museum tavern

as anybody hailing from the toronto knows, it is a city that will not be outdone. instead of hoping for living reincarnations of a tattooed atilla the hun, local hipsters may be intrigued to drop in to the tattoo exhibit which is now showing at the royal ontario museum. i’m more into bourbon than body art, so after i finished up a conference along bloor street and had a couple of hours to kill before dinner so instead of the rom, i visited another museum, in this case the tavern across the road to indulge in their advertised happy hour. in addition to buck a shuck oysters, one can indulge in a barrel aged cocktail for $11 vs the normal $15 charge ( although when i got the bill i was charged $15).

choosing between a manhattan, old-fashioned, negroni and sazarac is like choosing which child i love the best. alright, maybe not quite but it’s a difficult task nonetheless. in this case i opted for the first two. a couple of ounces of both were smartly presented in a funky highball which housed a thick base of ice instead of a floating ice cube. the booze itself was smooth, sleek and balanced.

the musuem tavern does represent a historical era in the fact that is has that speakeasy feel. from the decor to the glassware, it screams the 1920s. the menu is more modern pub fare with what appears to influenced by a bit of everything.

since i was grabbing dinner later, i stuck with starters and opted for the fried chicken ($14) and creole crab cakes ($16). if my intent was to span the spectrum of available snacks i think i succeeded. the four pieces was a hearty serving of chicken which was crispier than greasy , well-seasoned and far from dry. the crab cakes, on the other hand, can better be described at crab balls. the dainty, bite sized morsels didn’t lack in flavour what they lacked in size. although they were moist, heavy on the crab and served with a decent remoulade., it hardly justified eight bucks a bite…even with pickled onions.

let's give it a four for innovative cocktails, cheap oysters and really good crab cakes...sic...balls.

i had the mussels and they were amazing. i thought it was a generous serving with nice mussels, delicious broth, bread and fries! if the option was there i would take 2 boys of bread for the broth over the fries.

my partner and the duck, he said it was done well. our friends had the cheese burger and nachos. both were happy with their meals too.

our server was attentive, the decor is cosy and they have a good cocktail list.

food 3/5 (50% of final grade)

generally, the food was the typical savoury, semi-fancy type of placement and taste. the above-average score is awarded to their surprisingly refreshing-yet-filling mexican street corn salad and aztec bowl. the cooked kale that they paired their albacore tune ceviche with was also very yum. the portions were perfect, if not erring on the larger side. unfortunately, they sold out of their potted cheesecake by the time we went, but the other two desserts were at-par at best.

ambiance 3.5/5 (15% of final grade)

the light was awkwardly maroon-tinged and right in that weird zone between romantic-dark and casual-light, but it was really cute how they had candles delicately placed on the tables. the general atmosphere was dimmed and pub-like, but with a tinge of class. the establishment felt clean and comfortable. they also have a patio, which would have been nice, if not for the fact that it was incredibly windy that day. the ambiance in general is great for both dates and small groups.

service 3.5/5 (15% of final grade)

we were promptly served once we arrived, but there was a lady waitress that gave off a very non-reactive vibe, as if she didn't really want to be there but she had to pretend to be friendly. but the main waiter who served my girl trio was a gentleman who was very friendly, and told us when he had to go on break, at which time another gentleman came to introduce himself and happily took our requests. i asked this gentleman about the oil content in the aztec bowl i was eating, and he gave me a rough estimate, but didn't seem completely comfortable with the information he was giving (so product knowledge wasn't the greatest). there were times when we had to request for our water to be filled, which, i think, for a restaurant of that perceived hype should not need to happen. however, the gentlemen were always compliant to our requests, which was nice of them. i wish they could have said goodbye when we left the place after paying though, 'cause it's always awkward waddling out of a quiet food place after paying without any of the servers acknowledging you.

cost 2.5/5 (10% of final grade)

the three-course dinner was $38 + tax + tip. for their service i gave a 20% tip, which resulted in my dinner costing a little less than $60 in total. perhaps it was because of summerlicious, but i didn't really feel that the quality of the food was especially valuable for the price. after-all, it is downtown, so i could have found something around the same price and slightly higher quality.

other 4/5 (10% of final grade)

i only wanted the potted cheesecake for dessert, so i requested to order the dessert later, so that i could have the time to think about whether to order the chocolate tart or the house ice cream, because our server said that they didn't have anything else. when we were finished with our entrees, the gentleman came over and asked me whether or not i would settle for créme brulée instead, despite it not being on the summerlicious menu. this was a very nice gesture, i felt, especially because i would have definitely settled for one of the other two ultimately if i wasn't given this option. it was truly very considerate of him to check with the kitchen!! the créme brulée ended up being absolutely delicious in that the custard had a tinge of milk tea to its delicate taste. yum!

final grade = 64/100 = 3 stars

tldr: cute place. didn't make too much of an impression though, if not for the créme brulée, but that might just be me, 'cause i love creme brulee.

comfort, pub food, in an elegant setting. mirrors set into wood paneling, hexagon-tiled floors, leather banquettes, and warm lighting added to the restaurant's charm. our dishes arrived promptly and our server was attentive, friendly and thoughtful. my dining partner had a monstrous burger that he enjoyed, and i had the fish and chips. both were serviceable.

great place for business lunches or family dinners.

museum tavern is located on the second floor across from the rom. it's an upscale tavern with a comfortable busy space. food menu is limited but i always enjoy the steak and fries, fish & chips,and so on that you expect in a pub. my only criticism is that the beer choices are very few (it's a pub!!). odd. service is good. in yorkville i prefer the oxley but if i can't get in there the museum is next best. good spot for drinks and/ or dinner. reservations would be a good idea.

the best thing about this place was the ambience and vibe of the restaurant. the food was fine but nothing to rave about as the menu items sounded much better on paper than they looked and tasted once we received our meals. would suggest this place for drinks and snacks but not really for full meals.

we sat on the patio dining from the summerlicious menu, sipping on rosé as we watched tourists come and go in front of the rom. food is good but not great. "albacore tuna ceviche" was my favourite - flavourful and refreshing, couldn't get enough. the 8oz flat iron "steak & fries" was disappointing, asked for medium-rare, served medium-well.
this place has a nice vibe and good service, definitely recommend for drinks but not full meals. cheers~

beautifully decorated space with a nice ambiance for after work drinks. classy decor and great social atmosphere with friendly staff. i had the fish and chips which was a large portion (i couldn't finish it and i have a healthy appetite) but nothing to write home about. i would go back but only for drinks and a hangout.

there's an interesting variety of pub food at museum tavern and generally something for everyone. it can definitely be on the pricier side depending what you're getting and there's some hits and misses. good vibe though and quick service.

we went to the museum tavern for supper this evening. it was fairly busy. we sat on the dining room side. dylan, our server, recommended the cheeseburger so that's what we both ordered. i got mine without cole slaw, cheese, lettuce and onions. gord got his as the menu stated with american cheese. we both really enjoyed the burger ... it was delicious! the fries were tasty too. gord said the cole slaw was disappointing. we'd both go back for the burger and fries. dylan took good care of us!

last saturday was a blast- so much so that i got up in the morning and i said to myself “it is saturday’s like that one, that are going to help me get through grad school in one piece.” this was the series of events: dinner at museum tavern, then bowling (at a sketchy, but totally awesome glow in the dark bowlerama on bathurst), then a 1:30 am stop at “burger shack” on eglinton for fries, and chocolate and banana milkshakes (which were awesome!!!!!)  come on, would you pass that up?  it was an awesome time, even if i did really, really suck at the bowling bit. i mean, at one point, i swung my arm back and the ball flew backwards… yep. the way it happens in g-family rated movies. thank g-d for cheap tequila shots (complete with salt packets from the concession stand- awesome).
let’s talk about what i am good at, then. and that, of course is food.
so a few weeks ago, after the awestruck food festival, my friends and i popped into a newish spot called museum tavern for a drink.  my friend had apparently heard it was good, so we figured it was close to home and worth a shot.  i was totally blown away.  while i didn’t have a chance to sample the food that night, we did have some incredible cocktails that really sold me on the place.   the cocktail menu is both authentic, creative, and extensive.  pretty much everything (especially on the signature cocktail list) was enticing, and it was really hard to choose, but that night i went with the peach cobbler.  with rum, fresh peaches, lime, saffron-sage syrup, and lots of crushed ice, it was super easy to drink (and fun to nibble on later).
on saturday, i figured i needed to try a few others on the hit list.  over the course of the night we had sampled:
peach cobbler- see above
cherry smash (vodka, lime juice, cherries, minted green tea syrup, lavender water spritz) – better than the peach cobbler. this had a delicious herbaceous quality with lots of meaty dark sweet cherries.
prime minister (vodka, tomato juice, grain mustard, dill, horseradish, lime juice, worcestershire sauce, tobacco, secret sauce, black pepper)- a really aromatic take on a caesar that was really extra spicy.  when i’m in the mood (and i usually am) for a spicy caesar, this will be a good go to.
watermelon collins (gin, watermelon, basil, lemon, pink pepper-aloe syrup) – while i can’t say for sure whether this tasted of pink pepper-aloe syrup (because like, what the heck is that?), i can say it was delicious. my favourite of the bunch, i think it was gonezo in like two very concentrated sips.
old fashioned (bourbon, sugar, bitters) –oy. not for this girl, but it was super authentic, and well received.
okay lets talk briefly of service.  it was prompt, attentive, maybe too attentive. sometimes servers need to know when to back off and just give the diners a bit of time and space. ours struggled a bit with this concept, as she came back to take our orders literally every 2 minutes, and we weren't even lingering!  within a moment of us sitting down, she had already offered to take our food orders. a few minutes later, she asked again, and a few minutes later, again. after a while, she got the hint and i gestured her over when it was time, but it was a little annoying. in contrast, drinks seemed to sometimes take a while.  i can appreciate that they put a lot of care into their cocktails, but when you order a drink, and don't get it until you're sitting with the bill in your hand, it's kind of annoying. okay onto food. after a pretty stern warning that the mains were pretty big, we opted to share two appetizers and leave it at that before moving onto mains. here is what we had:

duck buns (hoisin, green onion, sriacha)

 

 

delicious. super fluffy folded bun, packed with moist sweet and spicy meat.  i would happily order this again for myself.

queso blanco fundido (with chips, cheese sauce and pickled jalapenos)

 

 

also really delicious. the chips were home made, warm, with a wicked crunch and a nice salty bite.  the sauce was smoky, salty and sweet, its richness perfectly off set by the tangy spicy peppers.  my only complaint (and this is such a common misstep), was that unless you were loading them up, there just wasn’t enough chips for the quantity of dip.

great lakes fish and chips with housemade tartar, and tavern slaw

 

 

pretty delicious fish and chips.  the fries were perfectly seasoned, cut thin, with lots of surface area for crispy crevices to develop.  the fish was a massive portion (two piecer) that was flaky, with a massive crunch.  i happen to love when the batter kind of bunches up in places, yielding bites that are just crunchy, deep fried goodness.  what? don’t even pretend you don’t love that.

half roast chicken with barley hash, chicken gravy

 

 

the chicken was cooked beautifully, with a crispy skin and a moist flesh, but the barley hash (and the gravy i guess it was swimming in) was unpalatably salty.  i am a girl who usually complains about under seasoning, but this was near inedible.

halibut with succotash, ham hock, lemon emulsion

 

 

the halibut had a beautiful crispy exterior, but was a little bit dry and overcooked. thankfully, the succotash was really delicious, especially with the generous chunks of pulled pork tossed in.

ontario rainbow trout with zucchini, artichoke and sherry vinaigrette

 

 

unlike the halibut, the trout was much closer to perfection, though perhaps a little under done in some middle regions of the fillet.  unfortunately, like the barley, this one also suffered from a bit too much seasoning, pointing to some inconsistency going on in the kitchen.

devils food cake with honey roasted peanuts, and peanut butter ice cream

 

 

i don’t even like chocolate, but this was a pretty nice plate.  a generous individual layer cake (there were about 6-8 layers in there), enrobed in a luscious ganache, that was rich on its own, but really pleasing with the aromatic ice cream.  i also loved the little cookie crumble garnish that added a really nice textural contrast with the ice cream.

key lime parfait with caramel and lime butter cookies

 

 

this was more my style (i did end up eating most of it), mostly because of the generous thick caramel layer.  i never really thought that lime and caramel were a suitable match, but as i was driving home from the grocery store today i kind of changed my mind.  the cloying sweetness of the caramel does cut some of bright acidity and mild bitterness of the lime.  throw a little textural cookie contrast, and creamy neutralizing whipped cream in the mix, and you’ve got a nicely balanced dish.

so for: 2 apps, 4 mains, 2 desserts, 9 cocktails, and 3 large bottles of water, the bill came to about $350 including tax and tip.  while it was certainly less refined, i definitely enjoyed the meal in its entirety at museum more than the evening before at franks where we paid about 30-40$ more (per two people). so will i return? yes. probably more than i should, particularly because it’s so close to home.  i can’t wait until summer again when i can enjoy that watermelon collins on the patio!

food porn abbeyskitchen.com

i came here with my family and we had a good night out. my mom enjoyed her arctic char with lentils and swiss chard. i sampled a little bit of the butcher's bolognese and it was very tasty and quite meaty with elk, wild boar, beef, and lamb. if you like a hearty meal on a cold winter's day, this is the meal to enjoy. i opted for the buttermilk fried chicken burger and it was juicy and crispy, but the sauce wasn't that flavourful. instead of fries, i requested a salad, which was delicious with arugula, broccoli, and pickled red onions. the dish also came with a small side of satisfying slaw.

for dessert, we shared a peanut butter and chocolate tart and a chocolate mousse cake. the desserts didn't wow me, but i would say the peanut butter and chocolate tart was better than the cake.

the restaurant was warm and inviting and service was good.

rude. terrible experience; we left before we even ordered. the few staff members we ran into were pretentious and rude. there was no signage when we walked in, so we sat ourselves and we were greeted with hostility upon doing so. the wait staff were inattentive (table not cleared, standing around talking, etc), extremely impolite and sullen faced. there are so many great substitutes in this area - gabby's, hemingways, remys, etc. - do not waste your time on this place.

overpriced. welcome to the land of $12 tiny drinks and small food portions. overflowing fries to fill up plate space.

museum tavern (@museumtavern) is an ode to the great american bar with its 25 foot copper bar, penny-tiled floors, and antique gaslight chandeliers.  it serves a wide assortment of spirits, craft beers, wines and single malt scotches.  without a doubt, it's the perfect destination for a night of drinking with friends, family or co-workers. on my last visit, i ordered the walking dead, one of their signature cocktails, based solely on its name.  it came in a pretty cool looking tiki-inspired vessel with a pineapple speared by a cocktail umbrella on top.  immediately, i thought this was their take on a mai tai.  looking at the ingredients, it had all the beginnings of one - rum and orgeat syrup.  but it didn't have some of the classic mai tai ingredients such as lime and orange curacao.  instead, it had citrus notes from the grapefruit and other tropical notes in the mix such as coconut and passionfruit.  it also has the the infamous, once banned, high proof absinthe to give it an adde