Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 1154 Queen Street West
Type of Meal: Dinner
In the end, growing
up isn’t that bad. No longer do I have to deal with waiting in lines, crowds
and aching feet at the end of the night. After all, enjoying a burger and wine
with friends is a pretty nice alternative.
Overall mark - 7 out of 10
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Gastro World's Grading System
Address: 1154 Queen Street West
Type of Meal: Dinner
The
Beaconsfield makes me feel young. A dimly lit bar turned supper club, the music
is way too loud and hipsters are everywhere. Indeed, they’re likely there for
dinner and drinks prior to going to the Drake Hotel, which is right across the street.
It reminds me of the nights my friends and I danced the night away at the
Drake. Alas, I’m older now and happy to just have drinks across the street,
away from the crowds.
Despite what
their website promotes, the restaurant no longer offers a prefixe menu. But,
prices are reasonable and portions huge so one really doesn’t need three
courses. Instead, my friends and I decide to share a few appetizers to go with
our mains.
The spring
rolls ($6) needs more vegetables, as I found the glass noodles and wrapper
overpowered everything. Also, the filling could benefit from the addition of
soya sauce, sesame oil and pepper to give it flavour, rather than relying
solely on the hoison or spicy thai sauce that accompanies it.
The grilled
calamari ($14) was decent with two portions and plenty of grilled vegetables.
It’s perfect for the health conscious as there’s no sauces. Despite being
simply salted, the dish was still good.
But, the best
was definitely the spicy southern mac n’ cheese ($13). Prepared traditionally
with macaroni and cheddar, there’s a subtle hint of heat from sriracha added to
it. The dish is topped with crushed Corn Flakes which gives it crunch, but also
soaks up a bit of the sauce creating a lighter gratin topping.
The
Beaconsfield burger ($18) is a full meal! Served with a takeout container of
average tasting fries and a bowl of mixed green salad (plain but well dressed),
there are plenty of sides. Meanwhile, the burger contains a nice thick beef
patty. Despite being cooked through, it’s still juicy and tender and topped
with sweet oven roasted tomatoes, sharp cheddar and caramelized onions. All in
all, a delicious and great value main.
My friend’s pan
seared rack of lamb ($24) is worth noting, adorned with a flaming sprig of
rosemary releasing a great aroma as it’s brought to the table.
Overall mark - 7 out of 10
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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!
