…and not in a good way.

Jump back about a month ago when The Photogs suggest we go to Phil’s BBQ out on College Street for pulled pork. I’ve never been but the idea of BBQ rack of ribs in the middle of January made me squeal with glee. When we walked in we were impressed with the decor but there were things …incongruent… with the space. The east wall of the restaurant has a nice flooring-on-the-wall effect that made the place feel “woody”, like anti-basement panelling that fit the idea that this was a smoke house rib joint. The rest, the lighting, the bar, the space’s table layout, looked contrived. At least the servers were no where near as pretentious as the place was trying to suggest they be. At the time, we all mentioned that the place must have had some gay designer toss a hissy fit and the restaurant was renovated to clash between trendy gay and butch straight.

Scoot to Torontoists’ TV listings: Lo and behold, Phil’s HAS been a victim of the Restaurant Makeover curse, but like some zombie, the place refuses to die thankfully to a strong loyal following. Torontoist has named Restaurant Makeover as one of its Top Villains for sucking the life out of established watering holes and reducing them to near-non functional soulless spaces for the sake of ratings. However in most cases it’s unclear if the restaurants closed due to the interference of RM or if they were headed in that direction anyway and any makeover couldn’t save their failing business. Slippery accusations have been flying, like a Scientologist crying “Hate crime!”

Last Wed, SharkBoy and I decided on a romantic pre-Valentines meal at The Village Town Grill, but upon arrival, the doors were closed, the cutlery still on the table but looking way back into the kitchen, the fridges were bare. The restaurant was made over last year while other businesses in the neighbourhood were being replaced with dollar stores. This particular restaurant might have already had it’s future written before the makeover due to shifting demographics in Cabbagetown, however, before it’s closure, I would look in on the ever changing menu posted in the window and wonder how anyone could afford to run a business with squash soup at $12 a bowl… as appetizer! They moved from cozy chop house to trendy unobtainable without considering the neighbourhood and closed within the year.

I’m officially putting The Bulldog Cafe on death watch. The episode of this RM (watched by 99% of the gay populace of Toronto) had the owner crying like a pageant queen at the reveal and during the credits and throwing a kanipshit over a poorly drawn heart in a cappuccino during the “outtakes”. Drama loves drama.