LONDON: Food, Coffee, Dining, Etc

[ldoto]

Yes it is true!! Jack Astor's is buying the building is true. It will be the 3rd location in the city!!!! It will open in about 6 to 8 months see it on the A- channel today!!!!

[MolsonExport]

good to see the gap-tooth of richmond will be quite temporary.

[MolsonExport]

Red-Door Cafe has closed. Only open for perhaps a year. In Hyde Park.

Also, Bailey Street Furniture has closed (also in Hyde Park). Open for maybe 5 months.

Funny how Hyde Park is growing gangbusters, but shops/restaurants close practically every other week (e.g., Ozone, Leather outlet, Furniture Direct, half a dozen furniture/rug stores along Fanshawe park rd west)

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Red-Door Cafe has closed. Only open for perhaps a year. In Hyde Park.

Also, Bailey Street Furniture has closed (also in Hyde Park). Open for maybe 5 months.

Funny how Hyde Park is growing gangbusters, but shops/restaurants close practically every other week (e.g., Ozone, Leather outlet, Furniture Direct, half a dozen furniture/rug stores along Fanshawe park rd west)

I remember Ozone. Excellent concept, but the worst possible location short of locating on Manning Drive. It would have done much better on Richmond Row rather than on the urban fringe.

[manny_santos]

A disturbing trend I've noticed with Central London bars over the past couple years is the abuse of power of bouncers. I have now either witnessed or been the victim of being removed from a bar without being intoxicated four times. In cases where I've witnessed friends being removed from bars, it is the result of them being falsely accused of doing something bad, and further investigation by management revealing bouncers using their power to remove patrons they have a personal agenda against. The first time I was removed from a bar I was later told the bouncer only removed me so he could flirt with the girl I had gone there with.

Last night, it happened again, this time at Molly Bloom's. I should have seen the warning signs when an obviously drunken female patron was yelling at me to go away (even though I wasn't talking to her and was ignoring her when she was yelling at me). I don't know who she was, maybe she knew me from my undergrad at Western. I don't know. I tried to explain my situation to the staff but they didn't even try to listen to me or tell me why I was being removed, and they even wouldn't let me go get my coat back - and as we all know it was extremely cold last night. I was stuck standing outside in -20 weather until a friend of mine who knows the manager there could show up and intervene.

I am thoroughly disappointed in the poor service at Molly Bloom's, and not only will I not be returning there ever again, but Richmond Row has got to go on notice. This trend of bouncers abusing their power is disturbing and is a real turn-off for patrons like me. There are many other choices in London for going out.

This also raises the question - are there any regulations for bouncers in Ontario, aside from the requirement to have a Smart Serve card (which you can get with minimal training for $35)?

[MolsonExport]

^I Think that bouncers need to have an IQ of no greater than 75, and a propensity towards thuggishness.

Been a few years, but I encountered a huge amount of the same bouncer bullshitmanship and assholism in my wild oats years in Montreal/Vancouver.

[haljackey]

That sucks. I've never had a problem with bouncers but I agree that some of them can be intimidating. That's the nature of the job I guess...

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

^I Think that bouncers need to have an IQ of no greater than 75, and a propensity towards thuggishness.

Been a few years, but I encountered a huge amount of the same bouncer bullshitmanship and assholism in my wild oats years in Montreal/Vancouver.

Molly Bloom's also has disgusting bathrooms, compared to other London bars/restaurants. Saw an overflowing urinal on Saturday night, the staff member I mentioned it to didn't seem to care. It was still like that two hours later.

[MolsonExport]

^why would they clean up coors light? It's a bar, afterall.

[haljackey]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

^why would they clean up coors light? It's a bar, afterall.

Finally, someone who agrees with me that Coors Light (and most light beer in general) tastes like piss.


A friend of mine came back to London after being away for more than a month. He wanted to meet up at T.J. Baxter's. I had to explain to him that it was closed, and he couldn't believe it.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by haljackey

Finally, someone who agrees with me that Coors Light (and most light beer in general) tastes like piss.


A friend of mine came back to London after being away for more than a month. He wanted to meet up at T.J. Baxter's. I had to explain to him that it was closed, and he couldn't believe it.

I just told someone at Fanshawe today they were closed. She wasn't aware either.

[MrSlippery519]

Originally Posted by haljackey

A friend of mine came back to London after being away for more than a month. He wanted to meet up at T.J. Baxter's. I had to explain to him that it was closed, and he couldn't believe it.

I just had the same thing happen this weekend, close friend of mine was talking about going there this summer....was sad to inform him it wont be happening

[manny_santos]

It's official...

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2011/07/13/18414926.html

[Rosso Corsa]

going to revive this old thread

Updates on new dining downtown:

1. Wich is Wich - sandwich place on King across from the market - served the best sandwiches I've ever had. 10/10! Anyone else been here yet? It's owned by past Q97.5 radio host and executive chef who cooked for billionaires while on a private yacht - Buffett, Di Caprio, Gates, etc.

2. Saddle up - new country bar on King across from JLC - great patio, owner also owns a rib stand so supposedly good ribs and other southern food here

3. Toboggan - revamped the old JBR's on Richmond into a restaurant/bar, and moved Pizza Pie from across the street into Toboggan. Apparently London has a toboggan heritage, hence the name. Also a brewery, and they serve a bunch of their own brews - did not disappoint!

4. Union Burger - date TBD - being constructed on Richmond right beside JBRs. Per their website, that location is for sale as a franchise...

Archie's is now closed - the bathing suit store on Richmond between Mongolian and Barney's. Good location.. wonder if anything will creep up here?

[jaradthescot]

I can confirm that Saddle Up is a great country bar. Went there for the fight two weeks ago and they had some good, inventive twists off standard pub fare, and good music before the main event. Haven't been to the others (except Toboggan just to peek in -- looking forward to giving it a try soon).

[HillStreetBlues]

I was in London this weekend to visit relatives and take advantage of free babysitting, and took my wife out for dinner for our anniversary. I couldn't think of a really nice and fairly affordable place, so we wound up going to Michael's, which was excellent but not exactly on the inexpensive side.

I'm glad we went because we've avoided it in the past for the price, but I was a bit disappointed in myself as a Londoner because we went there simply because that was one of the only places I could remember. My relations are on the west end and I had hoped for J.J.'s Bistro in Byron, but apparently it closed a decade or so ago (!). I always remembered it being an excellent meal for a more-or-less reasonable price.

What are the new fine dining or casual fine dining stalwarts in London? I remember places like David's Bistro, Church Key, Garlic's, and Bertoldi's. Is there anything new that has to be tried by someone who comes to London a couple of times a year looking for a nice dinner? Any restaurants that instantly became classics?

On a related note, when did City View become a location of Under the Volcano? Man, that place was the best; that was a sad thing to see. Maybe I hadn't been past that intersection in a while, or maybe I willed myself to unsee that.

[K85]

What are the new fine dining or casual fine dining stalwarts in London? My understanding is there are a few places on Richmond near the Grand. I usually do burger joints with the misses, so can't attest to that.


Is there anything new that has to be tried by someone who comes to London a couple of times a year looking for a nice dinner? Any restaurants that instantly became classics? Classics = Mexicactus. I say it based on the quality of the food. It's kinda run down, not near anything special, and well, cheap looking. But hot damn is the food great!!!

On a related note, when did City View become a location of Under the Volcano? Maybe 2 years ago? The closed City View, then renovated. UtV's lease was up as my understanding goes, so they had to move.

[HillStreetBlues]

Thanks a lot for the Mexicactus recommendation! I checked out the menu, and it seems like pretty standard Mexican- if you say it's good food, I'll check it out. We have friends who live Trafalgar and Clarke, so I'll suggest that next time we see them.

Cryin' shame about City View. What a great diner that was. Under the Volcano's a good restaurant as I remember it, though.

[MrSlippery519]

We love under the volcano, certainly nothing special but decent food at a fair price.

Check out Waldo's (either in Byron or downtown) again I find great food at reasonable prices, all fresh.

[tyeman200]

The Moxie's on Wellington near my work closed a few weeks ago (didn't see that one coming ). A new restaurant is taking its place though, called Crave. At least I think thats what it's called.