Restaurants
Dr. Augusta's Samitorium
Dr. Augusta's Samitorium opened on the southern fringes of Kensington Market a little over a week ago, and their particular brand of sandwiches has already developed regulars in the neighborhood. The shop is manned by Chris Bobbitt and Vlad Vujovic, who met many years ago at Canoe. In the trenches of fine dining, they'd joke about becoming legitimate sammie-slingers.
The vision was "old-school soda shop meets sandwich shop," Bobbitt tells me, and the result does a good job of approximating this--by way of Twin Peaks. Think tall black-leather-and-metal stools, a sprawl of black-and-white checkered floor, a large black counter, and bold red trimming throughout. There's also the occasional bonsai, and a neat row of pickles doing their thing in mason jars.
The space is considerable, but only has 9 seats (thanks, ye pesky city codes), lending itself to take-out more than eat-in. Bobbitt is quick to sing the praises of his purveyors: Blackbird Baking Co., whose chief baker Simon Blackwell operates out of Soma and provides an array of breads ranging from rye sourdough to ciabatta rolls, and Sanagan's Meat Locker.
Bobbitt takes credit for the "crazy" idea of homemade sodas. I try the ginger beer soda ($2.75, or $5.75 as a float), and it's a straightforward mix of ginger, sugar, and a hint of cayenne for bite; it doubles nicely as a tantalizing sinus decongestant. Bobbitt hints that the current roster of flavours--stand-bys like cream soda, grape soda (made with seasonal Concord grapes) and root beer--is just the beginning, and cites his use of classic 100-year-old recipes.
First is the cobb salad ($9.75), which sees romaine hearts, poached chicken, goat cheese, thick chunks of avocado, fresh tomatoes, bacon and pickled veggies stuffed in a cardboard box--just about the kitchen sink. The champagne dressing provides a touch of lively zest, but it's a remarkably well-balanced dish. Praise goes to the chicken and goat cheese, neither of which are exceedingly salty, and rather blend in for textural surprises.
I'm going to spare you the suspense: they make damn good sandwiches. The roasted pork ($9) is loosely comparable in taste to a banh mi. A (maybe-too-small) ciabatta roll holds roasted pork shoulder brushed with grainy mustard, and topped with kale slaw, a simple pan jus, and crisped leeks.
The bread's freshness and quality is evident even from the smell, and the kale slaw (also available as a side for $3.50) provides a burst of freshness to offset the sandwich's only failing: the pork shoulder is too fatty. I understand it's the nature of the cut, and provides the mixed blessing of keeping the meat moist, but there's something tragic about a fifth of it ending up inedible on the plate.
It's the second sandwich that hooks both my boyfriend and I; a vegetable wrap ($7.85) that takes its cues from Indian, French, and loosely, Middle Eastern cuisine. Inside a fresh roti, you'll find salad greens, house-pickled veggies, olive tapenade, and Bobbitt's European take on a falafel--panisse, a chickpea fritter with a texture that more closely resembles polenta.
Those flavours alone come together beautifully, but what elevates the wrap is Bobbitt's herb yogurt dressing (I murmur "I taste mint" a half-dozen times between bites), which brings us back around to Indian cuisine's raita sauce. For a vegetarian dish, it's lush, filling, and leaves us both staring sadly at the empty wrapper.
Their ambitions are high: a lobster roll enjoyed short-lived residency on the menu before becoming cost-prohibitive, and a shrimp po' boy on pain au lait, and braised oxtail sandwich are in the works. I'd like to see them tackle baked goods, as one of their big hits has been a homemade buttermilk biscuit ($7.65) topped with braised pork belly and a fried egg.
The price is, for an average sandwich, a bit high, but average these ain't. You can taste a chef's sensibilities and careful consideration of flavor profiles in every bite, and they don't buy in bulk; everything is made fresh daily. Moving forward, Bobbiit says that they're looking for some decor (the walls are Spartan at the moment), a jukebox, and a milkshake stand. I say, bring on the po' boy.
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We could use more places that make tasty food, on the affordable.
Highly recommend it for a reasonably priced quick meal
"Samitorium" reminds me too much of "Santorum" though.
I had the ginger beer which was quite tasty, and according to the person who works there has half the amount of sugar as normal soda.
Would definitely go back. There are just too many really good affordable places to eat in Kensington Market!
I agree about the signage. If it wasn't for this write-up and the fact that I live so close, I don't know if I would have gone in there. From the outside, it just looks like another random dive business on par with the rest of the businesses on that strip of Dundas, but it certainly isn't a dive at all.
They should think about putting a sign out in front showing what they are offering inside, and try to somehow get rid of that $6 hair cut sign that is currently there.
onto the sandwich. although the bun and all other ingredients were fresh and healthy, it was just to plain jane for that price. $13 and change for a sandwich and soda. the kale slaw is just an acid base slaw. didn't add much crunch or texture. the roasted pork is just that. not much complexity. i guess that's why the grainy mustard was added.
in the end, i just thought it was the type of sandwich that anybody who cooks at home even once in a blue moon would be able to whip up.
the service was very friendly. i can see the boys trying to put out a good product so i will be back to try some other sandwiches but for my taste, the pork sandwich is just missing alot.
But I have to say, the place looks terrible. If it wasn't for seeing reviews online in a couple of places (including this article on blogTO), I would simply never have gone in. People above have already mentioned the off-putting signage and the clunky, slightly macabre name. The place itself looks more like a barber shop or a clinic than a restaurant. When I step in, I feel as if I've entered one of Tim Burton's animated shorts. Some people might like that. But not me, at least not when I'm eating.
I'm not saying this to put the guys down. I really enjoy their food, and I think these people have mad kitchen skills (more so than many so-called chefs), and so I want them to succeed. Therefore, I hope they hire a decorator or designer who can help them conjure up a better look. At least get rid of the bright flourescent lighting...it's too clinical.
Best of luck guys!!!
What prompted me to write a 3rd review is the fact that I just ate their salad for the first time tonight. All the ingredients were very fresh, the ingredients (of which there are many) worked well together and the portion was just right. I had my favourite Ginger Soda, and to my delight it was extra Gingery this time which is what I prefer.
As a plus, in my brief encounters with the two guys who own the shop, they seem to be standup gentlemen and I wish them well in all their endeavours.
At $13 or so for this combo this definitely isn't a cheap place.
The sandwich was quite tasty, but a bit on the small size. More of a snack than a meal. I headed up to Sanagan's for a 2d sandwich. The root beer was OK, but nothing special, and seemed a bit flat.
So overall, this place doesn't quite make the cut for me.