing act between tangy and sweet with an even better layer when you get a bite of the orange blossom meringue that tops it. Whether you have a sweet tooth or not, this will satisfy you after a big meal. 

Sundays are the only day of the week that you can treat yourself to a Kamayan Feast at BB’s. We haven’t done it yet, but it’s absolutely on our list of things to do. 

Eat with you soon, 

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)