The cinematic after effects
of alcohol
have led me to believe
That there's nothing
more beautiful
than a face
as it starts to fade
From your memory
Another Tuesday... another Taste.
This week we're taking a reprieve from the apparent Tuesday review theme of 2025 (breakfast sandwiches) and veering back into a theme from... earlier 2025? Whatever... time for more fried chicken sandwiches! And hey, it's a fairly renowned one within the Toronto food scene at that. Gather around because it is time for a very long overdue look (I'd never even been!) at The Heartbreak Chef in Kensington Market.
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The Heartbreak Chef is the brainchild/alias of Chef Jerome Robinson. Robinson, who'd worked in restaurants for many years, first began what would eventually become THC through catering and doing popup kitchens for various events/festivals. Slowly but surely a strong social media following was built, the annual CNE and it's notoriously crazy food concoctions in particular being a perfect outlet for his wilder (and very photogenic) comfort food creations.
This amount of success grinding on the festival popup circuit eventually led to Robinson opening up a permanent location in 2020, first briefly in Parkdale before setting up a longer term home on Dundas West and drawing lineups from time to time (selling one day specials of five dollar sandwiches will do that).
When in late 2023 it was announced Heartbreak Chef would be closing that Dundas West spot, a collective gasp went up amidst the Toronto food scene. It turned out to be a false alarm of course, as a new location on Baldwin Avenue in Kensington Market (taking over the same space Graffiti's Bar and Grill long occupied) opened almost immediately afterward. This was a way of coming around full circle for Chef Robinson, seeing as this was a crucial neighbourhood in his earlier catering days (collaborating with the old Bacon Nation restaurant for instance).
On a pleasantly sunny Thursday afternoon I went with my longtime friend and occasional reviewing companion (she happens to live pretty close to there and was her suggestion) to at last try this most heartbreaking of cuisine preparer.
I had to resist the temptation to take half a dozen photos of just the decorations inside: it is pretty darn cool in here and there's a lot to look at. Whether it be the framed artwork on one wall or an entire mural on the other, done by local artist Paul Glyn-Williams (also known as 'Sumartist'). Coolest of all however... an NBA Jam arcade machine! Right by the front door when you walk in, impossible to miss it. Essentially an omen of happy nostalgia that right away, this place is going to be easy to like.
Told ya.
It's a large enough space for about six tables, with seating for a dozen to maybe eighteen people? (might have to squeeze together on that one). Considering Heartbreak Chef started out right around the time of that pesky global pandemic, delivery and takeout were pretty crucial at the time for the young business and I imagine still are. Hey, one good thing about sandwiches: they usually travel well.
My esteemed associate and I both ordered their regular Big Ass Fried Chicken Sandwich, with her side being the potato wedges you see above and my side dish a mac n'cheese we'll discuss in a moment.
The photo doesn't quite capture how damn huge these wedges are! They're as thick as multiple fingers put together. There's a nice mild smokey seasoning on here (paprika?) and while not fried to the point of any particular crispiness these are loaded with lots of fluffy potato inside. That side dip you see in the corner is a must, itself giving off a sweet chipotle ranch-like taste (not to mention a break from the endless potato).
Now here is a mac n'cheese that is just gushing to meet you.
We don't cover too many mac n'cheeses on these weekly reviews, despite it being a dish I'm extremely fond of. I think a reason is that, well... most of the big fast food chicken places make pretty damn awful mac and cheese. When so many of them are so similar in their terribleness, what's the point? They all have that ultra fake powered cheese flavour that leaves your mouth as quickly as an exposed grifter fleeing town. You can taste how there's no thought put into it, just another side dish offered because it's something well known as being served alongside fried chicken... and it shows in the offensive blandness you get.
Now, we have encountered some macs and cheeses that surpass that very low bar. Cherry Street Bar-B-Que was fairly decent (though also leaning into that fake cheese taste) while Dang Smoke was indeed quite excellent... sharp, rich and creamy with bread crumbs on top as a nice touch. All I'm saying is... ordering mac and cheese from even a well regarded restaurant can be a gamble. It might be underwhelming, or it might be absolutely incredible.
Here? Well, Heartbreak Chef is a case well on that latter side. For a side portion, this is loaded with both macaroni and cheese... nearly a separate meal in of itself. The flavour is... cheese! And lots of it. Vivid medium cheddary-ness that lingers wonderfully in the mouth, perfectly cooked pasta (my friend was insistent in how impressed she was on that note so I had to mention it) and a fantastically creamy, slightly goopy texture. Simple indeed, but deliciously exceptional.
This is a mac n'cheese you really want to take your time with, enjoy each bite as that cheesy sensation invades your mouth. Anybody thinking of reaching for the ketchup surely deserves a lifetime ban.
Now for the main attraction and it lives up to its moniker: this is a big ass chicken sandwich and yes, it is incredibly messy (the THC website even warns as much). It is dripping with those shreds of coleslaw and that spicy ranch-like sauce, while chunks of the chicken itself are also likely to escape on a particular bite (I strongly suggest not wearing white clothing).
Within the realm of fried chicken sandwiches, this is not your classic 'ultra-crunchy super batter'... rather it's a gentler crispiness with less of a fried breaded taste and more a lightly oily one. The chicken itself has a tenderized consistency to it, even in the bits of darker meat (much like the less fatty parts of a drumstick), which while being chewier in some spots also really locks in a terrific chicken flavour in each bite.
The composition of the sandwich especially hits the mark. A red cabbage slaw giving some bitter crunch, a spicy ranch sauce giving both a drippy zing and savoury taste, pickle slices because it's a fried chicken sandwich, and a nicely squishy potato bun to try (in vain) to hold all of this together in one piece.
While I didn't completely like the texture of the tougher bites of the chicken, the overall flavour of this sandwich is just magnificent. Incredibly vivid, that light fry of the chicken lingers pleasantly within the oozing sour creaminess of the ranch and the bitter crunch of the slaw. This made me very curious about what their spicy sandwich might taste like...
...so that's exactly what I did! Yes indeed, a week later I found myself in Kensington Market again (I need to find a Colorado Rockies hat, don't ask) and so went back to Heartbreak Chef to try their "Likkle Dutty" sandwich. If you're curious/unsure, "likkle" means "little" in Jamaican Patois (seems pretty straightforward) while "dutty" translates as "dirty". Yes, this sandwich is essentially named the "Little Dirty". Bring it on! Also, dialects are fascinating... although the history of how many of them came about, particularly in the Carribean? Not quite as delightful.
There are three key differences between the Big Ass sandwich and our Likkle Dutty here: first is the grilled pineapple ring you see above, second is a singular hunk of fried chicken rather than the two on the Big Ass, and third is a notable spread of a dark jerk sauce spread upon the inside of the top bun.
Considering that the fried chicken on the Dirty One is pure white meat chicken all the way through, whereas the Big Ass had two separate chicken hunks... makes me wonder if that additional one for the bigger sandwich is usually a darker, more tenderized piece of chicken. Who knows? I mean, they probably do in their kitchen but all I know for sure is how this is still a sizeable sandwich here despite being the smaller option.
On the first visit with my dear friend we'd been cautioned by the fella behind the counter that this Dutty sandwich was pretty spicy... so I was geared up for heat on this sequel visit. After a few bites... yeah it brings some good punch. Definitely a sneaky heat though you do taste it right away, with a very well rounded kind of earthy, almost leafy spice (like thyme and hot peppers blended together) along with subtle hints of onion.
I like that the heat isn't totally overwhelming to the other flavours (the chicken itself isn't tossed in any sauce) yet the spice is quite potent despite such a small amount of it (just lightly spread on one of the buns). Indeed, having a tiny taste of it on my finger unleashed the full fire into my mouth... oh the things I do for these reviews.
The grilled pineapple is also a terrific touch: helping to cut through and balance out the bitter and sour flavours and bring some brightness to this sandwich. I've discovered I can't really eat raw pineapple anymore because it irritates the inside of my mouth to the point of legitimate agony, but grilled and softened in this form is absolutely perfect... that light sweetness blends into the chicken and it's wonderful.
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Overall! After two separate trips, two chicken sandwiches and an absolutely incredible mac n'cheese... yeah they're really bad don't go. Bah, I've used that misdirection joke too many times, haven't I...
Heartbreak Chef is indeed fantastic and I strongly recommend trying them if you have not done so yet. I wasn't super fond of the potato wedges (they were just so big) but again that mac and cheese was otherworldly... it didn't need green onions or bacon or anything extra for every bite to be absolutely wonderful cheesey heaven (and once again if you even think of ketchup they will find you, Liam Neeson style).
I definitely preferred the spicier sandwich to the regular one: the Likkle Dutty just has a little bit more going on, plus both have that crucial ranch and red slaw on them anyhow... you're really just swapping the pickle slices for the pineapple. Plus I really like how the smaller sandwich is still a very respectable size, using the exact same soft potato bun even (the Big Ass just has the extra piece of chicken).
These are just some delicious fried chicken sandwiches and while maaaaaybe not my standalone favourite one that I've reviewed here in Toronto, it's right up there with the other top notch ones I've likewise really liked such as Daddy's or Birdie's. They can all share the imaginary podium I've created in my mind.
They're great! And the vibes of the place are fun and cool (Mr. Chef Heartbreak himself was indeed there both times I went, always hands on in the kitchen and being super friendly with everybody, asking how they liked his food... you can tell when a place has genuine positive comradery). Next time you're wandering near Chinatown definitely check em out.
Also a good read down here:
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Tank You Very Much
It's been a rough season in Toronto Raptors Land, which of course has been the plan all along. The worse their W-L record, the higher their probability at snagging a high draft pick and the opportunity to bring in a potentially franchise changing player (you know, somebody you can really plant your Flagg on). As such, every year you'll have at least a few NBA teams that have no interest in being even somewhat competitive as they drive their season into a ditch in hopes of scoring lottery balls.
Thing is, this 2024/2025 season has seen tanking to degrees which we've never seen. You've got a thirty team league wherein a third of those teams have actively been trying to lose games with months still left in the season. It ain't great for any kind of exciting late season playoff push, nor is it great for the overall product of NBA basketball... all because it's a smarter long-term move for these franchises to punt a season and hope for draft luck rather than make a push and most likely get obliterated in the first round of the playoffs.
Not good! The excellent Joseph Casicaro of The Score (RIP the awesome Pound The Rock podcast) has a few ideas how the NBA could curb this untenable trend of so many teams tanking, and it's a good read. Check it out:
https://www.thescore.com/news/3247527
Tuesday Tune
This album came out at a classic teenage crossroads time in my life. I was taking an extra year of high school despite already graduating to improve my marks, while a bunch of friends from my grade had already gone off to university in different cities. I'd just started playing bass guitar, had way too much free time since I was only taking four classes (instead of the typical seven or eight) and so would often sit in the hallways of Jarvis C.I. playing my old black and white Squire or just listening to albums on my Discman, Chemical City being one of that time.
Geez, this album is almost twenty years old now? I've IDed people younger than this record. But it holds up just fine. Mindflood is still an absolute psychedelic rock trip, and this song (the closer) tugs at ye ol' heartstrings for sure.
That's all for another week. There is some fun stuff planned on this very webzone over the next month, so definitely stay tuned for that. Some articles of the ranking variety, indeed. Until those, stay safe, stay warm in this lousy Smarch weather and most of all don't spill that mustard.
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