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+-- Forum: Waterloo Region Life (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=12)
+--- Forum: Food, Dining and Nightlife (https://www.waterlooregionconnected.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=22)
+--- Thread: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News (/showthread.php?tid=20)
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RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - tomh009 - 02-24-2019
(02-24-2019, 04:29 PM)clasher Wrote: Abe Erb has a bunch of low-hop beers with real character... Kölsch, Hefeweizen... a real English mild, a few stouts/porters on tap in Kitchener. When I homebrewed a decade ago I found the same thing, everyone was all about making hop-bombs and it seemed like malt-forward beers or anything that wasn't high IBU was like second-class beer. I don't know how if that scene has really changed or not but it seemed to me like everyone was just trying to make bigger, stronger, more alcoholic brews.
Kölsch and Hefeweizen are good. Altbier would be nice, too. Czech pilsners, bitters, milk stouts -- I enjoy most of them, but rarely see them at craft brewers.
I just checked Abe Erb's list, and the selection looks pretty good. Given that Abe Erb is also in DTK, I think I can make that my destination once my current beer inventory runs low.
RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - tomh009 - 02-24-2019
(02-24-2019, 08:49 PM)Rainrider22 Wrote:(02-24-2019, 12:09 PM)tomh009 Wrote: The challenge I personally have is that I'm not a big fan of IPAs -- and IPA (and others of its ilk) make up the majority of many craft brewers' menus.
I'm hoping that the next stage in the evolution of craft beer will see the craft brewers specialize and develop more distinct styles rather than all of them trying to attack the same market segments (such as IPA). Until then, it's less craft beer for me and imported beers will fill that gap.
There are so many great beers being brewed locally outside the IPA though, Block3 has many different styles. I was just at Red Circle, yesterday and tried a flight, wow great job. You just have to experiment, and enjoy the fact that you are supporting local... Thats the biggest factor for me...
I'm old enough that I have already experimented with most of the beer styles that exist.
I have a pretty good idea of which styles I like, but of course individual beers may be better or worse than my expectation.At this point, my priority is good beer (or wine, or whisky …). If it's a craft brewery, that's a nice bonus, but the size of the brewery is not going to override my beer preferences. For me, personally, that is.
I did look at Block Three, and they have some promising-looking beers (Czech lager and Belgian saison). Going out to St Jacobs will be a bigger effort, though! (They do have delivery but not cost-effective for smaller purchases.)
RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - OntMtbr - 03-04-2019
Settlement Co recently opened another location in the former BlackBerry 'D' building off University at Northfield. I believe the address is 2220 University Ave E. Perhaps in anticipation of some new tenants.
RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - Spokes - 03-04-2019
Fantastic. I knew it was in the works but didn't know it was ready yet.
RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - urbd - 03-15-2019
Starbucks is opening in Downtown Kitchener, across City Hall at 191 King St W (King and Gaukel). You can check the Kitchener OnPoint for the renovation permit.
RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - panamaniac - 03-15-2019
Hey, it's DTK. Can't have too many coffee shops ...
Actually, glad to see the PUC space put to some permanent use after so many years.
RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - robdrimmie - 03-15-2019
A coffee shop is probably one of the best possible uses for the building - I walk near it almost every day and it pains me to see it empty, it's such a great-looking space. It's also going to make a lot of people happy that there's going to be a Starbucks downtown.
I'm still disappointed though, for fundamentally no good reason other than a general disregard for chains. I'll almost never get a coffee there.
RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - EdM - 03-15-2019
(03-15-2019, 12:53 PM)robdrimmie Wrote: I'm still disappointed though, for fundamentally no good reason other than a general disregard for chains. I'll almost never get a coffee there.
I'm disappointed for the effect it may have on the (perhaps excessive) number of good, independent coffee shops downtown. We had a good run of excellent coffee and no Starbucks.
RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - robdrimmie - 03-15-2019
(03-15-2019, 02:23 PM)EdM Wrote:(03-15-2019, 12:53 PM)robdrimmie Wrote: I'm still disappointed though, for fundamentally no good reason other than a general disregard for chains. I'll almost never get a coffee there.
I'm disappointed for the effect it may have on the (perhaps excessive) number of good, independent coffee shops downtown. We had a good run of excellent coffee and no Starbucks.
It's a real possibility. I tend to subscribe to the notion that there isn't an excessive number of shops as long as they can all pay rent and most of the coffee shops have been around for a few years so I think in that regard they're doing okay enough. I also know a lot of people who intentionally leave downtown to get a Tim Horton's coffee (some of them I even still consider friends, despite this significant character flaw) so I'm hopeful that those folks who prefer coffee from big chains will have a good option, and those of us who prefer the smaller chains or independent shops will continue to support them. That's an optimistic take though.
The Coffee Time in the Manulife building is probably the most vulnerable to Starbucks' presence, but Manulife is about to start giving all its employees free coffee and that whole population is going to be gone by the end of 2019 anyway, so it is already in a high risky state.
RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - urbd - 03-15-2019
(03-15-2019, 02:41 PM)robdrimmie Wrote:(03-15-2019, 02:23 PM)EdM Wrote: I'm disappointed for the effect it may have on the (perhaps excessive) number of good, independent coffee shops downtown. We had a good run of excellent coffee and no Starbucks.
It's a real possibility. I tend to subscribe to the notion that there isn't an excessive number of shops as long as they can all pay rent and most of the coffee shops have been around for a few years so I think in that regard they're doing okay enough. I also know a lot of people who intentionally leave downtown to get a Tim Horton's coffee (some of them I even still consider friends, despite this significant character flaw) so I'm hopeful that those folks who prefer coffee from big chains will have a good option, and those of us who prefer the smaller chains or independent shops will continue to support them. That's an optimistic take though.
The Coffee Time in the Manulife building is probably the most vulnerable to Starbucks' presence, but Manulife is about to start giving all its employees free coffee and that whole population is going to be gone by the end of 2019 anyway, so it is already in a high risky state.
Agree. Most of the people that enjoy really good coffee and support independent businesses are not the same that will go to Starbucks for their morning coffee. Both will thrive - they cater to different audiences.
RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - goggolor - 03-15-2019
Spotted on Westmount Signs' Instagram: Izna Donburi has a grand opening tonight for their second location, at 140 University Ave West in Waterloo.
RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - JoeKW - 03-15-2019
Izna already has a second location?
RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - Spokes - 03-17-2019
Can't wait for something to be occupying that cool building
RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - tomh009 - 03-17-2019
(03-15-2019, 03:02 PM)urbd Wrote: Agree. Most of the people that enjoy really good coffee and support independent businesses are not the same that will go to Starbucks for their morning coffee. Both will thrive - they cater to different audiences.
I admit to patronizing Starbucks when I travel: it's simply much easier to find one than to search out a good local coffee shop (which don't always exist, either). As for the Kitchener location, I expect I'll go there on my birthday to get my free coffee, but not likely much more often than that.
And I do expect our local coffee scene will (mostly) survive the Starbucks invasion.
RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - Lens - 03-17-2019
I don't mind Starbucks, much better than Tim Horton's being downtown and I think it was only a matter of time until one or the other set up shop in DTK. I do hope they only get signage permits for inside the windows and not drilling all kinds of holes into the gorgeous exterior.