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Cowbell Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Canadian (New) Canadian (New) [Edit]
1564 Queen Street WestToronto, ON M6R 1A6
Neighbourhood: Parkdale
(416) 849-1095
- Hours:
Tue-Thu 5 pm - 10 pm
Fri 5 pm - 11 pm
Sat 10 am - 11 pm
Sun 10 am - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
40 reviews for Cowbell Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"The menu changes all the time and is written on a..." In 5 reviews -
"The crispy duck eggs were delightful and the whole meal was..." In 4 reviews -
"They have a decent sized wine list, but nothing huge." In 4 reviews
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40 reviews in English
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Review from Arlene M.
3/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Went here for dinner with some friends from Toronto while I was traveling for business. The place is small but has a nice ambience...the chalkboard menus look pretty cool, and their chairs are comfortable. Their emphasis is on fresh, seasonal cuisine, which is ubiquitous in California but I haven't seen too many places like this in Toronto.
We started off with some oysters, which were extremely fresh and really great. I wasn't in the mood for a big entree, so I got their cheese and charcuterie platters. It came out in one big board, the serving sizes were large enough that I was able to share it with my buddies. I loved all the house-made charcuterie, but my favorite was the head cheese. So yummy! Probably the only disappointment was that they didn't have any raw-milk cheeses at the time we went, though the cheese selections were all pretty decent. I had some bites of my friends' dishes, such as the pork belly, edemame and brussels sprouts, the quality of their produce is definitely very good. We had a bottle of local Ontario wine which was both reasonably priced and tasty.
I would go back here again if I were in the area. -
Review from Juliana H.
Toronto, ON
3/18/2012
Actual rating 3.5.
I got to try Cowbell today for brunch. Though it was around 12:30, I was surprised to see the restaurant was pretty empty. Coming from the land of Leslieville, I'm used to ridiculous line ups for any weekend brunch spot; instead here, we were invited to choose our table. A nice change of pace!
Immediately, I liked the interior of the restaurant. It was homey without being over the top kitschy. Our server came over immediately and took our drink order - two $6 caesars to begin with - yummy! While we waited for our drinks, we took time looking over the chalkboard menu. It was a tough call because so much looked good. I finally decided on the smoked ham and five year cheddar quiche with frisee salad with walnuts, and a side order of bacon to share. My partner had another caesar, and the tongue sandwich with a hen egg and kale, and I had a coffee.
While we were waiting, we were privy to a musical battle between the kitchen staff and the servers. At first it was kind of funny, but the constant changing of songs got annoying fast. Afrobeat to Joni Mitchell to Radiodread... like it all but leave one on already!
I have to say, the quiche was pretty good, but it was cold in the middle which turned me off. Also, I may not be a botanist, but I'm pretty sure the leafy green that made up my salad was kale. I like kale, but uncooked, it was pretty tough, so I passed on it. The bacon and the hen egg were very good though, I must say.
The bill came to $70. In my opinion, that was too high for what we had. Having said that, I would come back and try dinner. -
Review from Tyler B.
Oakville, ON
2/1/2012
Great Value!
Randomly stopped in for brunch...
Clean, pleasant, and great service. The presentation and taste of the food made me think this
Pro - We had the pulled pork duck egg benny, it was unreal. This restaurant has that magnificent ability to introduce you to new tastes that you'll love. Also they serve you water just under room temperature (which I think is perfect).
The server was pleasant, and helped us make a great decision on what to order. The interaction with our server was kept brief and casual, but the level of service is above your average sit-down chain restaurant. The inside (even though not significantly spectacular) atmosphere is trendy, classy, and inviting.
Con - The outside presentation makes it look like a dive bar, and is not at all eye catching. The washroom was out of paper towel with no other way to dry my hands. During busy times there are obvious seating areas that will be cramped and unpleasant for guests. i.e. next to the entrance.
Other than those few things ... This is the perfect restaurant for discovering fantastic new flavors in a casual setting.
Great Value! -
Review from Jennifer L.
Toronto, ON
1/22/2012
Came across Cow Bell this past weekend when I was trying to go to another place which was closed. The menu looked interesting and really unique compared to some of the other standard brunch spots with items like...
Smoked arctic char eggs Benny, pulled pork Benny, fried duck eggs, hen or duck eggs, caramelized apple pancakes, etc.
I had the smoked arctic char eggs benedict - overall it was pretty good but I was disappointed with the English muffins which were overcooked and really hard on the bottoms. I could barely cut the muffins so it didn't make for an enjoyable meal.
The service was great and the lattes were tasty. Prices were average to a bit high for breakfast. -
Review from John B.
Toronto, ON
9/25/2011
This isn't a review, per se (though I'm in complete agreement with all the positive reviews for the food) as much as a sweet story of our experience here on my second wedding anniversary with my wife.
Everything was going nicely, we were feeling adventurous with the charcuterie plate and enjoying our wine when the owner - looking sort of like Marc Maron with a longer goatee - came by to see how we were doing. As he was clearing our table, he accidentally spilled a glass of water on my wife. It was not that big of a deal, and I'm horribly embarrassed at making any kind of scene, anyway, so we all quickly recovered and continued with the evening. Fast forward to the end of the evening, and the owner had completely comped our meals. We thought this gesture was over-the-top, as everything about our night was otherwise excellent. Our server was sweet and funny, our various meats were cooked with special attention and our desserts were pretty darn delicious.
And as for over-the-top, as we made our exit (after dumping whatever cash we had on hand for a tip - we couldn't not pay anything), the owner saw us out and gave us each a hug as final apology for spilling the water. These were real hugs, too (I think our ears connected during my own special embrace) and so we left feeling better than when we came in. Not a bad evening. -
Review from Chris P.
Great brunch experience here.
The value is good with a plate costing you just over $12 on average. I went with the pulled pork eggs benedict. The crispy duck eggs were delightful and the whole meal was well portioned and delicious.
If I were you I'd skip the fresh-squeezed OJ. It's $6 which is a little outrageous. You can get something with alcohol in it for a better price than just straight-up OJ.
The decor is fun and homey and the mismatched dishes are quirky.Listed in: December 2011
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Review from Amit K.
Toronto, ON
5/10/2011
Walked in and loved the cozy atmosphere. The wait staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and let us order and eat at our own pace. Was also
The food was also delicious. Everyone enjoyed their meals and would not hesitate to come back. The value for the money was good considering the high quality of meat that is served. I had their burger and it was juicy, flavorful and filling. The accompanying fries were decent.
My issues? One was location - very far out west on Queen. But I guess this can't be controlled. The biggest issue, however, is that the menu is located on a small chalkboard in the corner of the restaurant. We were lucky to have a good view, but even then it was hard to read for some people. I can't imagine what people at the other end of the restaurant would do to read the menu! -
Review from Tonja B.
Toronto, ON
4/10/2011
Besides the wonderful individuals accompanying me, my favourite part about brunch at Cowbell was leaving. Waiting 25 minutes for coffee: fail. Cold food, especially cold roast tatters: fail. 3 different servers and one who admits that she "doesn't really work here," super fail.
Despite the fact that I had to careen my neck to view the chalkboard menu (the only menu in the joint) the items listed have potential to be delicious! Pulled pork benny? Yes, please! Too bad it wasn't warm and not very appetizing to look at. To top it off, it's overpriced - 2 eggs, roast tatters, a biscuit and a choice of bacon or sausage for $15?
Overall, I was quite disappointed. It's Sunday morning; I would be more than sympathetic if it was a) busy, but it wasn't and b) if they were short-staffed, perhaps?
But wait, there's an honourable mention:
Their orange juice is the freshest; squeezed-to-order. -
Review from Dale M.
Toronto, ON
4/10/2011
Since first pointing my pen at the Toronto food scene a year and a half ago I've more than once been asked "So, you like meat. Have you tried Cowbell?" Well, I have now. Though I don't see what all the fuss was about.
OK, I did get a bit of a warm, fuzzy feeling when I heard that Cowbell emphasizes local, organic livestock with liberal arts degrees and first-rate grammar, but at the end of a meal it's not the cow's pedigree I'm concerned about so much as what's been done with Bessie since her life story came to its abrupt end at the abattoir.
I started with a smoked pork hock and sweetbread terrine, and found the split pea mustard that accompanied it to be the most exciting part of the dish. Perhaps I was expecting more flavour than one should ask from the humble thyroid.
Things got only marginally better with my main - red deer hip, braised kale and a venison empanada. The deer was cooked and presented beautifully, showcasing the meat's bright red colour with thick-cut, medium-rare pieces stacked all the way down the right side of my plate. The meat was delicate, flavourful and oh-so-juicy but, disappointingly, over-salted even for my taste. The kale was, I think braised in the venison juices but turned out bitter and left me begrudging the fact that I could have done a better job of it myself. To complete the triad of mediocrity that was my main, the venison empanada tasted like a spring roll. The filling was shredded venison, and might have done better had it been served on a soft tortilla or maybe some Melba rounds.
My companion was quite happy with her burger. The fries that accompanied it were fantastic and the thick, smoky beef rashers that topped the burger were a neat spin.
For $160 (including booze, tax and tip) I expect more. While my date enjoyed her meal, I left feeling let down. It didn't help that our server was borderline MIA - she was the only one working, and by the end of the meal even settling our bill became an exercise in patience. -
Review from Jill H.
9/17/2011
I had high expectations for you, Cowbell. You've got so many fans and recos that I thought you would be an awesome place for brunch...but you disappoint!!!!!
The service was pretty good (although the restaurant wasn't busy on an early Saturday morning), but for some reason you just couldn'tget it right! The tea was cold and tasted like coffee, which started the morning off on a poor note. But it didn't get much better. The duck eggs benny...supposedly one of the reasons people come to Cowbell...was average. It didn't really excite. It didn't come out very warm....like it was waiting in the back for a while....which is always kinda disappointing when you are having eggs!
Oh, where, oh where is there a great brunch in Toronto?!?!?! My search (frustratingly!!!) still continues.............. -
Review from Eva Z.
9/2/2011
Cowbell, where to begin. You squeezed us into a sardine box, dining with the tables next to us was not in the cards and we were lucky enough to have 2 seats at the bar open up. Make reservations, otherwise first come first serve at the bar (seating for 6 I believe). This was a great spot to see the action in the kitchen, and the service was attentive since the barman only had 6 people to tend to.
There was lots of tasting and it began with homemade butter and bread, both out of this world deliciousness. The butter was 100% artisan goodness that you could eat by the pound. We shamelessly asked for an extra serving of it. Our app's consisted of house salamis, pates and cured meats, with house pickled mini pickles and other mini goodies. For entree's we had file mignon with a red wine reduction that was juicy and tender. We ordered a bottle of red that was the bar mans recommendation, ($95), and it did compliment our meal. We then split a cheese platter that was fabulous, as all cheese is. There was dessert that followed with a shot of port although I can't seem to remember what we had. (It's been 3 years).
The bill came to about $300, for which two 'ducks' got very stuffed with yum. We were impressed regardless of the tab and went home happy and raving. I'm not sure if the quality of food's changed since, but I'd be curious to have another go. -
Review from S. E.
Toronto, ON
4/30/2011
Ordered:
Sparkling water, 2 pints of #9, Charcuterie Plate, 5 Cheese Plate
Beef Tenderloin
Pastrami Beef Cheeks
Espresso
Chocolate Pecan Pie with Maple Whiskey Ice Cream
I'm not sure where to begin - but it seems as though words may not do this restaurant justice.
First, our server was great - and enthusiastic about what was happening in the kitchen... there is something encouraging about someone who knows the food, and doesn't just serve it. She was great about timing, and explained each piece on the charcuterie and cheese plates. All Canadian or local goods.
We ate every bit of goodness from the two plates, and especially liked the pear and creamy double-cream brie.
When the mains came, the portions were exactly as I expected - not too large to make you uncomfortable after the appetizers.
My pastrami beef cheeks were amazingly smokey with lines and layers of fatty bits that nearly made bites melt. Under it, were bitter and vinegary collard greens that allowed the beef cheeks room to breathe - for the flavours to work so well together, I wish I had two stomachs.
My partner had the tenderloin, and she was sure it was the best steak she'd ever had. medium rare - but so, so soft.
I could go on and on, but basically, it was the most memorable and lovely meal we've had in months. Definitely recommended. -
Review from jenna m.
10/17/2011
my brunch experience at Cowbell
Service: We were seated and attended to immediately upon arriving. Our server was polite and attentive to our needs.
Atmosphere: The dining area of the restaurant channeled a french turn of the century bistro with lovely decorative finishes.
Value: good value for moderate brunch prices. brunch dishes ranging from $12-15 a plate. fun brunch drink menu for $6. however, a glass of fresh squeezed OJ goes for $6-which I found to be above market price.
Menu: The chalkboard menu was diverse and appeared to have some interesting combinations of dishes. Comfort food at its best.
I selected the eggs benedict that was prepared beautifully with crispy duck eggs, hollandaise sauce, pulled pork on a home style biscuit with a side of collard greens. The rich buttery fullness of the hollandaise sauce paired sweetly with the pulled pork bbq sauce.
the benny was delicious. the crispness of the duck egg played well with the soft texture of the homemade biscuit. it is the kind of food that you savor and then want to go home and take a lazy sunday afternoon nap after consuming.
Overall, it was a very pleasant experience. Another gastronomic gem in parkdale.Listed in: best brunch joints in Toronto
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Review from Stephanie C.
Toronto, ON
2/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
My friends and I met up for an impromptu dinner at 7:30pm; we left the restaurant at 11pm. We didn't realize that we had stayed here for so long but the atmosphere at Cowbell seems to be 'take your time, enjoy the food'. And enjoy the food we did. It was one of the most sumptuous dinners I've ever had.
To kick things off, our group of 7 ordered four appetizer platters. The menu changes regularly so our platters included different charcuterie, cheeses, as well as fried smelts and pickled vegetables.
For the main, I ordered a pasta dish which had long, thick noodles with bok choy, chestnuts and drizzled in truffle oil. It was good but I should have ordered the Cowbell burger. One of my friends was generous to give me a bite and I can say, hands down, that I've never tasted such a good burger before. I didn't realize that meat could taste that good because it had so much flavour. I also believe the burger is part of the regular menu, so do yourself a favour and get it.
My only complaint of Cowbell is the overall service. Having said this, our waiter was fantastic and took great care of us but between him and the two other wait staff, communication seemed non-existent. For example, our waiter would check in on us and see if we wanted more wine or whatever else, and then 5 minutes later, another waiter would come to us and ask the same question.
Getting this much attention is nice and it's better than receiving none. But after a while it was obvious that the three of them didn't communicate to each other or even had a set plan as to how they serve their customers.
Otherwise, the food is absolutely delicious. I recommend everyone should try to have dinner here at least once.Listed in: Top 5 Best Meals
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Review from Nadia O.
Toronto, ON
12/16/2011
Probably one of the best quality ingredients you'll find in Toronto, they pride themselves from ordering many of their produce locally, so I all I hoped for was that the waiters knew about it, but feebly... Give us an interesting story, please! At the very least, someone in there should know everything about the exclusive food for the mind boggling price must have something fascinating attached to it, I hope!!
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Review from Jacob K.
7/1/2011
MORE COWBELL!!! A recommendation from a friend has been a boon. I highly recommend this neighbourhood gem. All the food is so fresh, prepared in-house. The service was excellent.
I indulged in a seared whitefish, with a quinoa salad, sea asparagus and oyster mushrooms. The quinoa salad had a creamy texture to it; the white fish was very moist and soft. The sea asparagus was a nice compliment to the fish.
The peanut butter and jelly ice cream was very peanut buttery, which is exactly what I want in a dessert.
For those looking for a good date location, check out Cowbell. The neighbourhood makes for a nice post-dinner constitution. -
Review from Kieran S.
Toronto, ON
1/28/2011
I went to Cowbell for their brunch. Agree with a few commentators above -- the meal was inconsistent.
I ordered the everything platter. The platter came with eggs, beans, sausage, meatloaf and pancakes.
The beans were fantastic. The beans themselves were intact, but still juicy and delicious.
Surprisingly, the homemade meatloaf was quite dry and not appetizing, as was the sausage. The eggs were perfectly cooked, and the pancakes were delicious.
We also got the artic char eggs benedict. While the everything platter was okay, the artic char benedict was amazing. The artic char melted in my mouth -- it was a great dish.
As for Toronto brunch, the meal wasn't that expensive. I paid $17 for the platter which is steep, however, the eggs Benedict was a reasonable $12.
As for the service, the server was incredibly nice and helpful. However I agree with another reviewer above, the service was stretched. There was one server for the restaurant, and as it filled up she became a little overwhelmed.
The brunch here is good, and I would definitely return. -
Review from Farheen K.
Toronto, ON
9/16/2010 ROTD 2/11/2011
What is the new culinary trend? Sharing plates, small plates, tapas, other creative deprivation methods that require your right hand in payment for a full stomach. Every new culinary venture is trying to capitalize on every morsel being gingerly consumed by you. Fair deal would you say?
Cowbell is doing none of that. They're introducing you to your local farmer, changing their menu daily with whatever fresh meat and produce comes their way, hosting events highlighting farms etc. etc. All good green sustainable stuff I suppose.
But the food! my goodness the food! It is simply delicious and the portions are generous. My pickerel felt like a fluffy cloud inside my mouth. We requested lamb even though it wasnt on the menu so the chef just threw together some ingredients and gave us a lamb tagine unlike anything we've ever tasted before. There is an excellent selection of wines to compliment your food and the desserts simply delectable.
Cowbell is doing this whole culinary thing absolutely right.Listed in: 15 Seconds of ROTD fame
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Review from Andreas D.
Toronto, ON
10/17/2010
Inconsistent, that's the word that describes Cowbell for me.
I wish I could give 2.5 stars because that's exactly how my experiences were. Food was either excellent or almost inedible.
On my first visit my wife's venison burger was out of this world - my own beef stew so under-seasoned to be devoid of any taste. I rarely send food back to the kitchen, this was one of those occasions.
The next time I went with a business associate, everything was great. Home cured sauerkraut, beautiful ham hocks. Awesomeness all round.
Today we went for brunch, and again my wife's choice - eggs, merguez sausage and home fries - were well executed, the sausage excellent, the duck eggs perfectly poached. My own order, a hash with smoked brisket, was a mixture of blad gristly bits and oil, nothing short of awful. We were in a hurry, and I was hungry, otherwise I would have asked to change my order.
The Cowbell is a beautiful restaurant, service has always been just the right mixture of relaxed and friendly, but something weird is going on in the kitchen. -
Review from Tiffany G.
Toronto, ON
5/4/2011
CowBell has the presentation of a great brunch place but lacks in service and food quality. I went a couple Saturday's ago just after 12 noon expecting a crowd yet found it virtually empty. Yet, the service was very slow. I sat for 10 minutes waiting for my mimosa. Then another 15 minutes waiting for water. I felt like it was an inconvenience for the waitress to even be serving us.
So, when we finally did get our food....it did not meet up with my expectations though considering NOW gave it an exceptional rating it should have.
I ordered the Corned Beef Hash with Maple Whiskey eggs. The presentation was great...but the maple whiskey overpowered the taste of the potatoes and eggs resulting in an overly sweet dish. I realize maple syrup is generally sweet but I think it should be used on a savory dish as something that will bring all the flavours together. Unfortunately, it was miss.
My partner had the Smoked Arctic Char Benny...which was just OK. It just was not a memorable dish and definitely not worth $14.
All in all, Cowbell is too expensive for less than tasty food. I won't be returning. -
Review from sarah l.
11/23/2009
A summary of my visit to cowbell is good food, bad server.
The good:
- the food was good. The menu changes all the time and is written on a chalkboard. They buy whole animals and use all of them. The salami offerings are all made in house and the other ingrediants are sourced locally when they can be. It's generally a cool place with good food.
- I had the baked beans which was a mistake. I should have had a meat product. The baked beans were only 2 stars but everyone elses meat dishes were 3 to 4 stars. My salad was plain but really good.
- the restroom was clean & I like their faucet
- really like the tiles on the floor
- they didn't rush us out the door at all like other reviews, in fact they seemed happy to have us stay as long as we liked
The bad:
- we had a server I didn't like. He didn't explain the menu and really only seemed interested in talking to a wine-guy who was part of our group. He was really distant and uninterested in the rest of the table. In contrast, my friends knew one of the other servers who stopped by to give my side of the table a run down of the menu and she was excellent. This would be a 4 star review if she had been our server.
Would I go here again?
Maybe. It's really out there in parkdale and it was good but not amazing. If other people wanted to meet here I would be happy to do so but I wouldn't choose this venue. -
Review from Ryan A.
3/21/2010
In the words of Christopher Walken... 'I could use a little more cowbell!'
Check out this place when you want to splurge a bit... the plates are all around $30.
I've had the rainbow trout, which came with parsnip pure, rutabaga, pickled radishes. Was delish... when I got the plate it looked like a small portion, but I was very full after.
I've also had the venison, which came with some kind of sausage. It was an awesome plate.
More Cowbell! I'll be back for sure. -
Review from Colleen M.
ETOBICOKE, ON
8/22/2010
We had dinner last night and overall a good experience. The Charcuterie tray was outstanding as was the cheese tray. The entree of Pickerel and Beef were just ok considering the price they charged. Pickerel was fresh and cooked perfectly, however underseasoned....which was consistent with each entree. Selection of wines were limited. For advertising local cuisine, the wait staff didnt know the origins of any of the ingredients i asked them about other than it was from "ontario" or "canada".
Overall good....but would be better if the prices reflected the experience. -
Review from Taylor O.
5/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
More evidence for the creation of an entire express subway line solely to reach this area. I had the beef cheek, with which, the texture almost reminded me of a good Montreal Smoked Meat. Love the non-rushed, friendly atmosphere, perfect for enjoying good company and good food, the way a restaurant should be.
Listed in: Carnivorous Canada
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Review from Marc W.
11/1/2008
This place is a foodies dream come true.
I was there on a sat night and was lucky to get one stool at the bar.
This is a place that takes local sourcing very seriously. They change their menu on a constant basis. They only buy whole animals and use every cut of the beasy. They make their own butter and use the left over buttermilk to make biscuits for their hamburgers. These guys are hard core. If I were still a chef, I would want to work here.
I had a Thuringer sausage (with lentils I think) as an app and seared red deer for an entree. The red deer was really amazing b/c it was actually a shoulder cut (normally on the tough side) which they had put in a sous-vide and a very precise emersion heater until the entire piece of meat was up to medium rare, then they waved it over a flame to get some sear on it. It was super tender.
The only complaint that I would have is that the wine by the glass list was really lousy. I would liked to have tried a couple of local Ontario or BC wines but the only one they had was not drinkable in my book and especially not up to par with the great food. So I settled for a low brow Sicilian red.
The service was good too. I chatted with my waiter here and there about the food they make and local wines.
If you are at all a foodie, I would highly recommend this restaurant.
Their food would have been so much better with a good wine to go with it. And since I was by myself, I was not going to buy a whole bottle.
At the end I had a pear/ice cream dessert with a couple of Ontario ice wines. It was ok, but lacked imagination, not a zinger. The ice wines were nice though. An interesting contrast to German ice wines that have more acidity and are thus more food friendly. -
Review from Martin W.
5/27/2011
I had a tough time figuring out what to rate this place. On one hand I like the decor, the intimacy, the service, and the taste of the food. I also like that they drag in their own cow and chop it up. What I am not entirely sure of is if I would eat here again. Though good, I was still quite hungry after my main which cost $30. I think I'd like to give the burger a try but really I'm not sure if this would be my first choice restaurant in the area.
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Review from Lindy V.
Toronto, ON
12/5/2009
Just phenominal every time!
Perfect atmosphere for a date. Also great for close relatives. The food is simply delicious. On the menu are dishes that utilize the entire animal, not just choice cuts, which makes for interesting and tasty original creations. The whole animal is purchased and used in a sustainable way, minimizing waste and buying from local farmers they know by name. -
Review from Richie S.
1/5/2010
Ate here with the in-laws.
Shared the large charcuterie - verrrrrry thin slices of a few meats; tasty but too small for more than two to share.
I loved my burger, as I got to have it rare. The rest of us enjoyed as well. Nice wine list too.Listed in: Mmmmeat, Great, but
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Review from Seth D.
11/21/2011
This was a solid 4 star experience for me, although it could have easily been 5. I was a little hesitant to go at first because of the mixed reviews I had read, but it seemed like my kind of place. I made reservations for 7 on a Friday night, but was surprised to find it dead when we walked in. I think there were 2 other couples. It was a little nicer and quieter than I thought it would be though, which was perfect for our date. They have multiple chalk boards around the room with various tempting offers on them, and you'll want to try them all if you know anything about good food. They have a decent sized wine list, but nothing huge. We ordered a salad and the crispy pork belly rarebit as an appetizer and oh my goodness they were delicious. I love raw kale and few restaurants would have the guts to serve it that way. It had radishes, thinly sliced apples, and beets in it, and was drizzled with a light yet creamy buttermilk vinaigrette. The pork belly was ridiculously tasty and melted in my mouth (which is watering at the moment from the thought of that tender, moist, meaty piece of heaven), although I wasn't a huge fan of the cornbread. It tasted really good, I'm just not a big lover of crumbly cornbread. When we ordered our pork and duck breast entrees we asked where the pork came from. As expensive as it is and since buying local is a big deal to them, I was looking for a story about the farm it came from. I was disappointed though when they had to ask the chef and only came back with the town they came from. As slow as it was, they should have taken that one a little further. The pork and sausage were really good and had some really unique delicious flavors. The duck breast was good, although not the best I've ever had. Not quite as red as I like it, but one of the best tasting I've ever had. And lastly we ordered dessert of a "coffee" pudding. Yes we checked to make sure they didn't mean toffee, but they said it wasn't a mistake. Anyways it was melt in your mouth, then melt your whole body delicious, although didn't taste like coffee at all, more like toffee. The meal really was very close to perfect and even more than I had expected with the exception of their lack of knowledge around the back story of their creations. I would love to come back again if I'm in Toronto again.
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Review from Alvin V.
Toronto, ON
11/5/2010
**UPDATE
It's probably nice to note that Cowbell is the first restaurant in Toronto to get LEAF certification for its green ways:
http://www.torontolife...
"I need more cowbell!".....in order to give this restaurant a proper review. The main reason being that this place changes it's menu everyday according to what they get in fresh. One thing to note is that their beef is also grass-fed.
While I enjoy variety, it's hard to actually rate this restaurant properly because their menu isn't consistent and some days might be better than others.
A lot of great restaurants are popping up in the Queen west end of the city. You just have to be diligent in doing your research because they're spread in between a not-so hip streetscape mixed with used washing machine stores and weird accessory shops. I do have to mention that a lot of artists have opened galleries in this area too so maybe to them it's hip.
Decor/Location:
It's quaint and small with some cushioned benches and wood chairs. It has a nice rustic-chic feel to it without being too modern or too country-like.
My main beef, though it's not even something I should consider because restaurants are about the dining experience primarily, is that cell phone reception sucks. Fine, I'll consider that our restaurant was near the back of the restaurant(which, again, is not big). My friends and I all had only 1 bar at most intermittently but most of the time we had no signal at all. Sure, fine I shouldn't fault the restaurant for that but I can't help putting blame somewhere. Besides, location is important to restaurants because of accessibility and to me, cellular reception is an expected feature unless I'm dining in the subway or underground.
Food:
The food was spectacular. As I said before, the menu items change everyday so I am excited to try it again another day. If it's as good as I had, then it's time to 5-star-it-up!
We started off the Charcuterie sharing platter which was so tasty. I wish I could have these all in a subway sandwich. Some of them were even infused with chocolate!
I ordered a dry-rubbed pork tenderloin which was tender and flavorful. it was accompanied with pancetta crisps and safron rice.
My cousin ordered something called Crispy Testina which is......pig's face..haha. As gross as it sounds, the way they made it and presented it was awesome. It melted in my mouth with a perfect harmony of moisture and crispiness.
For dessert, we ordered all the desserts to share because they were made in house. The one that stood out a lot was the gourmet style smores they made! WOW. You need to order that when you go.
On a tangent for a second, I just want to say that I'm not always going to be sophisticated with my vocab. In fact, whenever I go to more upscale restaurants, I'm mesmerized by the way they describe how the food is prepared and the funky ingredients always seem to entice. But, I usually forget what they say and sometimes when I try to regurgitate it here, it sounds stupid so I apologize ahead of time:P
Service:
Our attendant was personable and friendly. I don't have any complaints with how he conducted himself. He was happy to explain to us what dishes were what and how they were made(how many ppl know what Testina is?!).
Overall:
Would I come here again? You bet! I need to try out the new menu and justify a 5 star rating. I mean seriously, how often do you find a restaurant that has a different menu everyday and doesn't burn a hole in your wallet? It's still a bit pricey but not like the upscale restaurants with their Chef's menu options.
Go here and get your cowbell. Ask for seating closer to the front so you can get cell reception too. hahah -
Review from Alex H.
Toronto, ON
1/29/2011
Best place I've been to in Toronto. Great unpretentious food with local ingredients. Apparently some people are upset that the menu changes -- tome that's a plus! Shows the chef has creativity. Amazing homemade charcuterie. Bartender could actually mix a proper cocktail. Great wine list with my favourite cava (Pares Balta) and a great selection of local wines. Far better than many options 4 times the price. For one night I felt like I was back in Montreal.
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Review from Hoai N.
7/8/2011
Overpriced. Cozy atmosphere is great, but wow are they charging a lot of money for relatively standard food in small portions in Parkdale!
We ordered a $9 tart that came with a scoop of ice cream smaller than the smallest child's portion you can imagine, and the tart itself was not out of the ordinary at all. The pulled-pork benedict (a combination of two of my favorite things) was meh. It actually worked a lot better when I pulled the ingredients apart and ate them individually. I would give it 4 stars if it were cheaper, but given all the hype of heard about this place, I'm really surprised at the prices - I mean, I'm not above paying more for food than "usual", when the quality is better, but when the quality doesn't increase, then I can't help feeling that I was taken advantage of. -
Review from Ethan B.
1/10/2011
Great food but the wait staff is stretched too thin. Be prepared to wait for your food. Like an hour or so between your appetizer and main course. Wine is great though and can help with the weight.
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Review from Jonathan W.
Calgary, AB
12/6/2008
This place has great hype but the impression I get is that they're inconsistently unique. The place is small and has few tables so you are "asked" to move along with your dinner.
Started with a small-portioned but delightful antipasto platter of their home-made cold cuts. If you're a fan of meat, this place certainly does this well. The menu changes but a friend ordered a delicious and well-textured filet. Given their dedication to buying whole animals, I would guess the particular cow-based entree is your best bet. I had the beef pot-pie which was underwhelming by its lack of heartiness and obscure bread cover.
Not a foodie's first choice but the atmosphere was cozy. Passed on dessert as we were told that our table needed to cleared. -
Review from Jennifer H.
York, ON
4/23/2011
I was so excited to try this place and was so disappointed! The appetizers were very good but the service was crap and the entrees were just okay. Actually, they brought my partner the wrong dish. I will not return. With so many amazing restaurants in Toronto, why should I??
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Review from Ruth W.
Toronto, ON
10/20/2010
I went here about a month ago and have a lovely time. The atmosphere is really nice - smart but casual. The waiter was really welcoming and helped us choose a really good bottle of red and didn't make us feel awkward when we ordered one starter and one dessert to share. I like!
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Review from Laura t.
Toronto, ON
12/30/2010
This place is nothing to get excited about. The best thing I can say is that they have a great wine list. Decent food but not great. The charcuterie was excellent. I had the burger and I have to say for a $21 burger it was bad! Hard bun, disappointing presentation. Nothing special. Service was extremely bad. The food was very slow and the server was uninterested, distant and rude. The decor was nice except for the tacky dropped t-bar ceiling. And even with this 'accoustical'disaster the place was so loud when I got home my ears were ringing. This place was an 'utter' disappointment. Way over hyped. Will not be back.
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Review from Tye S.
Toronto, ON
11/17/2010
Whoa. This truly is flavour country. You would be hard pressed to find anything that isn't delicious at Cowbell. After a few glasses of wine perhaps the bill won't sting quite as badly.
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Review from Jim N.
Toronto, ON
5/30/2010 1 photo
Server mistook order, good taste and service OK. Big letdown was sourdough waffles. They had been cooked in the morning and slightly heated for service. Weird idea. Cowbells is n par with medium priced brunch places. Nice Restaurant - have to up the food game to make it a place of choice.
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Review from Hooch M.
Toronto, ON
8/6/2010
Went here in the Spring, and was thrilled to see the Chef grilling away on the Green Egg out front.
Didn't have reservations, but after we couldn't be seated at the Hoof, we were willing to wait the 20 minutes no problem!
Service was overall a bit strange and harried at first, but he seemed to loosen up towards the middle of the meal.
Had the Charcuterie which was delicious - the gin and tonic salami is still one of the most delicious and bizarre things I've tasted.
We followed that up with a spring carrot soup - so soft, velvety and light we nearly licked the bowls! Seriously the best thing we'd had in ages.
The menu changes, and I had the duck breast which was perfectly cooked, with a lovely cherry sauce to cut the succulent fattiness.
Date had steak from the green egg and still raves about how good it was. Fresh tasting and perfectly grilled to rare.
My friend ordered the sausage which came with a pleasantly pungent sauerkraut. Also superb.
For dessert, we managed a cheese plate to finish our wine - think it was a California Red Zin and then a French Merlot.
We also tried the chocolate mousse /bacon thing. Kinda good but kinda weird. We loved everything, the only iffy bit was dessert.
