Shawinigan Handshake

Jean Chrétien was definitely one of our more entertaining if not wacky Prime Ministers. I found this beer inspired by one the the stranger episodes in Canadian political history, the Shawinigan Handshake.






Talking about the Shawinigan Handshake incident at 2:35 below

Smith Bros. Steakhouse & Tavern

Smith Bros. Steakhouse & Tavern is a meat lover's destination with affordable prices. The steaks are wet aged for a minimum of 28 days, and come with a choice of sauces: Peppercorn Cream, Mushroom Cabernet, Teriyaki, and Crumbled Bacon & Bourbon.



Though wine is available, Smith Bros. advocates enjoying your steak with beer. They serve their own brand of $5 all-natural premium draughts in association with Great Lakes Brewery. They also have “The Tavern Sampler,” allowing you to try any 4 taps for $7.



I particularly liked how the sampler came on a numbered board so you could easily keep track of what brew you were sampling with every bite. Granted, 4 beers shouldn’t tax your memory that much, but it’s a nice touch as someone is bound to forget what’s what while engaged in lively conversation and delicious food.



Even if they do specialize in steak, a great draw at this steakhouse is the all you can eat Mussels and Fries for $17. It features PEI mussels steamed with Smith Bros. Premium Natural Lager, shallots and parsley. The matchstick fries tasted great. Their narrowness made them a little harder to handle (i.e. shove into your mouth), but gave you more surface area for flavour and added crunch. We also tried their hearty Steak and Potato Chowder, loaded with lots of meat.





For mains, we tried 10 oz. New York Strip ($24) with Garlic and Cream Mashed Potatoes, and the 12 oz. Roasted Rib Eye ($25) with Sea Salt Rubbed Russet Baked Potato. We also tried the Atlantic Salmon.



The steaks were moist, tender, and flavourful. The sides were also yummy. We especially loved the baked potato. The sea salt rub made the potato skins crusty and salty, an awesome contrast with the soft and moist potato and the cool cream.



For dessert we had a Triple Chocolate Brownie and a Crème Brûlée. The Crème Brûlée came in a generous serving and was perfectly torched. The Brownie was to die for. It was dark and delicious with different textures to it and came à la mode.



While Smith Bros. isn’t Jacob’s or or Hy’s, neither are its prices. It certainly makes enjoying a good steak a more regular possibility than for those super special occasions. It stretches casual dining without stretching your budget, allowing you to include more friends or family perhaps. And at the end of you’re meal, you’re more likely to have a smile on your face as you enjoyed great company, food and drink, in a a smartly decorated environment, after shopping perhaps or before a movie right across the street , at the corner of Warden and Eglinton.




Smith Bros. Steakhouse & Tavern
880 Warden Ave Toronto, ON
Phone: (416) 751-3100


Posted by: Mark Rodas

Fondue Feastivul at the Esplanade Bier Markt

Here's a great date idea: "Me, Yu, Und Fondue" at the Bier Markt for their Fondue Feastivul.

I love how the Bier Markt runs these themed festivals throughout the year. At other times there's an Asparagus Feastivul and a Gamey Meat Feastivul. I also love how the Bier Markt makes my spellcheck go awry, haha Feastivuuuul...

The Bier Markt has 2 restaurants, but I always find myself at the Esplanade location. It's in the funky yet peaceful St. Lawrence neighbourhood, and it represents my idea of Toronto's original gastropub. The Bier Markt, along with another favourite, Beer Bistro, have an astounding selection of brews from all over the world. They also have the high-calibre food to match.

We started off with some Paulaner Dunkel, a smooth, malty Bavarian beer. It was dark, crisp, and fragrant, a great way to wake up the palate.

For apps we had the Cheese and Lager Fondue: appenzeller, emmental and raclette cheese, Stella Artois lager, asparagus, grape tomatoes, cornichons, and fresh baguette.


That was a big appetizer. I'm glad we shared. Needless to say we mopped up all the cheese with the baguette.

For our main, we shared the Surf and Turf: Atlantic lobster, AAA center cut striploin, asparagus, rosti potato, peppercorn demi-glace, with a Leffe Brune Ale broth.

The lobster looked pre-cooked, and was a little tough. A side of salted, melted butter would also have been nice, but was sadly missing.

The striploin on the other hand was amazing! It was so soft. We were also warned earlier by the couple sitting next to us who just had the same fondue that the green peppercorn sauce was to die for, and we should try not to fight over it. She was right. The sauce complemented the meat perfectly.

For dessert, Stacey had the Caramel and Toffee Fondue: ladyfingers, French macaroons, biscotti, bananas, strawberries, and housemade marshmallows.

I had the Belgian Chocolate Fondue: Valrhona dark Manjari chocolate, French macaroons, biscotti, ladyfingers, bananas, and strawberries.


The housemade marshmallows were great with the caramel, and the French macaroons were heavenly with the chocolate. That's gotta be one of the best chocolate sauces I've ever had.

Get thee to the Bier Markt.


Click here for more mouthwatering pics.


The Fondue Feastivul runs from Jan 13 - Feb 28, 2010.

www.thebiermarkt.com


Posted by: Mark Rodas

French microbrews at The 3 Brewers

Don't let this little microbrewery fool you. The 3 Brewers or Les 3 Brasseurs is not the small pub out of Quebec that some who've visited its Montreal location may believe. It is in fact a chain from France, bringing the old European tradition of fresh non-pasteurized beers brewed on site to it's Yonge-Dundas location. The simple yet tasty menu includes brasserie fare and bistro dishes, culminating in their specialty flamms. The Flammequeches, flamms for short, are pizza-like Alsatian-style open faced pies with various toppings. Though calling them pizzas is like calling this French brasserie a British gastropub... same difference.

What better way to start the evening than to have a pint of craft beer. We just missed the regular brewery tour that they offer, but maybe next time we'll catch the brewmaster in action. We had the Virago and the Amber Passion. The Virago's rich profile comes from a unique blend of malts, caramel, chocolate, and a hint of coffee. The Amber Passion is a vibrant and well balanced beer brewed with a special blend of pale malts. The beers were nice and fresh, full-bodied and very flavourful. They were a little flat for my liking though. Maybe I have grown too fond of megacorp Interbrew's Belgian offerings, as I expect the top of my tongue to be assaulted while the bitter flavours mellow in the back.

As pub food goes, The 3 Brewers fills a unique niche in this city's foodscape. The flamms are simply delectable. We had the Smoked Meat flamm: smoked meat a l'ancienne, gruyere cheese and pickles. Though it was a little odd eating it with huge pickle wedges, the flamm was awesome. The smoked meat was definitely Montreal. I wished they put a lot more on. The gruyere was deeply fulfilling, and made us think that maybe other pizza places should really take a look at using this cheese. Yeah we know it's expensive -- if you build it, they will come.

We also had the other house specialty, the Beer-braised pork shank, served with a salad, baked potato, and sauerkraut. This might need getting used to for some people, as pork hocks are not the most appealing sight. At first all you see is hairy, gelatinous skin, fat, and bone. I knew however that this was gonna be good. Filipinos have a similar dish called Paksiw na Pata, and my Eastern-Euro friends attest that pork hock is a beer garden staple.

The staff advises newbies to flip the layer of fat and skin over to reach the juicy, succulent, flavour-soaked meat inside. The meat was great, but I also treated myself to bits of the skin and fat, eaten with the meat and sauerkraut. An acquired indulgence that some may be squeamish of.

For dessert we had a flamm with apple and chocolate sauce. That was really good. It was like a crispy, flaky crepe with crunchy slivers of apple, a rich chocolate sauce and dollops of whipped cream.

The 3 Brewers is a delightfully casual place to have a beer and simple yet yummy food in a bustling touristy part of town. It's actually quite spacious inside despite the small street facade. I highly recommend the flamms. The wide variety of flamm toppings makes The 3 Brewers a definite food stop.

Click here for more photos: The 3 Brewers

Posted by: Mark Rodas

The 3 Brewers275 Yonge Street, Toronto, Canada(647) 347-6286‎

les3brasseurs.ca

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