| rev:text
| - I held two Spanish Language events at this place although, I seldom order food at a pub as to me most pub food is well, lame, greasy and generally no better quality than a Hungry-Man microwave dinner. So I cannot personally speak for it however some of my guests who did, were not impressed with the preparation. Overly dried meat patties and fries for example.
Why did I book here? Well, the main reason why I booked here was because it is steps away from the Yonge and Bloor subway station. So, I had to give it a chance if nothing more than for its central location.
I do not know if you ever been to many Firkin owned pubs. I have. The Firkin Group of Pubs is pretty much the golden standard for middle of the road to slightly subpar pubs in Toronto. Awesome pubs like the Dora Keogh Irish Pub, is a perfect example of a pub that is NOT part of the Firkin Group because it is a high end-ish (yet down to earth) pub with a nice decor and wicked live Irish music. So Dora is above the standard set by the Firkin Group.
The Spotted Dick on the other hand is also not a member of the Firkin Group of Pubs and is remarkably below the standard set by them. Which is really quite a shame.
Like it's next door neighbour Peridot Lounge, these two businesses have mystified me for years. Their location, seconds away from one of Toronto's busiest and most famous intersections literally guarantees customer traffic , yet whenever I walk by, they both always seem to be running next to empty. Yet they are still there... they are still in business... it's like magic!
My theory to the mystery has always been both of these locales survive on The Bay and CIBC employees whose buildings are just across the street and are the ones who keep flushing money into them. However because The Spotted Dick's evening/night runs are so slow, they are forced to run on skeleton crews and hence the crappy service and badly prepared food.
Now, British suet pudding aside, size-wise, The Spotted Dick is much longer than it's girth and if you are thinking what I think you are thinking then you should seriously get your mind out of the gutter. Okay?
Okay... back to the Dick, the place is quite narrow and although most of my members thought the place was okay, the fact is we were kinda squished. So I would not recommend the place for large groups as there is only one area that can hold about 15 people seating down.
Also the place has a somewhat run down vibe that's quite palatable. Perhaps it was the inebriated old timers at the bar who looked like they have spent way too much time there? Maybe it was the overworked looking bartender? Maybe I was there on a bad day? I do not know.
Sadly, I made a point to come back to this pub for a drink, to check it out as a proper customer and not as a host but even though the drinks seem to be reasonably priced. this place has proven to be far too forgettable for me to attempt the re-visit.
I give this place 1.5 starts. Why the 0.5, you ask? Maybe because The Spotted Dick is located at a far too good a location to fail completely? Maybe I still have hope they might turn the reigns around and save the joint? Or perhaps because deep inside, like a kid who just saw a woman being sawed in half for the first time, I still believe in magic.
|
![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)
![[cxml]](/fct/images/cxml_doc.png)
![[csv]](/fct/images/csv_doc.png)
![[text]](/fct/images/ntriples_doc.png)
![[turtle]](/fct/images/n3turtle_doc.png)
![[ld+json]](/fct/images/jsonld_doc.png)
![[rdf+json]](/fct/images/json_doc.png)
![[rdf+xml]](/fct/images/xml_doc.png)
![[atom+xml]](/fct/images/atom_doc.png)
![[html]](/fct/images/html_doc.png)