Buster Eatin'

Phil's BBQ closed after almost 20 years, even a restaurant make-over for a TV show couldn't stop the slide. To be honest the quality hasn't been there in a while. Good barbecue, but not great. Recently, there's been construction in the location. Removal of the sign revealed an older marquee, proclaiming College Inn (a delicatessen).

Ignore the faded sign and look at logo on the door. Turns out a new(ish) kid on the block has moved in. Buster Rhino's BBQ has a couple of joints outside of Toronto in Whitby and Oshawa; now they've made their move for downtown. Everything was pretty much the same inside even with the layout to the tables. There's some minor changes: a new coat of paint, differently upholstered benches, and menu boards nailed to wooden pallets instead of dried branches in vases. The beer menu is a little more hipster. But the burning question is: how's the BBQ?

My wings and rib combo ($25) was great: A half-rack of ribs, 7-8 large chicken wings, and your choice of side (I chose BBQ beans). The sauce came in a cup so you could taste the meat. And both offerings were delicious. Both had delicate smoky flavour, tender and juicy. My "championship hot" smelled of chili, but had just a hint of heat. I didn't like the beans, but only because the Southern style of mushy and sweet beans doesn't appeal; next time corn bread for me. Buster is a big improvement and should attract a lot of traffic.