The Bar Towel

We went tonight, arrived at 6:03 to a packed house and a few people ahead of us getting on the wait list. Left our number, went over to the Rhino, blah blah usual story. Had a nice cask pint of Durham Black Eye, the gf had the Sawdust City Ol' Woody Alt. We were told the wait would probably be an hour and a quarter but ended up being roughly 45 minutes. Perfect amount of time to have a pint or two beforehand.

We were greeted courteously as we returned and thanked effusively for our patience. We were served with promptness and professionalism. The nachos and guacamole, tacos (had the beef cheek, pork belly and spicy arboro chicken) and pozole were exquisite; the tuna ceviche and pollo frito were well executed but not quite to my taste. The pollo especially I felt didn't quite fit with the food theme, seeming to be more of a south Asian take on chicken wings, but they were good nevertheless. The key lime vasos was as remarkable as the first few dishes, which is to say very much so.

On tap were CK West Coast Pale, Beau's Lug Tread and DDC Corne du Diable. I had a CK and a DDC, the gf had two Grand Electric sours, which I sampled and were well crafted and very tasty. Service was attentive without being intrusive, and although there were surely others waiting for our table, we never felt rushed, and were thanked again for our patience as we were presented with the bill. Good folks, I'm happy to patronize the place.

Overall, it's a great vibe, and we'll definitely be returning as it's a 4 minute walk from our apartment.

Oh fine, you westenders..I'm sure it's great..way too far for me....

Liverdie wrote:
Two points, one at least jocks who drink good beer don't have that most unattractive feature among non-athletic beer drinkers...beer guts..

Second, I'm really glad that I stayed off the sidewalk in East York after you were returning from drinking at both the Rhino and Grand Electric...TTC the safer way...

"driving" is figurative and sounds more poetic than "getting on a bus, then transferring to a subway, getting out at Osgoode station, waiting for a streetcar and then walking half a block", doesn't it?

atomeyes wrote:

Liverdie wrote:
Two points, one at least jocks who drink good beer don't have that most unattractive feature among non-athletic beer drinkers...beer guts..

Second, I'm really glad that I stayed off the sidewalk in East York after you were returning from drinking at both the Rhino and Grand Electric...TTC the safer way...

"driving" is figurative and sounds more poetic than "getting on a bus, then transferring to a subway, getting out at Osgoode station, waiting for a streetcar and then walking half a block", doesn't it?

Yes, it sounds very poetic and it also sounds like you drink and drive. Using metaphors in cyber space is risky, you might be misunderstood.

Liverdie wrote:

atomeyes wrote:

Liverdie wrote:
Two points, one at least jocks who drink good beer don't have that most unattractive feature among non-athletic beer drinkers...beer guts..

Second, I'm really glad that I stayed off the sidewalk in East York after you were returning from drinking at both the Rhino and Grand Electric...TTC the safer way...

"driving" is figurative and sounds more poetic than "getting on a bus, then transferring to a subway, getting out at Osgoode station, waiting for a streetcar and then walking half a block", doesn't it?

Yes, it sounds very poetic and it also sounds like you drink and drive. Using metaphors in cyber space is risky, you might be misunderstood.

i think only the foolish and faint of thought will take things so literally. but i apologize if I made you think that i drink and drive and then come and post reviews about my drinking and driving.

by the way: your username made me think that you're in line for a liver transplant. is everything ok???

Liverdie wrote:Oh fine, you westenders..I'm sure it's great..way too far for me....

The refrain of one that does not truly embrace Toronto's almost-greatness?

I live by Hunt Club near the Beach but this prevents me naught from frequenting the Rhino, Roncesvalles, Kensington, Bloor West etc. Just my view that a city shinks the better one gets to know it - I encourage people to discover this ciity rather than limit themselves.

[/digresssion]

Belgian wrote:

Liverdie wrote:Oh fine, you westenders..I'm sure it's great..way too far for me....

The refrain of one that does not truly embrace Toronto's almost-greatness?

I live by Hunt Club near the Beach but this prevents me naught from frequenting the Rhino, Roncesvalles, Kensington, Bloor West etc. Just my view that a city shinks the better one gets to know it - I encourage people to discover this ciity rather than limit themselves.

[/digresssion]

You know I have to agree...when I lived in the Annex, my Toronto was bordered by Bloor, the lake, Bathurst and Yonge. I kid not...I rarely left this small patch.

Since I moved, we'll be in Parkdale, and then I'll have a craving for sticky toffee pudding, so we'll trek out east, all the way the the Ceili Cottage, just to drive west again. The city has really opened up for me and "shrunk" since I moved out of it...

hot damn....

someone went by Grand Electric.
They're claiming its closed, with a board on the window and paper on the door, name removed.

so its 1 of 2 things:

1. unannounced renos
2. cash crunch that typically comes a few months after opening.

atomeyes wrote:someone went by Grand Electric.
They're claiming its closed, with a board on the window and paper on the door, name removed.

That "someone" was probably my wife, who posted about it on Twitter. She didn't claim it was closed, just reported on the boarded up windows and asked if anyone knew what was up.

She later got in touch with the landlord (Jeremy Day, who used to run Cafe Taste in the same spot), and he told her that they're just doing some work on the ceiling. They should be open tonight.

GregClow wrote:

atomeyes wrote:someone went by Grand Electric.
They're claiming its closed, with a board on the window and paper on the door, name removed.

That "someone" was probably my wife, who posted about it on Twitter. She didn't claim it was closed, just reported on the boarded up windows and asked if anyone knew what was up.

She later got in touch with the landlord (Jeremy Day, who used to run Cafe Taste in the same spot), and he told her that they're just doing some work on the ceiling. They should be open tonight.

your wife is Sheryl? strange....

so yeah, i was right about the unannounced renos, i guess

GregClow wrote:

atomeyes wrote:someone went by Grand Electric.
They're claiming its closed, with a board on the window and paper on the door, name removed.

That "someone" was probably my wife, who posted about it on Twitter. She didn't claim it was closed, just reported on the boarded up windows and asked if anyone knew what was up.

She later got in touch with the landlord (Jeremy Day, who used to run Cafe Taste in the same spot), and he told her that they're just doing some work on the ceiling. They should be open tonight.

Thank god. Going there tonight and getting there 20 minutes to six. I've tried 3 times to go there, and each time was a 2-2.5 hr wait. Tonights the night my friends!

atomeyes wrote:your wife is Sheryl?

Yessir.

This thread got me worried and then happy in the span of a few posts. Amazing food and great beer

GregClow wrote:

atomeyes wrote:your wife is Sheryl?

Yessir.

WORLDS ARE COLLLIDINNNG!!!!!

Was just here tonight. Tried a beer from Bellwoods, their saison, on tap.

Everything was expensive, but damn the food was incredible. Had a couple different tacos and some cheese/egg/chorizo thing. The wait is silly (1.5h) and the place is loud, cramped, and full of hipsters, but the food is absolutely worth it.

Go put your name on the list and hang out at the Rhino for a while. Makes for a good night.