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| - After doing an extensive search looking for the best Caesar in Toronto, I ended up at Habits Gastropub.
Was it the best Caesar in Toronto? No - but the jalepeno infused vodka was yummy and it comes by the pitcher!
Was it worth the trek here? YES! Let me tell you why....
1) The service. From the moment we stepped through the door we were greeted and made to feel as if this was our home. Friendly, knowledge-able, accomodating.... Fantastic!
2) The beverage list is long and exotic. They have taken all of the traditional favorites and given them each a unique "twist" (like the jalepeno infused vodka in the caesar, lavendar infused rum in their Mai Tai and Appleton Rum and maple syrup in the mojito)
After finishing our pitcher of Caesars we moved on to sample many. My favorite? The Negroni containing house-infused ginger gin, Cinzano, Campari, house-made bitters, flamed orange zest. YUM!
We were also told if we had a favourite flavor or ingredient they could custom make drinks on the spot! I challenge you to put this to the test. We did and sampled many amazing concoctions!
3) The food - We started with sweet potato fries, grilled calamari (lemon-garlic marinade, buttered rapini, roasted tomato, basil-caper dressing), and nachos (La Tortilleria chips, braised beef, roma tomatoes, smoked cheddar, shredded iceberg, jalapeños, basil-lime crème fraîche). All of the portion sizes are large! Great for sharing.
I was told I had to try the Burger (smoked brie stuffed in Ontario certified Black Angus beef, puttanesca relish, pancetta, house-made spicy aioli, crispy onions, hand-cut fries, Fred's brioche) and was not disappointed. One of the best I have had in this city. Cooked just enough not to meet city safety standards, but not too much to make it dry/hard. The combination of toppings had me worried it would be overwhelming - but they all worked together to give a nice balance of creamy yet flavorful. And the bun was soft and yummy. Good ratio of bun to burger to toppings (its a large mouthful!).
This place is a bit of a trek for me - not my usual area but I will be back here for sure to continue to make my way through the menu and challenge the bartender to mix up more unique concoctions!
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