WVRST Sausage Hall

WVRST Sausage Hall

Before the Fall Out Boy show on Wednesday, Ro and I took a long walk down King Street in our quest to find WVRST – a sausage (and beer!) hall.

Let me just say it was worth the trek.

For one, it’s really nice instead. It has long tables and benches with a sign saying seating is “communal” i.e. you may end up sitting beside a stranger. But it was really authentic because there are actually beer halls in Germany (and maybe other places) where you have to sit on benches instead of getting a secluded corner.

They have a lot of beers on tap, but we decided to try two of their ciders (also on tap): Twin Pines and West Avenue. They were quite apple-y and rather dry, but in a good way!

The sausages are also varied. You can get traditional ones like Oktoberfest or chorizo, but they also have an impressive selection of “game”. For example, I had the wild boar sausage. You can also choose to either have it on a toasted bun with your choice of two toppings or as currywurst. I had it on a bun with sauerkraut and sweet peppers and it was delicious. We also had fries which were cooked in duck fat – you can sort of see an illustration of a duck on the red-and-white paper cone. They were delicious, and now I just want to make everything in duck fat (even though it’s probably not good for you).

Ro had the venison sausage (topped with sauerkraut and onions), which she said was also delicious.

Final verdict: Very satisfied! It was filling but we didn’t feel disgusting afterwards; the atmosphere was fun; and if we hadn’t been on our way to a show, we could have stayed there for hours, trying all the different sausages and beer. We’re planning on taking our brother (and parents) there for our brother’s birthday in September, so you could say we’re looking forward to it!

Amsterdam BrewHouse

Amsterdam BrewHouse

On Wednesday, Ro and I went to the Manchester City vs Toronto FC game (because sometimes we like to watch sports. It’s rare, but it happens). Before the game, we went to the Amsterdam Brewery. We’ve been there before, a couple of years ago, but apparently much of the menu has changed since last time.

I had basically decided on pizza as soon as we walked past the kitchen and saw someone else’s order. This one had white sauce, mozzarella, brie, smoked bacon, chicken, baby spinach, and roasted garlic. The roasted garlic made it taste like garlic bread, which wasn’t a bad thing.

Ro had the pan seared tuna sandwich. It was a very large chunk of fish which, on the one hand, was worth the price. On the other, it looked a bit cumbersome to eat, and the inside was still very pink. I guess that’s the way one is supposed to eat tuna, but since we’re the type of people who fry the heck out of a steak, it was a little unexpected. Consequently, t had a bit of sushi/sashimi taste.

For dessert, I had the flourless chocolate torte. The thing I’ve noticed about flourless desserts is that they always tend to be denser: this one was basically a soft chocolate block. Since I have a chocolate problem, I had no trouble finishing it, even though I ended up feeling very full.

Ro had the strawberry shortcake. The “cake” was more like a biscuit or a scone, and it was surprisingly yummy! It was also just a pretty plate, and, as everyone knows, presentation is very important.

I didn’t take a picture of them, but we followed our meals with, of course, drinks: I had the Sweetwater Squeeze Radler (which was orange, even though we were expecting it to be red because it was made with blood orange juice), and Ro had the Downtown Brown Ale.

Final verdict: Satisfied! I remember feeling unsatisfied with our meal the last time we were there, but this time made up for it. I haven’t decided if this pizza was better than the one at Factory Girl, but it was definitely tasty.

Whelan’s Gate

Whelan’s Gate

On Tuesday, whilst on our way to the Mad Miss Mimic launch, Ro and I had dinner at Whelan’s Gate. The main floor is tiny (though the upstairs is much bigger), but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in taste.

Don’t let the short menu fool you: the food was, in a word, delicious.

We had two different types of chicken wings:

This one, which I ordered, is the South Carolina BBQ Wings, featuring mustard scotch bonnet sauce. It was lightly breaded and had a kick to it (courtesy of the scotch bonnet peppers). It was crispy and the batter wasn’t overwhelming. I also liked that it was full wings – with the weird pointy tip – and not just half a wing (or small drumstick), like you would normally get.

Ro got the Hunters Whole Wings which were coated in herbed barbecue sauce, spicy ranch, and parmesan. Again, the coating was light yet flavourful, and the addition of the parmesan kicked it up a notch.

We got the crispy fried cauliflower on the side; the bottom of the dish is full of blue cheese mayo and it was a tangy delight.

We tried Brickworks Cider, which was the only cider they had on tap. It’s a (relatively) local dry cider and, while it has the colour of straight apple juice, it was surprisingly good. The Brickworks website describes it as a “UK style cider”, and, as someone who drinks her fair share of UK-based ciders, I definitely agree.

We were the only ones in the pub at that time (it was before 6pm on a Tuesday, so we weren’t shocked by the lack of people), and the waitress was super nice and very accommodating. Plus they had a solid playlist, which added to the casual atmosphere.

Final verdict:  Very satisfied! Those were some of the best chicken wings I’ve ever had (both types!) and the cauliflower was an excellent side. The portions were also bigger than expected and everything was very fresh (and possibly local? I can’t remember). If we weren’t on our way to an actual event, we probably would have stayed longer (and had a few more drinks – their cocktails sound fascinating). It’s a bit out of the way – it’s just off the subway line, but pretty much in the middle of nowhere – and it’d probably be worth the trek once in a while.

Queen Mother Cafe

Queen Mother Cafe

On Friday, we went to see the Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland ballet, and, since we obviously had to eat first, we wandered down the street to the Queen Mother Cafe. It’s housed in a historic building (apparently more than 150 years old!) and has been around since the 70’s.

Their menu consists of mostly fusion/pan-global cuisine, as you’ll see from what Ro and I ate.

I like what I affectionately refer to as “brown food”: you know, traditional foods from Sri Lanka/India, etc. So I often end up ordering a curry or some sort of roti dish when I’m at a place like this.

This was a traditional Sri Lanka roti, and I can confirm that it tasted exactly like what my mom (well, actually my aunt) makes. It was also essentially a “brown” version of a burrito, and since I love burritos, this was amazing! It was stuffed with sweet potatoes, eggplants, chickpeas, and a few other vegetables, plus a spicy* curry sauce.
*I have a high spice tolerance, so it was a bit of a kick, but not nearly as sweat-inducing as the stuff my dad makes.

Ro, meanwhile, had a spinach and ricotta cannelloni because she has always favoured Italian food over “brown” food. I stole a piece of her garlic toast and it was crunchy but tasty.

The cafe has a window full of dessert options; unfortunately, I gave up chocolate for Lent, so I couldn’t try any of their decadent-looking chocolate cakes. I did, however, have a piece of key lime pie: it wasn’t too sour, the cream was smooth and refreshing, and the granola (oatmeal?) crust was a nice balance between crunchy and chewy.

Ro had a lemon dacquoise, which is a type of cake made from layers of hazelnut meringue and lemon buttercream. It was airy and delicious (like all meringues)!

Final verdict: Satisfied! I enjoy fusion cuisine, and, even though the menu was surprisingly similar to The Rivoli (which is only about a block away), the food was still done well. We didn’t try any drinks, though, so maybe next time we’ll have to have a cocktail to see which restaurant wins (sidenote: the Long Island Iced Teas at The Rivoli are some of the greatest things I’ve ever tried).

Factory Girl

Factory Girl

Normally when I’m on/around the Danforth area, I eat Greek food (since that’s what it’s famous for). But since we were going to the Taking Back Sunday show, we didn’t want to eat too much and end up feeling sick while jumping around. So we settled on Factory Girl, which is literally a 30 second walk away from the venue.

Ro ordered cocktails for us. She wouldn’t even let me see the menu before she (correctly) picked the best drink for me. Rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, lemonade, grenadine, and bitters – yep, that sounds like something I’d like (I loved it).

Lola (my drink)

Little Red Rooster (Ro’s drink)

We also decided to split the main course, and, since I’m addicted to pizza, we obviously had to order something from the menu that claims to be one of the “best pizza restaurants in Toronto”. Spoiler alert: it was one of the best pizzas I’ve ever eaten (in Toronto or otherwise).

The Francesca: olive oil, mozzarella, mascarpone, prosciutto, pear, and spinach, drizzled with balsamic vinegar. It was delicious.
Because I eat pizza backwards, the first thing I tasted was the crust – and it was amazing. It wasn’t tough or heavy; it was as light as thin-crust frozen pizza, but tasted about a million times better. The pear and balsamic vinegar gave it a sweetness that wasn’t overpowering and perfectly complimented the normally-salty prosciutto.

Then we had dessert, because after a pizza like that, how could we not want to try dessert.

I had Jerry’s Famous Bread Pudding; I don’t know who Jerry is, but I applaud him. It tasted like a cinnamon bun, but there were different spice flavours running through it that gave it an extra kick. The top of each piece was a little crunchy, but in a good way – a solidified sugar way.

Ro had the Banana Caramel Cheesecake in phyllo pastry. It was exactly what it sounds like, but that didn’t stop it from being delicious. The phyllo pastry was soft and the cheesecake squished out of it (or, at least, it did when I tried it), but that was part of the fun. I wouldn’t have thought throwing phyllo pastry anywhere near cheesecake would be a good idea, but they proved me wrong.

Final verdict: Very satisfied. I was full even after splitting the meal (though, to be honest, I probably could have eaten the whole pizza. I’m not saying I should, I’m just saying it’s possible), and it was an overall delightful experience. Plus our waitress was very nice and on the ball, which is always a bonus.