416 Snack Bar [Toronto, Canada]

Total hipster joint :). It is a good-sized hole-in-the-wall on Bathurst, just a short walk north of Queen Street. If I had not seen my friend's face through the giant opening that takes up most of the restaurant's storefront (upon which my first reaction was to jump through it in attempt to enter the restaurant), I would have walked right past it. Despite what we were told about the crazy lineups on Friday nights, we managed to get a spot at 18:30. There must have been other events in the city that stole customers away because the place wasn't very crowded even when we left two hours later.

All the dishes on the menu are bite-sized and finger-friendly and as noted on the top of the menu, none require any cutlery. First we ordered the smörgåsbord. Except for the smoked duck (the dark burgundy slices), I can't recall the names of the other cold cuts. The 'bord' also came with pickled yellow beans, a dollop of jam, a block of cheese and a plate of croutes. Everything was tasty and fatty enough to be quite filling. Next came the trini doubles, an exploded vegetarian Jamaican patty with a very bouncy dough. Finally we had oysters from New Brunswick, served with the shells sitting on what must have been at least a tablespoon of salt (still a little confused about that...more flavour?). They were fresh but a tad small for my liking. My other friends ordered the grilled octo salad, spicy tuna hand roll, korean fried chicken and the monster bun (not on the menu). As far as I can tell everyone was happy with their food.

416 Snack Bar should be frequented from time to time, as I believe the menu changes according to the creativity of the owners. Although it is a place which thrives on good munchies and having the cool 'new hangout in town' vibe, the main wall could use a bucket of fresh paint and the decor a bit more love.