Auld Lang Sign

With year's end, I thought it'd be appropriate to acknowledge the old before welcoming in the new. So I stopped by Black Horse Pub near Ossington and Bloor for lunch on Tuesday. Along with Hurricanes Road House, it predates the current crop of gentrified restos and pubs in the area. But by how much?

The inside is certainly well-worned: dark wood, old photos and posters, and equine paraphernalia everywhere, including horse-head coat hooks. The sign outside states "est. 1892". This pub is 120 years old? The building is definitely a heritage building, with a horse head sculpture gazing down onto the street from the 2nd story. But this may indicate instead that this used to be a coach house, affiliated with the now defunct Dufferin race track (where the Dufferin Mall currently sits). That would put the building around 15-20 years younger when the track was built in 1907.

I ordered a Cajun chicken sandwich ($10) and a half-pint of Amsterdam Blonde ($4.30). The burger was typical pub food: grilled chicken with some pickles, onions, and lettuce. I didn't detect any spices that would lend it a Southern flavour. The fries came hot out of the fryer and was fine with some salt and ketchup.

The clientele was mostly locals with a smattering of newer whippersnappers. Will Black Horse survive the next 20 years with the accelerating changes to the neighbourhood? Tough to say.