Every Thursday in April, Justin Go and Alison Broverman from @BorrelTO are serving authentic Dutch snacks and comfort food. This menu conveys the concept of “gezellig”— a Dutch word that encompasses all things cozy and convivial, really what the The Dep is all about.

Their main dish is a traditional boerenkool. A delicious combination of mashed potatoes and chopped kale stewed together and served with smoked sausage, homemade bacon lardons and gravy, a dish well suited to get you through the chilly April showers.
$9, vegetarian: $8

Bitterballen are tasty little deep-fried balls consisting of either minced beef or vegetables cooked in a savoury roux and served with a special Zaanse mustard from the North of Holland. And we’ll be experimenting with some more modern flavours throughout the month as well! (Bacon and cheddar, anyone?)
Beef, vegetarian: $7

Krokets have a minced chicken filling in a savoury roux, deep-fried into an oblong shape, and served on rye bread – the traditional method is to mash the kroket and spread the filling on the bread (it might sound weird, but trust us on this one).
$7

The frikandel is Holland’s answer to the hot dog – a homemade sausage made of a blend of ground beef, pork, and chicken, and served on a bun with onions, mayonnaise, and curried ketchup. Served with home-seasoned paprika chips.
$7

For dessert, we have poffertjes. These tiny puffy pancakes are grilled in a special pan, covered in icing sugar and a thin slab of butter. They’re a favourite of the young and old alike.
$6

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Justin Go began cooking Dutch food years ago for his friends at his annual “Holland Day in Canada” (a completely made-up holiday) party that he would host with his wife, Alison Broverman in their home. He was pleasantly surprised when, after tasting boerenkool for the first time, his friends began clamouring for it every year, and he wondered if there might be even more of an audience for Dutch food in Toronto. In early 2014, he finally decided to find out and the pop-up Borrel was born. After operating as a weekly pop-up food event at The Ossington bar for eight months, Justin and Alison have since successfully brought Borrel to bars and venues all over Toronto, including the cozy Cloak & Dagger Pub, the raucous Feast in the East, and they’re thrilled to be in residence at Depanneur for the month of April.
Twitter: @BorrelTO | Instagram: BorrelTO
https://borreltoronto.wordpress.com/

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Each month The Depanneur features a different a new chef from T.O.’s indie food scene in our Thursday-night Pop-Up Showcase.