The Bar Towel

Beer-B-Q wrote:

JeffPorter wrote:Still haven't been there, but for those who have, could someone post a description of the food? What they have...what was good, price point, etc...the beef cheek tacos sound good, but what do you guys recommend for the food?

http://www.thestar.com/article/1117045- ... xican-food

Quite the glowing review from the Toronto Star.

Love the editor's note left in the text:

That’s what happens when you’ve got just 35 seats and your restaurant has got more buzz than a coked-up disco queen at Studio 54.AWFULLY OLD-FSAHIONED REFERENCE. (COOKED UP DISCO QUEEN IN THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT ON SATURDAY NIGHT? THE THOMPSON HOTEL?)

Was revised to '...more buzz than a coked-up Gary Busey.'

lolz

we went last saturday night. 3 of us.
2.5 hour wait. i kid not.
tacos are ridiculous. best in the city. Fish tacos rival La Carnita.

atomeyes wrote:2.5 hour wait. i kid not.

The only time I'm ever waiting in line for food is when all hell breaks loose resulting in food rations.

atomeyes wrote: 2.5 hour wait. i kid not.

2.5 hour wait for a table..for a taco? You either have great patience or you're a masochist! Sounds like it was worth the wait, but seriously.....

Like most of these places with buzz, the buzz wears off in time. Then you will get a table with only a .5 hour wait.

we were prepared for a wait. plan was to get there early and have a pint at the Rhino. did not expect a 2.5 hr wait. got to the point where it would have taken us just as long to find another resto to eat at.
solution?
don't go on a weekend.

and its not just a taco.
first, their pozoles (pork soup) is ridiculous.
tacos are beef cheek, pork belly, etc. its not Taco Bell.

atomeyes wrote:we were prepared for a wait. plan was to get there early and have a pint at the Rhino. did not expect a 2.5 hr wait. got to the point where it would have taken us just as long to find another resto to eat at.
solution?
don't go on a weekend.

and its not just a taco.
first, their pozoles (pork soup) is ridiculous.
tacos are beef cheek, pork belly, etc. its not Taco Bell.

Oh my a 2 1/2 hour wait in winter for....Mexican...no way....no matter how good the beer is..maybe they should consider buying whatever place is next door? I could almost get to Mexico in that time..

First, it's not like you wait outside in line in the cold. They take your cell phone number and call you 10-15 minutes before a table opens up. Like others said, the Rhino is directly across the street so just go there for a beer or a few while you wait.

And second, yes, the food is that good and worth the wait.

I've also heard that they're considering opening a bar in the immediate area for the spillover (drinks, no food).

I wonder how the Rhino feels about all this. On the one hand, it is no doubt increasing their patronage. On the other hand, all those new patrons are presumably taking up the tables and ordering nothing to eat. I recall C'est What faced the same issue when JK Wine Bar opened and had to start rationing tables to those who planned to order food.

midlife crisis wrote:I wonder how the Rhino feels about all this. On the one hand, it is no doubt increasing their patronage. On the other hand, all those new patrons are presumably taking up the tables and ordering nothing to eat. I recall C'est What faced the same issue when JK Wine Bar opened and had to start rationing tables to those who planned to order food.

survival of the fittest.
when we waited at the Rhino, we looked at their new menu.
sorry, but giving 1/3 of your menu the title "Food On A Stick" is not overly appetizing.
we ordered their dutch fries w/gravy to share. was kind of gross. mayonnaise and gravy don't go together well.
we were still hungry so we ordered something simple - think it was pita and guac and bean dip. the dips tasted like they were from a jar.
so unless i was starving or lazy, i have no reason to eat from the Rhino.

also, put it in perspective. the Rhino has 50ish tables? Grand Electric has eight. Grand Electric is full of hipsters and foodies. the Rhino was full, when i went, of jocks, a bachelorette party, a table of 15 nineteen year olds (including a guy drinking Smirnoff Ice) and some of Parkdale's less hip/afluent residents.

we're talking about 2 different audiences.

I'm driving from East York to go eat and drink at Grand Electric. I ain't driving across town to eat or drink at the Rhino. the only reason Rhino got my patronage was due to Grand Electric. so they're likely making money from GE, not losing.

We're talking about 2 different audiences.

Yes, this is exactly my point. What happens if the Rhino finds its core audience being crowded out by a bunch of upscale foodies sitting around nursing one drink each while they wait 2.5 hours for a table across the street? Anyway, it's just idle speculation, based in part on a similar situation that existed for a short while at CW.

Just grab a shwarma from Alexadria Falafel for food and then drink at the Rhino.

midlife crisis wrote:

We're talking about 2 different audiences.

Yes, this is exactly my point. What happens if the Rhino finds its core audience being crowded out by a bunch of upscale foodies sitting around nursing one drink each while they wait 2.5 hours for a table across the street? Anyway, it's just idle speculation, based in part on a similar situation that existed for a short while at CW.

same shit as if you find a Parkdalian in to nurse their beer while watching the Leafs' game: server asks them every 5 minutes if they need anything. patron eventually gets annoyed and leaves.

again, they have a zillion tables at the Rhino. having 20 scrawny hipsters drinking isn't going to have a negative impact on their business plan. if anything, it will be positive.

I gotta say...still haven't been there, and can't see myself going until the buzz dies down...That truly is soup kitchen wait times...

But speaking of tacos, I made tacos tonight with left over pulled pork, tomatoes and habaneros that I helped grow at farm start this year, and some maple smoked cheddar that could have been served at Milagro. Plus corn tortillas with my new press.

I'm not a great cook, but they were awesome! Tortilla presses are totally the way to go...

atomeyes wrote:

midlife crisis wrote:I wonder how the Rhino feels about all this. On the one hand, it is no doubt increasing their patronage. On the other hand, all those new patrons are presumably taking up the tables and ordering nothing to eat. I recall C'est What faced the same issue when JK Wine Bar opened and had to start rationing tables to those who planned to order food.

survival of the fittest.
when we waited at the Rhino, we looked at their new menu.
sorry, but giving 1/3 of your menu the title "Food On A Stick" is not overly appetizing.
we ordered their dutch fries w/gravy to share. was kind of gross. mayonnaise and gravy don't go together well.
we were still hungry so we ordered something simple - think it was pita and guac and bean dip. the dips tasted like they were from a jar.
so unless i was starving or lazy, i have no reason to eat from the Rhino.

also, put it in perspective. the Rhino has 50ish tables? Grand Electric has eight. Grand Electric is full of hipsters and foodies. the Rhino was full, when i went, of jocks, a bachelorette party, a table of 15 nineteen year olds (including a guy drinking Smirnoff Ice) and some of Parkdale's less hip/afluent residents.

we're talking about 2 different audiences.

I'm driving from East York to go eat and drink at Grand Electric. I ain't driving across town to eat or drink at the Rhino. the only reason Rhino got my patronage was due to Grand Electric. so they're likely making money from GE, not losing.

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...