A new restaurant called Rabbit! Rabbit! Rabbit! has opened up on King West, and blends Southwest American and Mexican flavours.
They call themselves a Southwest Cantina with a "70s Desert Disco" vibe. When you visit their 90-seat patio, you may notice their design inspiration comes from West Texas, New Mexico and northern regions of Mexico. The team consists of Toronto food industry experts, such as director Ariel Coplan, owner Ryan Fisher and executive sous chef Nicole McLellan––all from the now shuttered Green Wood, SPiN and Second Floor Events, along with Alex Pearce the general manager.
Almost everything on the menu is made in house––most importantly is the baking, which McLellan specializes in. On their menu you can find their Baja fish tacos, made with crispy trout, pico de gallo, chipotle crema and lettuce. They even offer vegan tacos made with crispy cauliflower, herb crema, charred jalepeno, pickled onion and peptic.
Otherwise you can opt for their brunch menu and choose from their Banana Bread Pancakes, made with maple butter or a classic Mexican breakfast––Huevos Rancheros made sunny side up––with pico de gallo, black beans, guac, verde and fried tortilla. Their plan is to evolve their menu every month until the Fall. Their intention with the menu is to find the "sweet spot" between Southwest America and Mexico in flavour, while using local ingredients wherever possible.
The name Rabbit! Rabbit! Rabbit! comes from an old superstition originating from Britain and North America ––saying "Rabbit! Rabbit! Rabbit" (or "Rabbits" or "Rabbit Rabbit") on the first of the month is thought to bring good luck throughout the rest of the month:
The team felt like everyone needed a bit of good luck right now, especially as we emerge from 16 months of lockdowns, inching closer to a normal life again. The more people saying it, the better! They also noted "Texas the Jackrabbit" has been an icon in their township since 1932. The Jackrabbit was chosen to represent the local Texans as highly adaptable, quick-footed people. So the team behind Rabbit! Rabbit! Rabbit! felt it was fitting for their restaurant to stick with this name.
The team wants Toronto diners to know they abide by the intent that they are "very casual, fun… nothing too serious. We want to be a place where people can get together again. Unpretentious, wear what you want, just come with a positive attitude and enjoy."
They are currently operating at 461 King Street West and are open Wednesday to Friday from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Saturday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.
