At the corner of a suburban plaza stands a
stone house that’s distinct and unexpected. Co-owner Daniel Nguyen
tells me that it's not just any house, it may be possibly one of the oldest one in Mississauga (built
in 1850). So, when taking over the property, they really wanted to keep the character of the landmark,
reviving it and naming it after builder Amaos Wilcox.
As you enter the Wilcox Gastropub, their interiors are definitely contemporary in nature with the mix of wood, leather, tree trunks and antler chandeliers. You sort of get the feeling of being in a hunter’s lodge that’s been turned into a lounge.
As you enter the Wilcox Gastropub, their interiors are definitely contemporary in nature with the mix of wood, leather, tree trunks and antler chandeliers. You sort of get the feeling of being in a hunter’s lodge that’s been turned into a lounge.
Wilcox’s menu doesn’t follow the Canadiana theme. Rather it’s
a mix of shareables (sliders, nachos, etc), tapas type dishes, salads, burgers
and larger composed dishes. Essentially, there’s something for everyone and
enough sides to customize to one’s content. The owners wanted to offer
Mississauga a menu that patrons may not find locally and also
uses fresh in-house prepared sauces and ingredients.
The menu is developed by Chef Humberto Sanchez and his Spanish/Mexican
influences were apparent in the starters. Especially in my favourite dish of
the night, the fish tacos ($14). Yes, fish tacos are on everyone’s menus making it hard to stand out. Wilcox’s steps away from the
typical baja style (albeit still has pico de gallo and guacamole) and instead
incorporates great Mexican sauces (a tart tomatillo and fiery roasted poblano
crema) as well.
Certainly, the dish does not shy away from flavours as the
sauces were abundant and with each bite you experience refreshing and spicy
properties. The deep fried fish was relatively neutral allowing the sauces to
shine. Thankfully, Wilcox uses as chewy soft tortilla/pita mix which is thicker
and holds up against the sauces.
The pulpo con ensalada Rusa ($14) is also worth trying with
the star being the tendril of grilled octopus. It’s meaty, tender and has a
hint of smokiness without overpowering the seafood itself. Below is a vibrant Russian salad, a hearty mix of creamy beets and potatoes. If
there was a touch of something stronger (perhaps finely chopped onions or maybe
even pickled vegetables), I would have liked it even more.
Unlike the rest of the burger loving table, I ordered braised
short ribs ($23). The meat was flavourful and tender sitting in plenty of black
trumpet mushroom jus. The seasoning on the dish was done well – savoury enough
without being overly salty. Sitting on a bed of roasted heirloom carrots and
parsnips and topped with onion frizzles (great addition) it was a nice well
rounded dish. The duck fat roasted
potatoes could stand to be cooked a bit longer as the larger pieces were a tad
hard in the middle.
Burgers seemed to be the popular choice amongst patrons and
indeed my table as well. My husband’s Wilcox Burger ($17) consisted of a
pepper crusted chuck beef patty, crispy onions, roasted red pepper aioli, goat
cheese, arugula and crowned with a sunny side egg. Somehow it wasn’t a mess to
eat as the egg was cooked just enough to allow the brioche bun and rest of the
ingredients to soak it up. Perhaps it’s due to eating many flavourful dishes
before trying a bite, but even with the plethora of ingredients I found it needed
more seasoning (either in the meat itself or in the aioli).
The California burger ($16) used the same patty but was topped with double smoked bacon, tomato, corn, salsa fresca, sour cream, pickled
jalapenos and melted cheddar cheese. Again, I found the flavours to be somewhat
muted, perhaps if the sour cream was substituted with the roasted poblano crema
instead it may be even better.
As a matter of taste, I’ve really liked that most gourmet
burger joints now serve their burgers slightly undercooked. Some may be
squeamish about a slightly pink patty, but the end product is much juicier and
flavourful. Wilcox Gastropub still follows the traditional thoroughly cooked
method, which is fine and has its supporters but perhaps offering customers a
choice of doneness would be nice (especially since they use fresh in-house
ground patties).
To clarify, the burgers were good and everyone at the table
enjoyed them (in fact inhaled them). But, for me, if two small changes were
made they could be even better. The fresh potato fries were very good, I couldn’t
help but steal more than my fair share off of my family’s plates.
* Disclaimer: Wilcox offered a 25% discount for the meal (prices above are the regular menu prices). Rest assured, I'll still be honest in my reviews.
How To Find Them
Location: Mississauga, Canada
Address: 30 Eglinton Avenue West
Address: 30 Eglinton Avenue West
Website: http://thewilcox.ca/
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Gastro World's Grading System
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
- 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
- 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
- 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
- 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
- 10 - absolute perfection!
