Toronto Underground Market (TUM)
Evergreen Brickworks (550 Bayview Avenue, in the Don Valley) | yumtum.ca
TUM is Toronto’s “social food market”; kind of like a farmer’s market for street food vendors. But this is no ordinary street food — the food here runs the gamut from restaurant fare from up-and-coming chefs to offerings from wisened grandmothers from the Old Country.
Lest you think you are taking your life into your hands, Toronto Public Health is on board with this (unlike in San Francisco, home of the concept, where it was truly an underground event that lived life on the edge, pursued by the health department). Toronto TUM organizers wisely got buy-in from the powers-that-be who, other than insisting things be prepared in a commercial kitchen and that health regulations be followed, have largely been supportive, showing up every now and then to poke a burger with a food thermometer.
And not just anybody with a set of fancy knives and a Gordon Ramsay complex can show up. Auditions are held and only 35 or so vendors are selected, with an eye to quality, presentation and diversity (yes, vegans, there’s even something for you). It works — TUM tickets ($10) sell out fast.
When TUM night arrives, my companions and I decide to take the free shuttle bus to the TUM site (it leaves every half hour from Broadview station). The bus fills up fast and we have to leave some hungry people behind. When we arrive, the lineup to get in is already snaking through the parking lot and is moving depressingly slowly. The venue itself, Evergreen Brickworks, is a reclaimed event space built on the bones of an old brickyard and its buildings, and it is beautiful in an industrial urban kind of way. Once we’re inside, it’s even more beautiful but a bit overwhelming, with people everywhere and noise bouncing off the hard surfaces and high ceilings
TUM is a lot like scheduling court: everyone has a goal, there’s a limited amount of time to reach that goal, there are more people than space and not everyone knows what they’re doing. I think I am holding my own and pretty proud that I had the foresight to print off a copy of the TUM map…that is, until I encounter some TUM pros. These guys brought their own mugs (water is free, but cups cost) and plastic containers (who can possibly eat everything??). They arrive, and spread out like a precision tactical team, with one member securing a picnic table and others securing places in the lineups for the most popular vendors. The line guys shuttle multiple food orders back and forth to the picnic table guys, like bees to a hive.
This is a cash-only event, with pretty much everything between $3 and $10 dollars. I head for one of the longest lines — Swine Shrine. Root beer glazed pork side ribs? I’m in. The ribs are falling-off-the-bone good, but I’m not sure the 30-minute line up is worth it. We move on to Avo Portuguese Street Food’s salt cod fritters, which are light and tasty but so salty they send us running for water. Near the water booth, we stumble upon Mr. Miyagi’s Grill, where I have some of the best grilled chicken skewers I’ve ever tasted.
While standing around scarfing down the chicken, someone walks by with a plateful of dumplings, each sporting a little paper flag. We ask her about her meal (there are a lot of these “ooh what’s that? Where’d you get it?” conversations going on at TUM). She helpfully points us in the direction of Nomad Food Creations, which offers a trio of dumplings (tofu, duck and scallop). All three are soft and flavourful, but the duck is the standout.
By now we’re getting full, and there are over 30 vendors we haven’t tried. We’ve been here about an hour and a half and it’s easy to see by the lineups which vendors are the favourite. As darkness falls, the dessert lineups start growing. So, too, the beverage booths lineups: Manual Labour Coffee, Steamwhistle Beer, Muskoka Brewery, Tromba Tequila, Lailey Wine and others.
This is an event that requires a certain amount of faith and patience, so it’s not a good choice for clients or the highly-strung. However, food-inclined associates looking for a painless way to socialize or a casual group event would do well to investigate TUM.
Judge Foodie’s verdict:
Highs: the venue, the experience, the selection
Lows: the lineups
Kirsten Thompson is a Toronto-based research lawyer and commercial litigator. Since her call to the bar in 2000, she estimates that her restaurant to courtroom ratio has been approximately 14:1. Thoughts? Comments? Ideas for a review? Email her.
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