In a cinch, Bellwoods is a microbrewery that serves snacks. Don't make the mistake of coming here for a complete meal (like me!), and you'll really love it. My first impression was that it's very...hipster-ish. The neutral pastel colour scheme along with the chalk boards remind me of an old fashioned school house. All the servers are wearing some sort of flannel or suspenders, which added to my initial impressions. For a second it made me forget that we were in the heart of downtown Toronto.
All the beer offered at Bellwoods primarily brewed at the back of the restaurant. I settled on whichever the waitress suggested as the most popular beer. Can't go wrong with that, right? This ends up being the Farmhouse Saison It's relatively clean and easy drinking. Someone looking for a heavier beer can try the Witchshark IIPA offering 9% alcohol goodness. I had one sip of my friend's, and trust me you can definitely taste the jump in alcohol content!! *cringe face*
My friends and I ended up trying all the snacks on the menu (we were STARVING!)
Hits:
--The Raw Beef with Sour Vegetables : a must order for anyone who appreciates a nice carpacio
--Duck with Hop shoots and Beet : deliciously prepared bite size portions of duck in a nice vinaigrette sauce
--Pig Heart with Serrano hot sauce : just order it.
Misses:
-Cucumber sticks with paprika: really plain. I could stick a cucumber stick in the microwave and create something similar.
-Potato with anchovy mayo: under cooked and again, relatively plain
-Wheat kernels with hen of woods and chickweed: just something about eating that really turns me off.
Bottom line: love the atmosphere, love the beer, great snacks. :)