When Fuel House (Twitter: @FuelHouseTO, Facebook: Fuel House) took over the former "Olivia's" in November 2011, co-owners Mackenzie Chiu and Mike Dolegowski envisioned their cozy, quaint space in Little Italy as a neighbourhood sandwich shop. With a variety of sandwiches, burgers and banh mi on the menu, swiftly followed by the addition of a snacks menu, Fuel House quickly established itself as a friendly and casual spot. Whether you wanted a quick bite to eat or a comfy place to grab a couple of beers with friends, Fuel House is the place to be. When it's a nice day out, you can even choose which patio you want to chill at - the smaller patio at the front where you can people watch, or the larger more private patio at the back, totally up to you.
Last month, Mack and Mike decided to overhaul Fuel House's entire menu. With Rob Julen as the new chef, Fuel House has since then taken on a completely different direction. Sandwiches are now gone and have been replaced by pub-style snacks and sharing plates. From now on, you can expect to see fried chicken, fries, pork ribs, burgers as well as healthy vegetarian options such as salads and slaws at Fuel House (they even have a seafood basket with crab legs!) A larger selection of beers and an updated cocktail list accompanies the menu makeover. Excellent. Just in time for summer :)
LAZY SUMMER
OLIVES
PORK RILLETTE & BREAD
RANCH SLAW - ICEBERG LETTUCE, RANCH DRESSING, BLUE CHEESE
POTATO & GREEN BEAN SALAD IN RED WINE VINAIGRETTE
FRIES
SEAFOOD PLATE - CRAB LEGS, POPCORN SHRIMP, GRILLED CORN
BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN AND STICKY RIBS
HONEY CAKE
Without a doubt, Fuel House's new menu is fantastic for sharing - buttermilk fried chicken, ribs, seafood platter - all I gotta say is this: prepare to dig in, get your hands dirty and have fun! I thought their seafood plate was the most impressive because aside from raw bars or the occasional buffet, it rare that you will find crab legs on any menu in the city.
Currently, Fuel House is open for dinner only but they are planning to start Sunday brunch at the beginning of June. Follow them on Facebook and / or Twitter for latest updates.
*This meal was complimentary. The opinions and views expressed on this post are my own*
