General Food, Dining and Nightlife News

[tomh009]

Gushue (as of last week) had not signed the lease on the old Marisol space.

Still no new-Imbibe.   There's loads of empty downtown Kitchener space.    I reiterate, there must be a lack of capital or there may be personal/health issues.

I wouldn't jump to conclusions so quickly.

Even if Gushue hasn't signed a lease for the Marisol space yet, he may be in negotiations with the landlord, taking it out of play.  If I were planning to open a new pub/restaurant downtown, I would make sure to get the optimal location, even if takes a few extra months.  Having the right location makes a huge difference to the success or failure of this type of establishment.

[ookpik]

I don't think that's too important, given the new iXpress and the fact that it's so close to downtown.

If it's good, I plan to walk there.

Even if we can agree with your sentiments, we must all realize that a substantial part of their potential market will be driving there.

Moreover anyone who wants to buy more than a 6-pack or a growler is going to want to get it home by car. I live quite near the Brick Brewery. Normally I"d have no problem walking there and back. I walk a lot farther routinely to do my shopping and run errands. But when it comes to beer I drive, not because I want to but because I need to.

[Viewfromthe42]

Gushue has gotten Marisol for the Graffiti restaurant.

Between the nearby iXpress, and the fact that I'm at King and Victoria, I'll likely continue my car-free acquisition of beer. That Innocente is also on a bus route directly between home and work is also a growler-filling blessing.

[panamaniac]

Gushue has gotten Marisol for the Graffiti restaurant.

Between the nearby iXpress, and the fact that I'm at King and Victoria, I'll likely continue my car-free acquisition of beer. That Innocente is also on a bus route directly between home and work is also a growler-filling blessing.

For clarity, the former Marisol will become a new restaurant called "Graffiti"?

[Viewfromthe42]

Gushue has gotten Marisol for the Graffiti restaurant.

Between the nearby iXpress, and the fact that I'm at King and Victoria, I'll likely continue my car-free acquisition of beer. That Innocente is also on a bus route directly between home and work is also a growler-filling blessing.

For clarity, the former Marisol will become a new restaurant called "Graffiti"?

Yes. Extremely casual pizza and drinks. Finally, the corrugated metal will be fitting, instead of confusing.

[Viewfromthe42]

Tried The Bruce (at THEMUSEUM, former Imbibe space). Functionally, seems about the same, though the removal of some (not all) of the casual seating, and all of the bookshelves, has allowed for more seating. Decent beer selection (best in downtown currently?), good food, though some items had presentation that went far enough as to make the meal less good than it could have been. Almost filled, with casual book readers, grey-haired drink parties, techies hashing out code, and young couples.

[panamaniac]

Tried The Bruce (at THEMUSEUM, former Imbibe space). Functionally, seems about the same, though the removal of some (not all) of the casual seating, and all of the bookshelves, has allowed for more seating. Decent beer selection (best in downtown currently?), good food, though some items had presentation that went far enough as to make the meal less good than it could have been. Almost filled, with casual book readers, grey-haired drink parties, techies hashing out code, and young couples.

How so?

[Markster]

though some items had presentation that went far enough as to make the meal less good than it could have been.

How so?

Yeah, was it terrible presentation that made the food unappetizing?
Or was it presentation so fancy that it made the food hard to eat?

[tomh009]

I don't think that's too important, given the new iXpress and the fact that it's so close to downtown.

If it's good, I plan to walk there.

Even if we can agree with your sentiments, we must all realize that a substantial part of their potential market will be driving there.

Moreover anyone who wants to buy more than a 6-pack or a growler is going to want to get it home by car. I live quite near the Brick Brewery. Normally I"d have no problem walking there and back. I walk a lot farther routinely to do my shopping and run errands. But when it comes to beer I drive, not because I want to but because I need to.

However ... people picking up beer need much fewer parking spaces than restaurant patrons, as it's usually a pretty quick on-and-out operation.

[tomh009]

Gushue has gotten Marisol for the Graffiti restaurant.

Between the nearby iXpress, and the fact that I'm at King and Victoria, I'll likely continue my car-free acquisition of beer. That Innocente is also on a bus route directly between home and work is also a growler-filling blessing.

Good news on Graffiti.  If the pizza is good (and I do expect it to be), I may become a regular patron (working next door, living five minutes' walk away).

I'm looking forward to the LRT for the hassle-free, car-free LCBO visits.

[panamaniac]

Even if we can agree with your sentiments, we must all realize that a substantial part of their potential market will be driving there.

Moreover anyone who wants to buy more than a 6-pack or a growler is going to want to get it home by car. I live quite near the Brick Brewery. Normally I"d have no problem walking there and back. I walk a lot farther routinely to do my shopping and run errands. But when it comes to beer I drive, not because I want to but because I need to.

However ... people picking up beer need much fewer parking spaces than restaurant patrons, as it's usually a pretty quick on-and-out operation.

Apart from the location's own parking, there is ample parking across the street.  I can't think parking will be an issue.

[Markster]

However ... people picking up beer need much fewer parking spaces than restaurant patrons, as it's usually a pretty quick on-and-out operation.

Yeah, I've never had parking issues at the King/Francis Beer Store. Well, except for when multiple pickup trucks park haphazardly all over the lines.

[Viewfromthe42]

How so?

Yeah, was it terrible presentation that made the food unappetizing?
Or was it presentation so fancy that it made the food hard to eat?

The nachos were tasty, but the kim chi was "presented" in the center, meaning you had to work to get a bit of it onto more than a few nachos.

The Caesar salad is a romaine lettuce cut into two sets of stacked leaves, meaning you have to cut the lettuce yourself. It's a saving grace for me that the sardine was "presented" in one small pile on the end, making it easy to remove (not a fan of the truly traditional Caesar).

That said, the wild boar gnocchi was delicious, the sticky toffee pudding and torte an abundance of sweetness.

[tomh009]

It's a saving grace for me that the sardine was "presented" in one small pile on the end, making it easy to remove (not a fan of the truly traditional Caesar).

Hmmm, does this count as a barbaric cultural practice that should be reported?

[Elmira Guy]

It seems that the Crabby Joe's at University and Weber in Waterloo has closed down. Anyone know if there is something else moving in there or is it just a temporary closure for renos or something?