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c'est What

Discuss Ontario's brewpubs, pubs, beer bars and restaurants here.

Moderators: Craig, Cass

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JWalter
Posts: 384
Joined: Sat Jun 07, 2003 8:00 pm
Location: Mississauga
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Post by JWalter »

I'm a big fan of C'est What? always have been, and all of your bitching really cracks me up... Two minutes ago, I'm reading about how Blue Meaney went under, and in C'est What we have an absolutely awesome downtown Beer Bar, with a great selection of local Micro's, plus their own beers (Al's Cask Ale is one of my favorite beers of all time, ever!!!), and they are a succesful thriving business (I think sometimes many people on this forum forget that breweries and pubs aren't a fricken charity with a sole goal of making beer geeks happy at the expense of profit). You can still order any beer you want regardless of what room you're in. Go and pop your head around the corner if you want to see the rest of what they have.
If you've ever overheard your average pub-goer in a good beer bar, they ask questions like "It's not dark is it???", "Do you have something like Canadian?, etc, so by limiting the beers listed on the printed menu, they're reducing the time to run to the other room unneceesarily.

Sophisticated beer consumers like us can simply ask what's in the other room, and/or (god forbid) walk 20 feet over and check it out, and order what you like. Joan, and some of the other staff who know me already know when I walk in that I'm likely to go for an Al's to start and offer it right away, despite that it's Tap is in the other room.

C'est What deserves our praise and our business... Next time I'm in I'd do some lobbying for Sgt.Majors as I think it most definitely deserves a spot, personally I'd like to see it replace the St.Ambroise Pale Ale... However, it's not my bar, I don't own a bar, and I assume that the Management of C'est What? knows better than I do...

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Manul
Posts: 179
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Richmond Hill

Post by Manul »

ALL RIGHT!

midlife crisis
Beer Superstar
Posts: 2009
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 7:00 pm
Location: Toronto

Post by midlife crisis »

Speaking for myself, the "two beer lists" thing doesn't keep me from going to C'est What any less frequently. I hope they prosper for years to come. But it is an annoyance, and one which they could easily rectify, I would have thought.

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Kid Presentable
Posts: 144
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Toronto

Post by Kid Presentable »

c'est what is one of my favourite places in the city and I wish I had more time to get there

kp

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El Pinguino
Seasoned Drinker
Posts: 1440
Joined: Sun Jan 02, 2005 6:02 pm
Location: Downtown TO / Galapagos Islands
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Post by El Pinguino »

I have to admit C'est What is a fantastic place, albeit I have not been for months. I used to work just around the corner (and just above the Bier Markt), so it was a common hangout. Will have to visit again soon. I'd usually have a bison burger or cajun chicken fingers with a few pints of whatever caught my eye.....

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lister
Beer Superstar
Posts: 2071
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 2:33 pm
Location: Toronto

Post by lister »

I visited C'est What last night with my girlfriend for the first time in a couple of years. After developing a better taste for beer in the past two years and started brewing my own with friends, I figured on trying C'est What again. Traffic was pretty light in there which isn't surprising considering it was a Tuesday and raining out. The separate beer menus threw me for a bit but the waitress helpfully brought over the other menu when I inquired about the 35 brews on tap. Plus later when we went to shoot some pool the bartenders didn't have any problems going back and forth due to the light traffic. During busier times I could understand the slight annoyance having to go back and forth personally. (I presume the computers are linked so you'll have one tab for both bars.) I guess if you're by yourself and have staked out a spot particularly at the bar, it would be annoying to leave your spot to get a brew from the other bar. I wouldn't mind it too much if some friends were there to hold the spot.

As for their own brews, I tried the Hemp Ale in bottle form last year and didn't like it all that much especially in comparison to Cool's Millenium Buzz which I like a lot. I gave their Chocolate Ale a try last night hoping for something like the Belgian Chocolate brew I've had at Smokeless and Bier Market but it was a dark heavy beer which I don't care for. To each their own on taste of course but it is nice to see pubs brew their own beers. Variety is good.

Anyways, my girlfriend liked the menus, both food and beer, a lot so we'll be going back frequently.

Too bad about the Blue Meaney though. We only got to visit twice and liked the different brews and food. Ah well. :(
lister

PRMason
Bar Fly
Posts: 873
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Fitzroy Harbour, ON

Post by PRMason »

JWalter, Christopher at C'est what has asked if I could supply him with Sgt. Major's Cask IPA. The beer engine that it would be drawn from is in for repairs, but once its back, look for some IPA real ale.

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Jon Walker
Seasoned Drinker
Posts: 1899
Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Wherever you go there you are

Post by Jon Walker »

Keep us posted on that Perry...looking forward to it!

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JWalter
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Post by JWalter »

Perry, that is AWESOME news!!! I'll totally be looking forward to that! I'll probably be stopping by Queens Quay tonight to pick up some more 6-packs as well...

For those of you interested in the music-side of C'est What, they are now streaming out an MP3-based radio station using the same music that plays in the bar, and the currently playing track is displayed on the web site, pretty cool eh? check it out at http://www.cestwhat.com, in the right-hand side bar...

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lister
Beer Superstar
Posts: 2071
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 2:33 pm
Location: Toronto

Post by lister »

How packed is C'est What? usually on Fridays 7-7:30pm? Dinner...Drinks...
lister

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Manul
Posts: 179
Joined: Wed Jul 04, 2001 8:00 pm
Location: Richmond Hill

Post by Manul »

Really, really packed. Last time we waited about half hour until we got a table.

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lister
Beer Superstar
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Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 2:33 pm
Location: Toronto

Post by lister »

A half an hour isn't so bad but I couldn't convince my friends to head down on Friday. I did head down with the girlfriend on Saturday at 8:30pm and got a table no problem. In fact we had our pick of tables.
lister

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northyorksammy
Seasoned Drinker
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Location: Eglinton and Yonge
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Post by northyorksammy »

They have this on their website, but I see no reviews - is this something else?

second, anyone see the dunkel on tap there yet?

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JerCraigs
Beer Superstar
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Joined: Sun May 25, 2003 8:00 pm
Location: Toronto

Post by JerCraigs »

northyorksammy wrote:They have this on their website, but I see no reviews - is this something else?
It is the Northumberland Ale.

BeerMonger
Posts: 193
Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 4:04 pm

Post by BeerMonger »

Hi All,

I would be the newest member of The Bar Towel. I have followed this forum for quite some time without joining or posting but thought it was about time to do so. I am just an average guy who his willing to try them "all" at least once. I used to frequent the old "Rotterdams" back when they advertised over 300 beers and did my best to get through them all.

I enjoy this forum for it's intelligent postings and can tell that some of you are in the "business". Thank you for all the info.

I posted on this particular thread to advise you that this particular establishment is rating poor reviews on a different forum:

http://www.chowhound.com/canada/boards/ ... ronto.html

Please let me state that I personally have never visited this place and am only forwarding this info to advise what others are posting. I suppose there is a big difference in enjoying a premise for their selection of beer as opposed to the whole dining experience.


Anyway, all the best (and I plan to post some more)

BeerMonger

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