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General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - Printable Version

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RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - panamaniac - 04-28-2016

Some friends of mine in town for a visit, originally from K-W but living elsewhere for many years now and fairly particular about their food, were craving some "schmecky food" this week and went to the Metro Tavern on Victoria St N. They said the place was very busy, but their descriptions of their food (schnitzel, pierogis, cabbage rolls) was so off-putting that I found myself thinking that they should have sent it all back to the kitchen as inedible.

I haven't been for decades but thought the food was supposed to be pretty good, although not fine dining. Do others have any recent experience?


RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - neonjoe - 04-29-2016

I was at Metro last year, the food is just traditional European all traditional taste with poor presentation.

For myself I do actually prefer the non stuffed Schnitzels during Oktoberfest at the Schwaben or Alpine clubs. I look forward to them each year.


RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - tomh009 - 04-29-2016

I do eat at the Metro relatively often (at least compared to most other local restaurants). As neonjoe says, it's really Central European (Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary) home cooking. I don't find the presentation "poor" but then my expectation at the Metro is "home cooking" so I am not disappointed. My wife enjoys the cabbage rolls (I'm not a big cabbage roll fan myself), we both like the schnitzels (non-stuffed variety, lots to choose from at the Metro) and the goulash and chicken paprikash are also good. Friends and colleagues have also enjoyed the pig tails (again, not my thing).

If the people were expecting haute cuisine, they were in the wrong place. But I have never had food at the Metro that I have even considered sending back.


RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - panamaniac - 04-29-2016

(04-29-2016, 08:41 AM)tomh009 Wrote: I do eat at the Metro relatively often (at least compared to most other local restaurants).  As neonjoe says, it's really Central European (Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary) home cooking.  I don't find the presentation "poor" but then my expectation at the Metro is "home cooking" so I am not disappointed.  My wife enjoys the cabbage rolls (I'm not a big cabbage roll fan myself), we both like the schnitzels (non-stuffed variety, lots to choose from at the Metro) and the goulash and chicken paprikash are also good.  Friends and colleagues have also enjoyed the pig tails (again, not my thing).

If the people were expecting haute cuisine, they were in the wrong place.  But I have never had food at the Metro that I have even considered sending back.


No, they definitely weren't expecting haute cuisine (they used to be big fans of the Heidelberg).   My suggestion to them was to try Two Goblets or J&B, or perhaps Veslo's, next time they are down that way and want the "schmecky fix" (not that I've been to any of them, but one hears good things).  Of their various complaints, the one I discounted was that the schnitzel was "too thick" - I think that is not unusual for local pork schnitzel as I've experienced that myself at other locations in the Region.


RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - tomh009 - 04-29-2016

Hmmmm, as an ex-Heidelberg resident I will say that I would choose Metro over Heidelberg Inn every day of the week and twice on Sundays.


RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - BuildingScout - 04-29-2016

(04-29-2016, 08:41 AM)tomh009 Wrote:   As neonjoe says, it's really Central European (Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary) home cooking.

Quote: I found myself thinking that they should have sent it all back to the kitchen as inedible.

 I tend to think of all Central European cuisine as something that ought to be sent back to the kitchen. Tongue


RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - timio - 04-29-2016

A few years back, I had some svickova in a town in central Czech Republic called Svratka. The presentation wasn't very impressive, but I recall it tasting quite delicious.


RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - clasher - 04-29-2016

(04-29-2016, 11:10 AM)panamaniac Wrote: Of their various complaints, the one I discounted was that the schnitzel was "too thick" - I think that is not unusual for local pork schnitzel as I've experienced that myself at other locations in the Region.

I can't speak for the metro but a few of the local German clubs buy their pork already sliced and "mechanically tenderized" (I don't know the technical term for this but it's full of holes) so it's hard to use a hammer and flatten them completely without the meat falling to pieces. When I used to make schnitzels at these places the hardest thing to do was to get them thin without the pork falling into shreds. Years ago I made some at home with sliced pork loin and got it a lot thinner but it's a lot more work and I would imagine the time and labour would make the cost a bit too high for a lot people.


RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - panamaniac - 04-30-2016

Speaking of schnitzel, has anyone else heard that Two Goblets will be closing on Weber St and re-opening at 22 Ontario St N (former Black Arrow Bicycle)?   All I have is an unconfirmed rumour - it surprised me mainly because 22 Ontario seems like a very small building, although if it incorporated the "secret" courtyard out back, it could be interesting.

And as long as I'm in unconfirmed rumour mode, watch for a new Matter of Taste café/roastery to open by Labour Day in the Columbia/Phillip area.


If these rumours prove to be false, I swear to stop posting unsubstantiated information on WRC!

EDIT:  I just checked and indeed there is a building permit issued for Two Goblets at 22 Ontario St N.


RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - JoeKW - 04-30-2016

I love Two Goblets... the owner is pretty quirky and the schnitzel is delicious


RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - panamaniac - 04-30-2016

Wrong thread, but I wonder if this will put Two Goblet's Weber St location, with its substantial parking lot, in the queue for redevelopment?


RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - clasher - 04-30-2016

Two goblets move is the reason black arrow moved in the first place. I I think it was good for them the new shop is a lot bigger. 22 Ontario does seem like too small of a place to do a restaurant but the Weber location wasn't very spacious either


RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - tomh009 - 04-30-2016

Two Goblets' arrival is excellent news for Ontario St. And I think it'll be good for Two Goblets as well, while the current location is not far, it is not visible from downtown, and there is next to no other retail nearby on Weber.


RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - tomh009 - 04-30-2016

(04-29-2016, 11:10 AM)panamaniac Wrote:
(04-29-2016, 08:41 AM)tomh009 Wrote: I do eat at the Metro relatively often (at least compared to most other local restaurants).  As neonjoe says, it's really Central European (Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary) home cooking.  I don't find the presentation "poor" but then my expectation at the Metro is "home cooking" so I am not disappointed.  My wife enjoys the cabbage rolls (I'm not a big cabbage roll fan myself), we both like the schnitzels (non-stuffed variety, lots to choose from at the Metro) and the goulash and chicken paprikash are also good.  Friends and colleagues have also enjoyed the pig tails (again, not my thing).

If the people were expecting haute cuisine, they were in the wrong place.  But I have never had food at the Metro that I have even considered sending back.

No, they definitely weren't expecting haute cuisine (they used to be big fans of the Heidelberg).   My suggestion to them was to try Two Goblets or J&B, or perhaps Veslo's, next time they are down that way and want the "schmecky fix" (not that I've been to any of them, but one hears good things).  Of their various complaints, the one I discounted was that the schnitzel was "too thick" - I think that is not unusual for local pork schnitzel as I've experienced that myself at other locations in the Region.

Ate at the Metro tonight, partly because of the complaints, wanted to check the situation for myself.  Smile  Definitely still the Central European home cooking style, love it or hate it.  Caesar salad decent (lots of dressing, lots of garlic), gypsy schnitzel quite tasty but on the thick side (fairly typical for a pork schnitzel in my experience).  Cabbage rolls were very good, I was told.  Home fries, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut were all as one would expect, and were washed down by a pint of excellent Staropramen.


RE: General Food, Dining and Nightlife News - panamaniac - 04-30-2016

(04-30-2016, 08:27 PM)tomh009 Wrote: Two Goblets' arrival is excellent news for Ontario St.  And I think it'll be good for Two Goblets as well, while the current location is not far, it is not visible from downtown, and there is next to no other retail nearby on Weber.

(04-30-2016, 08:53 PM)tomh009 Wrote:
(04-29-2016, 11:10 AM)panamaniac Wrote: No, they definitely weren't expecting haute cuisine (they used to be big fans of the Heidelberg).   My suggestion to them was to try Two Goblets or J&B, or perhaps Veslo's, next time they are down that way and want the "schmecky fix" (not that I've been to any of them, but one hears good things).  Of their various complaints, the one I discounted was that the schnitzel was "too thick" - I think that is not unusual for local pork schnitzel as I've experienced that myself at other locations in the Region.

Ate at the Metro tonight, partly because of the complaints, wanted to check the situation for myself.  Smile  Definitely still the Central European home cooking style, love it or hate it.  Caesar salad decent (lots of dressing, lots of garlic), gypsy schnitzel quite tasty but on the thick side (fairly typical for a pork schnitzel in my experience).  Cabbage rolls were very good, I was told.  Home fries, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut were all as one would expect, and were washed down by a pint of excellent Staropramen.

This confirms that I should go in myself - the cabbage rolls (described as frozen, not fresh) and the mushroom gravy (!) on them (described as "glutinous" and "commercial product" were singled out by my friends for special criticism, along with allegedly deep-fried pierogis (!).  Either my friends were out to lunch (so to speak) or somebody in the kitchen was at their worst that particular evening.