Mascot Brewery opens 3 level bar restaurant

Mascot Brewery

31 Mercer Street, Toronto

T 416-979-0131

info@mascotbrewry.com

FB, IG, Twitter +Mascot Brewery 

Media Preview

May 13, 2016

A new 3 level restaurant and bar opens up in the Entertainment District in downtown Toronto on Mercer Street.  The main level is a classic bar/restaurant with booths and high top tables and the bar in the centre.  The second level is a club I believe but it wasn't opened and didn't look ready yet.
The third level is a rooftop patio that I am sure will annoy the condo dwellers that surround it as it was already packed and it just opened.

The concept by owner Aaron Prothro and Chef Rory McGouran, who is classically trained is to have tapas style bites.  Smaller portions of dishes that won't break the bank.

I sampled their fantastic Burger which was served medium with a Brioche Bun.  

I also tried the Bone Marrow Applewood smoked cheddar Mac and Cheese and really liked the flavour of it.  I had a tiny sample of it but enjoyed it.

I could smell their fries while on the rooftop patio but didn't try them.  The menu seems to be a bit all over the place with a Tuna Ceviche, Schnitzel, Mole chicken and oysters.  I would like to go back and try a few things from their menu to see what they are like but I can tell you that the sliders that I tasted were fantastic.

It is named Mascot Brewery because they have 2 house beers that are made in partnership with Parkdale's Duggan Brewery.  They serve German Pilsner and German Hefeweizen.

I think it will be a popular hangout for the 30 something set that live in the condos in the area.  

Prenup Pub - New restaurant

Event: Prenup Pub Blogger Tasting
Date:  Dec. 3, 2014
Location: 191 College Street, Toronto

I spent another dinner with a great bunch of Food bloggers at the new Restaurant Prenup Pub for a great tasting of a very diverse menu.

The Prenup Pub (named for what the owner will leave his 5 children), has only been open for 2 months but on our arrival for our dinner the 2 level restaurant was packed with groups of people.  You would have thought it was a weekend night from the hum of the bar/restaurant.  There were large groups of students and some tech geeks and then there were the group of us foodies doing what my friend Mary and I call Speed Eating and Speed Blogging.   We got there and just got seated and organized and then the food started coming.   First there were plates set up for us to take photos of. Imaging what paparazzi in an elevator trying to get a great shot of a baby or something and that's what it's like.   A bunch of dishes on a couple of small tables surrounded by mostly women with cameras and  cell phones trying to get the perfect food porn photo.  Yup that's us if you see us in a restaurant.

Then we sat down and the family style platters came around for us to share and sample the food.  We passed food down the long and packed tables and served up portions on to our tiny side plates.   We all felt like we had to eat fast because all the food practically came at the same time so we had to fill up our tiny plates and pass the food down and then inhale the food so that there was room to scoop up more food from the next platter onto our clear plates.   Why?  Well the tables were small 2 tops pushed together in a booth style/chair set up.   I think there was a dozen of us there.  Large platters, drinks, plates and candles and whatever else was on the table didn't leave much room for platters to linger.
We basically inhaled the food as quickly as we could to make sure we had a chance to try everything.   We all thought it was the fastest tasting ever.

Ok so how was the food?  It was a bit of an eclectic menu I thought.

                                                      What we tried:

Wurst Salad - sliced sausage salad
Waterzooi - Belgian chicken stew from Ghent
Mussels of the Day - Chili tomato sauce
Madame Monsieur Waffle - Ham and cheese on a waffle with a fried egg on top
Prenup Pizza - grilled vegetables on puff pastry
Beer Braised Lamb - Wrapped in phylo pastry served with stoemp, a mash and vegetables.

Pork Schnitzel - with fries and a mushroom sauce
Tiramisu - Italian dessert

So thinking of the origins of the dishes we surfed Italy, France, Belgium and Germany.
My favourite dishes were the Mussels which were perfectly seasoned and flavourful without being overpowering.  The schnitzel and frites were really tasty.  The frites were well made, not greasy and very Belgian style.  The waffle dish would probably be the perfect dish for the hangover crowd on a sunday brunch menu with the sweet and savoury covered in one dish.

I wasn't a fan of the pizza though.  Because it's made with puff pastry it doesn't have the puff it would without the vegetables and it was a bit greasy on the bottom and I wasn't a fan of the tomato sauce.  I prefer a passata fresh tomato sauce.

What I really loved though was the way the restaurant was renovated with solid wood and warm walls and really beautiful chandeliers and great separate rooms that give you that private group feel while still feeling like a huge place.  It had an upscale pub look and feel.   This is the perfect place to meet your friends for beers because they have a whopping 70 beers on Tap.  Not being a beer drinker I can't tell you anything else about the beers so you will have to go and check those out for yourselves.

It's located in the heart of the University of Toronto student scene so expect to see lot's of students looking to have a bit of fun to blow off a bit of studying steam.

Prices might be a bit steep for some students but I bet they will just go for drinks and have some of their great frites.  

Old fashioned Parlour with a New Fashioned Spin

The other night I was invited to go and check out a new Sharing Menu at the Parlour Kitchen-Bar-Lounge.  Parlour's date back to the Speak easy times of the 19th century with a room that was reminiscent of the Parlour or best rooms in one's house.  From the minute I stepped into the place it was a bit like time travelling to another time another place another kind of life.   Located on Adelaide St. West in Toronto in the Club district it's not the usual Club Style of place.  It's located in the lower level of the building but you only step down a couple of steps to get inside.  Once inside you forget what's happening outside.  The windows are draped in Velvet curtains that block out any indication of the urban environment outside.  I was welcomed by the owners and the publicist as if I was stepping into their home.   I was promptly seated and my coat taken to be hung up and out of the way.   It was a rainy/snowy evening but I totally forgot 5 minutes after being inside the space.   I asked a friend to join me who I thought would enjoy that kind of place.   His first impression was the same as mine and he fell in love with our lovely waitress Jenny who told us she usually tends bar and at the end of the evening she said we were her favourite table.   I don't know if it's true but I think she did enjoy all the compliments my friend was showering her with.  Jenny brought us an Old Fashioned Spiced Drink for my friend and a Pink Parlour drink for me.

Now back to the space.  There is a large bar a slight nod to the Cheers (where everyone knows your name) style and where we were sitting by the window were a few high tables.  On the other side of the bar/lounge was the Lounge area with some vintage looking settees and large comfortable chairs that you could sit and cosy up near the fireplace with a friend or loved one.  It really had a warm and cosy feel to the place.  Very intimate and with great background music that didn't overpower conversations like some Lounges do.  That's a big turnoff to me.  If you aren't dancing, you are likely to be chatting and trying to get to know someone or trying to catch up with someone and there's nothing worse than having to yell over the music and leaving without a voice at the end of the night.

And now to the rest of the Staff,  everyone was so welcoming, gracious and friendly and a pleasure to meet.  I think they really want to build up a regular clientele who take ownership of the vibe of the room.  

Then there is the food.   Yes the food was all Sharing types of food.   With Chef Ghanavati who is a well travelled and experienced chef in the kitchen turning out solid plates of food.  Some of my favourite dishes were the Margharita Pizza which is generally a favourite of mine but this was a light crispy crust with beautiful latte di fiore cheese perfectly melted on top.   Not a soggy mess like some places make them after they sit for a minute or 2.   The other favourite was the Beef Tartare served with a Truffle Aoli and nicely toasted baguette slices.   My friend really enjoyed the lamb and beef meatballs.  There was also a lighter dish of quinoa in a belgian endive (canoe) as they called it.  Very tasty and very light.   We ended our tasting with a Cheese board with one Quebec Cheese, Saint Paulin I think,  a Portuguese Manchego and an Italian Parmesan cheese served with the baguette toasts and a marmalade.

Really the only thing that was missing from the menu for me was either a fruit, or dessert plate but I think they have Cannoli available on their menu.  It just wasn't on the sharing menu that I had.

All in All I would totally recommend checking this place out and taking a Date, meeting up with friends during the holidays,  making it an after work destination place or girls night out when you just want to chill out and enjoy the company you are with.


For more info check their website: http://www.parlour270.com/