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| - I came here for a UYE with some fellow Yelpers. I figured that since the place just opened we would give it a week before attempting. The evening that was planned happened to be their grand opening so the place was packed. We had wanted to sit on the patio but had to resort to sitting inside.
On the patio they had an oyster bar set up. I'm guessing this was just for the grand opening as I didn't see anything on the menu about fresh oysters. The patio is quite large and probably holds a good 60 people.
Inside, this old mansion has been restored to it's former glory and includes a wood burning fireplace and magnificent stained glass window. Hanging on the walls are old pictures of Jarvis street and the mansions that grace(d) the area.
They have a very diverse drinks list that includes beers, mixed drinks, martinis, and more. They are also reasonably priced with most of the drinks at $5-6. I was quite pleased that they had Grasshopper on tap.
The menu has a good depth and range of items and is accurately priced for the portions and quality. Most of the entrees range from $10 to $14 though there are a couple items that go as high as $18. The appetizers and soups range from $7 to $10. As I was sitting right outside the kitchen I saw many dishes pass by and they all looked scrumptious. The chicken wings look plump and saucy and the fish and chips look light and crispy.
I debated starting with the poutine but decided to skip it in the end and just went with the signature burger; The Blake House. The burger is $10 and comes with pickle, tomato, lettuce, and fries. You can add extra condiments for $1 each like cheese and caramelized onions as I did. Unfortunately the burger was really disappointing. It was very average and the the caramelized onions were skimpy. If I'm paying a buck to have a condiment put on I would expect that there would be enough if it that I could taste it, or at least be able to tell that its on my burger. The highlight of the meal was the salad that I swapped for the fries. It was their house salad with mixed greens, red onion and a vinaigrette. Very well done.
To finish the evening, my wife and I shared a creme brulee. For $6 I thought the portion size was a little small compared to Karl's sticky toffee pudding for the same price. However, the creme brulee was very delicious. The top was perfectly charred and the creaminess below was smooth and rich.
For the most part I was very pleased with the staff. Upon walking in, a gentleman asked how many our group was and offered the two of us that had arrived a seat while they cleared a table for us. Our server was a little flustered for most the evening because of the grand opening which she apologized for near the end of our visit. Most of the staff are experienced as they followed the owners from the now closed Groundhog Pub at Bloor and Sherbourne to their new place of ownership.
Overall this is a great place. As with any new place, even though its the same staff and owners as another pub, they have some kinks to work out. This may be my new regular watering hole.
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