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Category: Local Flavor [Edit]
589 King Street WestToronto, ON M5V 1M5
Neighbourhood: Niagara
(647) 347-3294
- Good for Kids:
- No
41 reviews for Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
All Reviews
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/31/2010
There's not much I can add that hasn't already been said about the awesometastic Elite Event at Lou Dawg's, so I'll summarize with the highs and not-so-highs:
Highs:
- FINALLY finding *actual* southern BBQ brisket in Toronto! W00t!
- FINALLY meeting Shari M!
- FINALLY getting my Yelp lunch box which is freaking awesome!
- FINALLY getting to see my favourite yelpers again (I'm looking at you Susan C, Sarah L, Chris P, Danielle P, Jay G, and Kelly O)
- Meeting super fantastic new yelpers. I'm continuously astonished at how awesome Toronto peeps are.
- The food was seriously good -- the fries, the black bean salad, and the baked beans reminded me of home, which is a really good thing.
Not-So-High Highs:
- Practically having to tackle the waitress at the door of the kitchen to procure said southern BBQ
- The temperature in the restaurant. I was sweating like I'd just run a 10K and I can assure you that I had not, in fact, just run a 10K! In Lou Dawg's defense, they probably don't normally have 100+ hungry, chatty foodies in their resto, either.
Kat always throws a seriously good party and the Lou Dawg's event was no different. I can hardly wait for the next round!
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
5/28/2010
As always Kat throws a great party! I know I'm late on this review, but they always say it's better late then never :p
I agree with Noel D, the place was packed, and that it was a little bit to out of control - mainly that it was hard to move. The place is narrow and with all of the tables and the people walking around (well trying to) I feel I might have met a few fellow Elite Yelpers in an intimate way ;-)
Vivian V and I managed to nab a table near the entertainment (who was amazing, not to mention cute - good choice Kat) and the kitchen entrance. Not gonna lie, there was a method to our madness - first dibs on the hot food.
The sliders were great - I was not a fan of pulled pork, or pork other then bacon and ham before this event, but I am now. The meat was tender and the sauce was very very yummy. The fries were very addictive and the slaw was kicking.
Finally an event with hard liquor! The specially drink was great, but the cups were WAY to small - and they ran out of the mix half way through the night. I would have liked to have more of them, and I know Vivian V would agree.
Over all Kat knocked it out of the park!
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
The sheer size of the latest Elite event makes me feel like a mother seeing her baby get older; I'm proud to see Yelp a' growing so fast but I kind of long for the days of its infancy when Yelp Toronto was still small and cute.
Seriously, this was the most crowded Elite event thus far. Even without a head count, I could tell from the accumulation of body heat, increased chatter level, and food and drink that disappeared quicker than a meth addict's high.
HIGHLIGHTS
Despite some sticky fingers from the incredibly saucy and delicious pulled pork po' boy, I was undeterred and shook a lot of new hands that night (Kevin "the next Miriam" L, Will "hire him to read a phonebook to you" E, Andrea "ROTD" L, and a mysterious urban pirate, to name a few).
I FINALLY got to meet Elaine Y, and Tara G, and Jennifer "got floss?" L (Thank goodness. I was beginning to think she was the fake identity of another Yelper).
Seeing my core fleet of Elites and the ever-adorable Miriam W; I heart you guys!
Free booze: With two gulps, I was able to pound back the vodka slide served in a dental rinse cup. (It is vodka "slide" and not vodka "slime," right?) And the sample beer on tap helped me wash down the 'cue.
The music: Paige Armstrong enhanced the Southern BBQ vibe without being too obtrusive
The special one-on-one moment I had with an entire basket of fries hot out of the fryer while nobody else was around was like 7 minutes in heaven, with chipotle mayo as lube.
LOWLIGHTS
Hearing my wine glass go crash off the long skinny table
Some minor hearing and voice loss
Where the hell was Greg C?
Thanks, Kat F. for organizing yet another kickass Elite event! (But damn you for making Yelp Toronto get bigger and bigger!)
Listed in: Yelp Elite Events
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
The air was filled with hickory smoked meat,
As you walked through the doors, where Kate M was there to greet.
Let me run down the highlights, starting with the food,
Oh sweet beef brisket, you were so eff'n goooood.
Chipotle mayo and fries, this is a girl's dream come true.
Is it too soon in our relationship to say I love you?
Without Darryl and co. we'd surely be doomed
But fear not, there's Paige Armstrong, rocking the room.
And of course there's the yelpers, bringing their A-game.
Led by Kat F; you are one saucy dame!
Though the bar ran short of its free Vodka Slime
Hmm... give me a second while I think up a rhyme...
Oh well, overall it was a pretty awesome night.
Now it's back to thinking of the brisket, and my very first bite.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
My fourth elite event and probably my favorite so far, if not for the food/drink but I'm feeling more comfy around the Yelp bunch. And Kat always manages to bring a non-elite as her Plus One who adds something great to an already great mix. Last month it was August (*eye flutter*) this month it was Mitch. Or Mike. Or Mark. Well he had an M name and he was kind of tall and a pretty swell guy.
Neil was missed but Kate (Susan C., is it legal to flutter my eyes at her?) and a woman whose name I didn't catch filled in okay. Nothing beats Neil, however. Nothing.
The food at Lou Dawg's was a great tease. You got to sample their offering and they left you wanting to come back for more. The staff was friendly and alert. It was never a problem getting their attention at the bar.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
Meat - GOOD
Drinks - GOOD
People - GOOD
What's not to love?!
As always, my girl Kat out did herself in planning a super fun filled night! In fact....I have never been to event that Kat hosted (or was at) that wasn't kick ass!!!
The pulled pork and I bonded. At one point when they came out, Dale M, Andre G and I were standing around in a circle trying not to wear our delicious meat. I really liked the baked beans with pulled pork, too.
I will be back - adding this to my list of places to take my shwa parents to because it has a) meat, b) potatoes (aka fries) and c) isn't fancy so my mom can wear her Nascar shirt and feel comfortable.
Was so great to "meat" so many new Yelpers and others that I had never had the opportunity to "meat" INL before (Carmen M, Dave R, Katrina L, Elaine Y, Kelly O, Bijan V, and Bryan G).
Can't wait for next month's event!!!
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
Super crowded and loud- I'm not really sure what anyone said to me but that could also be attributed to my inebriation.
Great food and drinks! I'll be back to check it out on a normal night.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/21/2010
As is my custom with Elite events, I showed up at the buzzer, a little confused, and with mad low blood sugar. The place was crampacked and my eyes were overwhelmed by faces erstwhile enjoyed in pixel form.
But eff that ess, I was hungry. Clawing through the thick Elite jungle, I made my way to the bar and begged a friendly bald genie for food. He snapped his fingers and instantly (15 minutes later) I was nose-deep into a beef brisket sandwich the size of a fetus.
I found a quiet corner and dug into the sandwich without shame. I occasionally looked up to see Susan C. break a wine glass, or Kat T. break out some P90X moves, or Sarah L. applying lotion to her soft, soft hands. Sorry to Jay whom I spotted for 12 milliseconds before he was gone. To anyone else I missed on account of my hunger, you missed a damn good sandwich.
Next time!
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/19/2010
I'm sorry I can't hear you right now. Yes, I can see your lips moving. I can sort of make out you trying to get my attention. I'm sure that you have something important that you're attempting to communicate. I'm sorry. I'm not paying attention. You are not a pulled pork sandwich.
The place was packed. The drinks were flowing until the taps literally ran dry. The people were awesome... and the food?
About twenty minutes into the event... these amazing angels came out from behind the doors holding majestic plates of delicious shredded bbq'd pork on buns. I have no idea what the "pulled" in "pulled pork" refers to, but I can only assume that it means that it was pulled from heaven.
Wonderfully planned. Well attended. Perfect.
Hello 2010.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/21/2010
So yes, I was completely in the bag but no not nearly as bad as the last elite event.... trust me, that's a good thing.
I've gotta say the turn out to this event seems astronomical in comparison to earlier elite events and it's great. You get a good feel for the community and the variety of characters. Great meeting a lot of new faces and look forward to seeing your reviews and meeting you all at a lot more UYEs.
I never thought I would find myself in a BBQ pit outside of Texas but here I was and I was pleasantly surprised. This elite event didn't only have the best tasting food so far but actually served up enough grub so everyone was able to get their fill and then some. Great job organizing the volume of food Kat!
The drinks were great. The vodka slime was tasty but they ran out an hour or so in? Same thing goes for the beer.... or they were lying to me. They wouldn't do that though. Although they ran out, there were still libations a plenty, mix that with a great group of people and you can't go wrong.
My favorite parts:
- Lots of food... and tasty too! those tiny sandwiches were just what the doctor ordered
- Atmosphere was fun and welcomed conversation (no chairs is good!)
- Sarah L giving Tara G a corsage
- Servers were charming
- Bijan I'll say we're still batting at 100.
Another great night in yelp-land. Fantastic to see familiar faces and as equally fantastic to meet new ones. I look forward to these every month!
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/19/2010
As usual, YAAYE (Yet Another Amazing Yelp Event). I had a ton of fun tonight. Great venue, amazing food, and awesome people. Not the type of place I'd visit on my own but I'm glad I had a chance to sample the goods.
The staff was really great and seemed pretty in to the whole event. The mini fish sandwiches with the spicy mayo were really tasty and this place may have some of the best sweet potato fries I've ever tasted.
The live music really helped to round out the event nicely.
Can't wait for next month. Good job Kat!
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/21/2010
Awesome, awesome event with the most amount of Yelpers yet! I don't think I even got to speak to half of the people there but it was a great night regardless.
Great music, amazing staff and service, great food (Jay how good was the brisket?), what more can you ask for? Thanks again to Kat as always for getting everyone together! I look forward to meeting even more of the new Elites next time!
P.S. Susan I was told it was Vodka "Slimes" but then again if Jay had been drinking since noon he coulda said anything and I would've believed him.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
Okay seriously? How FUN was last night?!?!
5 stars for the company and the overall great night organized by Kat.
I would give the food higher stars, except that I didnt get ANY! Well, I got some fries and dip (awesome), and a couple cornbread muffins (pretty good). Next time I'm going to have to get aggressive and hang out by the kitchen if I don't want to get completely trashed on free booze (not that there's anything wrong with that!).
All in all it was a great night, and Lou Dawgs definitely deserves a repeat visit for a more thorough food review.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
7 photos
I'm still dreaming about the pulled pork
FOOD
omg...all I can say is "pulled pork get in my beeeeeelly". All I can remember from the night was platters upon platters of food coming my way. There was an exuberant amount of food and good food if I may add.
DRINKS
Since I've been fighting a cough for the past month and a half, I didn't think drinking would be wise. But with the great encouragement from Connie T , Elliot L and...(dammit...too much to drink) someone else, I was able to taste the Vodka slime and the red wine. The vodka slime tasted like water (I guess I had it after 7:30) but I really liked the red wine. It had a fine after taste ("the tannin" as I was told by Rakesh B.) which was not overpowering and the wine itself wasn't too dry.
ENVIRONMENT
The crowd was absolutely amazing. Every Yelper I met was so funny and charming.
Although it felt like a sauna near the kitchen and I was dripping in sweat (yes guys...that was sweat you felt when you bumped into me), the company made up for it.
And Paige Armstrong! loved him. I loved the live music and his set list. Book him again Kat!
And to no fault of anyone's, it was a bit loud and I could barely hear the person in front of me. But it didn't matter b/c we were all eating and drinking merrily anyways!
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
Fantastic event!
I must say, a bit loud and crowded, but that's not a bad thing.
I got a little scared though when I recognized the girl working behind the bar as one of the waitresses from WBurger Bar (not the one I wrote about, luckily). She turned out to be pretty damn cool though.
Another note.
All you ladies were in fine form last night. Maybe it was the free beer, but I'd have snuggled with all of you (preferably at the same time).
I didn't have too much food, but the chipotle mayo was AWESOME. The pulled pork sandwich I had was a touch on the bland side, but then, I prefer blazing hot.
All in all, a great time.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
1 Check-in Here
I can describe this event in 5 words. Yum yum yum yum yum!
Holy geeeze how good was the food?! Like crazy good. I don't think I would have ever stumbled into Lou Dawgs, but now? I shall be back. Smokey grill style food isn't usually my thing, but me oh my the night was filled with many a tasty treat! I didn't get to try the pulled pork, but the chicken burger and the fish burger filled my tummy with spicy delicious happiness! And the dips! What were those dips?! They were mucho yummy with the fries!
Now this wont be a problem for a long, but I loved that they had black cheery pop here! It's my favorite! Yay!
Now to the attendees. As usual I met you all at the door and wow so many new friendly faces! Welcome! I look forward to more events with all you! Look at us grow you guys! As always it was lovey to see those familiar faces too :)
If this event was any indication, 2010 shall be a great Yelp year! Oh and I'll be legal by the next event. Watch out world!
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/22/2010
Extremely hard to believe this has only been my 2nd elite event. I'm still trying to get over the whole free food free booze free lunchbox thing.
@ one point in the night I was fortunate enough to chat with the owner Daryl about the restaurant. Did you know that his friend had a dog named Lou and that's how he came up with the name?
Onto the food. The slaw was a nice fresh touch and I would assume it's made in house (as it should be). The good thing about it was that it was not drenched and sitting in a puddle of the vinegar/mayo juice, it was lightly tossed and I enjoyed it.
The bean salad was a nice touch too, comprised of black beans and corn then tossed in a chipotle lime dressing. Nice little app.
Onto the pulled pork. The shoulder of the pig is dry rubbed with some kick a$$ combination of spices, slow roasted for 12 hours, then smothered in the OG southern bbq sauce. It was not the best PP I have had, but it was damn good. Extremely saucy, sweet and smoky. To me nothing compares to the pulled pork you would find at the Rotary Ribfests, but in Toronto Lou's probably takes the cake.
The beef brisket sandwich stole the show for me. Slow cooked for 14hrs, it's as tender as jelly by the time it hits your mouth. It's soaked in the genuine smokehouse bbq sauce and was definitely one of two highlights for me.
The other highlight was the meaty bbq beans. Essentially just baked beans tossed with the pulled pork in all it's saucy glory. I'm a sucker for baked beans especially with breakfast, and these little black cups of love were being slayed left right center. Extremely sweet, extremely good.
The yukon gold and sweet potato fries were both very good. They were for the most part cooked through, seasoned well and huge.
So..How have I not heard of Paige Armstrong? Early in the night he dropped "What I Got" by Sublime and my jaw dropped displaying a mouth full of slaw. I also heard him drop Collective Soul's "World I Know" and what really blew me away is that he played Clapton's "Layla" complete with the solo! Who plays Clapton's solos to a tee in Toronto? Amazing. Definitely complimented the night.
I can not wait for the next Elite event. Everyone I meet is always so kind, pleasant and fun to be around. I look forward to these events a month in advance.
Kat for President.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
I briefly kicked free of a tangle of lesson plans, readings, and assignments to come down to Lou Dawg's on a chilly Tuesday night. The snow was gorgeous - big pillow-fight flakes.
Forget the snow. What a party! Yes, it was packed, yes it was hot, but the drinks were cold and the food was great. I think it was even improved by our hungry-eyed strategizing. What's coming out of the kitchen? Coleslaw! Get one for me! Pulled pork? Get out of my way.
The po'boy was the highlight, but the coleslaw (ooooh, perfect with mayo and raisins and goodness) and the fries were close behind. There was even live music! Really superb work, Kat.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/21/2010
Wow. Once I discovered Jay + Elliott had been tossing back drinks since lunch hour, I knew it was going to be one juicy + messy night. Katrina, I don't know how you do it. Ha ha ha.
These parties truly get better each time -- so much so that I feel sorry for anyone left out of the Elite madness. SUCKERS.
Yes, yes, and yes, it was loud and crowded, but that added to the charm and excitement of being there. And though I embarrassed myself on a number of occasions, which will remain unmentioned, I still feel all right.
Food was all right. I have high standards for my barbecue, and though I definitely like my bbq sauce sweet, their concoction was of candy-like proportions. However, my mind exploded just a tiny bit with the southern 'slaw. Give a pot of that to momma! Now!
Props to everyone in attendance. You make this girl proud.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
2/4/2010
Those tables must have been slanted...
Beer flying everywhere, wine flowing freely, free smells!
After arriving slightly late, after a hard work out (and shower), I was still sweatin' with the newbies at this elite event. Live music was amazing- just the right kind of music and perfect volume!
I met so many new people. It's always too short, but I did have to leave eventually.
Really enjoyed the smells, but couldn't partake of any food. I was impressed to see Lou Dawg's Vegetarian selections on the menu. I'll definitely return for Jalapeno Cornbread and Veggie chili! Now, if only they could make some TVP BBQ- Yum.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/21/2010
FOOD! Yes, there was an abundance of food and that is what it's all about! A bunch of foodies eating food!
The place was packed and full of Elites and +1s alike and the music was blaring and there was no room to move and it was hot and crowded but this event was AWESOME!
The food was soo good. Pulled pork sandwiches, sweet potato fries (which were piping hot btw), brisket sandwich and a special shout out to that fish sandwich...holy that was good stuff! I was a fan of the bean salad but that's just because I'm not a fan of beans so doesn't mean that it didn't taste good.
The drinks were...strong. I took one sip of that slime (was that what it was really called?) and wooooeeyyy I was good for the rest of the night! That drink definitely needed some hearty food to accompany it or else we would've had a good show like last time, or the time before that, or the time before that...
Great food, good people, a lot of new faces as the new year begins and I hope to see everyone out for the next ones and for those that missed it, hope to see you at the next event!
Super special shout out to Kat F. for again putting on another great event and extra points for hearing me out about the food situation! And of course to our almost not underage Kate for manning the door as always and the guest photographer Wendy, who may give Neil a run for his money on the photo taking privileges.
Listed in: Yelp Made Me Do It
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/21/2010
I never should have tried the fries at Lou Dawg's for now I fear I may be addicted. Thick cut, piping hot, and with a dipping sauce to die for, these are the best fries I have had in a while.
I know, it's not all about the fries! The sandwiches were good too. I found the corn salad and baked beans bland, but I really enjoyed the pulled pork and the fish sandwich, and the buns they use were really fresh and good.
Always appreciate the free beer. Thanks, Kat and team!
Awesome music. I was really impressed with the variety of Paige's repertoire. Great new addition to the Yelp Elite event. Congrats Kat - you are always surprising us with extras!
Now I have to address the -1 star. How is it humanly possible to CONSIDER serving cornbread cold? That blew my mind. I saw the tray coming, straight from the kitchen mind you, where they MUST have an oven, a toaster, something to heat food, and when I picked up the bread, I was SHOCKED by it's complete and utter lack of warmth. As an American, I was severely disappointed in this travesty. They would have been DELICIOUS if they were warm. They were colder than room temperature. Enough said. I think I've made my point.
Can't wait for the next one!
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
My first event as Elite! AND I got food this time!
The people: Amazing! I'm sometimes in awe at the coolness factor of Yelpers. They are fun, friendly and hilarious. Even when they're not trying to be...like seeing grown men still make hilarious jokes sweating from BBQ heat or holding a HUGE glass of red wine in their hands! It made me sad to leave early; I need to figure out a calling in sick plan for all Yelp Elite Events.
The drinks: So so. I do appreciate that they were free but that Vodka Slime had no taste. At first I thought it was because I had had delicious cornbread in my mouth but then I realized the drink was just that tasteless. I'm surprised they ran out of drinks so quickly but what can you do with so many Yelpers lovin booze!
The food: From the moment I dipped my french fry in that mayo, I was in love. I wasn't a huge fan of the bean salad, because I didn't feel there was anything special. The Po' Boys were delicious but I couldn't eat more than 2. I didn't get to sampling everything but, after hearing Carmen M.'s Texan stamp of approval, I KNOW I'm going back there for some baked beans and pulled pork.
The music: Not as blues-y as I had hoped, but still amazing. Sometimes I had to stop in mid convo as it dawned on me what song he was playing. Really loved the live music.
Kat, amazing event as usual..next time I'll learn to arrive fashionably late :)
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
This was definitely a Yelp Elite Event for the memory books!
The place was bumpin' (but not grindin', thank goodness) all night and it was an ideal atmosphere for chatting while kicking back to some great live music. The bar was a challenge to get through to, but hey, we could all use some challenge and excitement in a night of practically being mouth-fed goodness. There was a good variety of drinks available and there was just enough food to go around. An altogether great event - and definitely worth the walk to King/Bathurst. :)
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
Good event...packed and noisy....The staff was very 'active' and pleasant. The tap beer a little warm, but they Yelpers were fun as usual. As to the music....it was not Blues, except by the broadest definition.....But then again, its a sandwich place.....
It may not be totally fair to review the food, but it is not up to snuff.
Corn Bread: not hot enough and not spicy enough and too mealy
Coleslaw: there is better at Costco
Bean salad: Not distinguished
Fries: Good and the dip excellent
Pulled Pork: way too sweet
Poor Boy: the best of the bunch
Overall a disappointment. This can be improved, but its far from authentic. The fact that they used mini-buns to serve may have affected the taste.
The staff is pleasant and very service oriented, but the tap beer was warm (at the beginning of the evening).
I will give them another chance in the future, but they must improve.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/19/2010
Four stars for tonight's Elite Event at Lou Dawg's. Sweet, smoky, Southern cuisine, courteous staff, including Daryl, the owner of this hip locale and the sense of presence among likeminded foodies made tonight a night to remember. Mingling amidst a backdrop of live music, while smooth, smoke infused flavors filled the air was a perfect complement to the cabernet sauvignon and Sleeman. The smell of hot smoked beef brisket sandwiches, crispy filet of sole and Yukon gold fries won us over. While pulled pork is not my thing, others raved, and I've got to figure out on earth they put in those corn bread muffins. Just delicious.
For fans of authentic BBQ, I'd highly recommend this hotspot.
I'll be back. After tonight's meat-fest (albeit awesome) I've got my eye on those veggie menu items!
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/28/2010
I'm an event lover, what's not to love? Meeting new amazing people and catching up with old pals. Great music, food and finally free drinks.
After spending my life savings in New York the weekend before, a regular night on the town was out of the question. And then there was Yelp. Filling my belly with fish sandwiches (light and flavourful), cold bean salad (fresh and filling), french fries with chipotle mayo (crispy hot and chipotle mayo, need I say more), and free drinks to the number of; 3 vodka slimes (an Albertan tradition this smooth drink sure goes down easy) 1 Sleeman's (undetermined beer that pretty much tastes like all beer) and 3 glasses of wine.
I think at one point I had two of those glasses in hand regaling some unsuspecting New York lover with my recent adventures. Slightly inebriated I chatted my way through at least half of the room, full as it was.
So did I have a great time, yes I did. Yelpers are fabtastic each and everyone. I'm proud to be a permanent plus one as long I get to carouse with such a great bunch of folks!
My only criticism was that it ended too early, but thanks to Dale M and Shari M for continuing the party late into the night! No bottom line necessary for this event, it was just plain great.
Listed in: UYE Me B*tch
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/21/2010
When I first walked in I was a little shocked to see how packed the place was... It was actually a little too out-of-control trying to sandwich in between everyone in order to get to the bar. It was as if the bar was a Yelper magnet. Someone should have grabbed the food and moved it to the front in order to make people follow... Like you do with cats.
Food was great. Especially the sandwiches. The whole place smelled like a giant bag of Hickory Sticks when I first walked in. I also had some sort of jalapeno muffin or something? Wasn't too happy when they ran out of beer though. I am not much of a wine drinker so I never really got to take advantage of the "free drinks" aspect.
Was nice to see some familiar faces and meet some new people as well. Things definitely got more comfortable after a few drinks and a little more elbow room. Can't wait for the next one!
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/21/2010
I'm gonna go super grade 5 with this one. Ahem. Mememememe.
L-arge intestine particularly enjoyed digestion of AMAZING fries
O-utstanding live entertainment; nice variety!
U-m, why are us Elites so cool?
D-ang, it's hot in hurr.
A-lcohol makes things funner! Yes, funner.
W-here's the beef? Oh, there it is. And over there too. So much food!
G-argantuan turnout cause Toronto Yelp is SUPA RAD
S-exy people make for sexy photos!
I will never do that again. The Acrostic poem, I mean. Yelp Elite events, I will do every time (in a non sexual way).
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
At a certain point of the night, I couldn't tell if I was sweating because of the meat I had ingested or the fact that Lou Dawg's was filled to the gills. It was the first UYE event of the year, an event that promised free meat and beer, so it was going to be popular.
Along with my cohorts Connie T, Elliot L and August L, we were lucky to sample all of the food thanks to our strategy of hanging out by the kitchen. It meant sacrificing available air and spilling a drink on someone else because twenty other people did to do the same thing, but it was worth it.
I thought the mini burgers of pulled pork and crispy filet of sole were delicious, divine really. However my favourite was the coleslaw. It had the perfect ratio of mayo and cabbage, which made a delicious combination. I know I may sound like a coleslaw connoisseur but there's nothing worse than to stab your fork into what it seems like a tub of mayo with bits of cabbage. Ew.
Finally, the star of all barbecued meats made an appearance: the brisket. When these mini brisket dolls finally met my mouth, I thought they were... okay. Moist and full of saucy goodness, but too sweet, I preferred the pulled pork sandwiches instead.
The Vodka Slime drink was tasty and deadly if I had too much but what happened to it? By 7:30, we were told that they had run out. What?! Luckily I'm a wine drinker so there was plenty of that delicious vino for the rest of the evening.
The live music was a perfect touch, much better than rotating a CD of blues music. I've seen Paige Armstrong perform at other venues, and he's an excellent musician with mad guitar skills. Well worth checking out!
Congrats to Kat F and the events team for organizing the event - another great UYE success!
Big thanks to the friendly and very patient staff - we were fabulous.
And thanks to Wendy H and Underage Kat for taking those fabulous pictures!
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/21/2010
Walking into Lou Dawg's on Tuesday night, I knew the moment the smoky aroma hit my nostrils that my pseudo-vegetarianism wasn't going to last long. And, within 20 minutes of my arrival my premonition proved correct.
I started with the bean salad and coleslaw; both good. But the eating started in earnest when the miniature pulled pork sandwiches began coming out of the kitchen. This was my first experience with pulled pork and it was pretty awesome. By the end of the night I think I had eaten about 5. The baked beans were also super tasty.
Unfortunately I didn't get to try the fries everyone's raving about. They always seemed to be just out of reach behind a wall of hungry people. I suppose it's my own fault for not being pushy enough...
Despite a lack of alcohol (sadly I don't drink) to lubricate my socializing I met a bunch of cool Yelpers thanks to Karl R. And, now I think I get what this Elite thing is all about.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/21/2010
I'm a fan of meat and Lou Dawg's brought a lot of it. I ate so much. So much that I went home and warmed my sheets.
My Plus One was a vegan (I bring vegans to meat events to show them what they're missing out on) and she delightfully enjoyed the trays of fries and delicious dips. I didn't have the heart to tell her the fries were cooked in pig fat and the dips were ground up baby cow mixed with lamb liver.
A lot of people were quite friendly and easy going despite my name tag falling off within the first 5 minutes (next time I'll wear a shirt that allows for stickers). My name tag said "Jennifer B" instead of "Jennifer L" (sorry Jennifer B if you did not get entry), so I may have confused some. Also, next time I'll make sure to introduce myself by First Name, Last Name initial.
It was so gawddamn packed at Lou Dawg's. The blues-rock musician reminded me of that scene from Ghost World when Seymour went to that blues club to see his favourite blues musician perform, who was then followed by a band called Blueshammer. That guy singing at Lou Dawg's was in Blueshammer, I am sure.
I had so much fun! I bopped around a little and had my cheeks pinched a lot by some drunk meat fan. Til next time, Elite Team!
Listed in: I Love Meat
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/21/2010
I'd call my first foray into a Yelp Elite party a rousing (dare I say rambunctious) success!
I've driven/walked by Lou Dawg's so many times but have never noticed it before...and man, have I been missing out! From the second I stepped down into the joint, the delicious aromas wafting out of the kitchen had me salivating in anticipation. And I was not disappointed! The food was absolutely to die for! The sweet potato fries and the sweet BBQ and chipotle mayo, the coleslaw, the baked beans with pulled pork, the fish sandwiches...each new item was more delightful than the last! Mouth-watering stuff, make no mistake. I shall be going back, that's for sure.
Also had the chance to meet and/or reconnect with a bunch of different, yet equally awesome Yelpers...so that alone gets my enthusiastic thumbs up! There were so many people mingling and having a great time, that things got a little on the sweaty side...but our Goddess of All Things Yelp, Kat, provided awesome fans that were just the ticket to cooling down!
And lastly adding to the awesomeness of the evening was the wonderful musical stylings of Paige Armstrong! As awesome as the food, people and atmosphere was...I could've happily just sat and listened to Paige play all night. A real assortment of songs too - Pink Floyd, Bill Withers, Al Green...just awesome. That guy can really rock!
So great food, people and music? Can anyone really ask for more?
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/21/2010
I love attending events that are well planned and packed with good food and good people. This was one of them. I'd never been to a Yelp Event before and I'm happy to announce that I was not scared off by the lot of you.
The food came on wooden boards and the pulled pork sandwiches on the little buns made my heart melt. I love anything in miniature form. You had to fight a bit to get to the food since they were usually consumed by the front line of people standing closest to the kitchen, but in the end there was enough for everyone.
Kudos also to the owner, Darryl, who was was one of the people helping serve the food and not sitting in some secret-marked office in the back rolling around in handfuls of cash like I see most owners of businesses do (in my head).
Thank you for the invite Kat F.!
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/21/2010
Time for some honesty: Upon visiting Lou Dawgs' website before heading there for the first Elite event of 2010, I was, let's say, skeptical. A Southern Sandwich joint is definitely not where I'm likely to rest my weary bones after work or meet up with friends for some nosh but that's mostly because I'm never near King St. and am not a fan of pork, pulled or otherwise. Their BBQ-sauce-splattered homepage didn't exaclty reassure me that this was going to be a place I'd be recommending to friends, but lo and behold, Lou Dawgs does what it does well and if you like your sweet potato or Yukon Gold fries cooked to crispy perfection, and don't care a lick about caloric intake, this little place, my friend, is for you.
My olfactory senses were in for a treat since the smoky aroma wafts almost from street level, creating a serious amount of anticipation. By the time the first basket of fries was passed around to the ravenous Yelpers, it was feeding frenzy time. And once those hot and cripsy spuds were prompty inhaled, the prospect of losing an arm almost seemed worthwhile.
Almost.
Their side of BBQ mayo was a revelation since normally the idea of dipping anything in mayo makes my stomach turn - really egg yolks as a side? - but this was flavourful and blessed with a distinctly un-globby texture.
Their crispy fillet of sole was just that, a tender and flaky fried piece of fish, topped with your standards like lettuce and a slice of tomato, cradled within a puffy white bun. What went beyond standard was their homemade BBQ tartar, which was rather scrumptious, and their coleslaw (is it just me, or is that a hideous name for something edible?), which was fresh and appropriately vinegary.
Adding to the lowkey f'riend's basement' feel of Lou Dawgs was the live music, which included staples by The Band (yay!) and Spacehog (huh?)
In terms of where this particular Elite event stacks in relation to the three of so others I've attended, I'd say it was a definite success and not just because the red wine was plentiful this time around - served by downright pleasant bar staff, I might add.
Though in the end, Lou Dawgs still isn't necessarily my kind of watering hole, if they added a poutine to the menu, I'd reconsider King St. Maybe.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/22/2010
I love these Elite Yelp Events.
No, wait - the unofficial Yelp Events are also awesome.
Regardless, this event was great - I LOVED the live music, by the end of the night, I found myself sitting at the front table just watching him play guitar. It was also great to reconnect with fellow Yelpers!!
Atmosphere: Very nice, smells fantastic :)
Food: Excellent - it's really good here. Favourites [so far] is the pulled pork and the sweet potato fries!
Dear Kat: No lemon squares? Next time I should put in a request...
Liquid Courage: Loved the Red Wine! If anyone is wondering, they served "Fisheye" from Ontario, available at the LCBO :)
I wish I knew about the sauce dispensers...I heard that they were fantastic!!
Again, another great event at a great location with great company, great food, great drinks which all led to a great night.
I stole a balloon.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/22/2010
There's no party like a Yelp party! :)
Kat, great job organizing!
If it's 3 am and I want pulled pork, I know where to go!
The sandwiches were a whole new kind of messy delicious.
I skipped out on the bean salad to have more of those sweet and smokey lil' sandwiches.
The sweet potato fries were addictive. I followed them around for a bit.
It was crowded... but that made it easy to strike up a conversation as you both reached for the same sandwich!
See food! Grab! Mine! Mouth! Mmm.
Looking forward to the next event!
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
Wow, what a great event. Good music, good food, good people.
The guitar player was great and played a ton of good music.
The food was all great except for one little thing - they need to warm the corn muffins up a little before bringing them out, but the pulled pork was great, the bread for all the mini sandwiches was super-fresh, and the cole slaw and salads were fantastic. The fries with the chipotle mayo were to die for.
And, of course, there was the generosity of Yelp and the venue. Good beer (sleeman) and good wine complimentary. Who can complain about that?
Wll done.
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/20/2010
another fantastic elite event full of fabulous people and fabulous food! the staff at lou dawg's was super friendly and they kept the yelpers full of food & drink. the coleslaw & fish sandwich were super tasty, but the fries (especially the sweet potato fries) with the bbq mayo were so incredibly amazing!
i got to meet a lot of great yelpers too! yay!
the added bonus - live music by paige armstrong, who kept us entertained the entire evening. a really great touch!
kat - thanks again for a super evening. you sure know how to make people happy! :)
Elite Event @ Lou Dawg's
1/21/2010
Fantastic event! It's my first yelp event and I had no idea what to expect. Great food and great atmosphere. Lovely to be able to put faces to yelper profiles. The sweet potato fries were sweeeeet! Cheesy but true. The only times I've ever had pulled pork, etc is at various ribfests, and I've got to say that this place measures up. Based on other reviews, I'll definitely have to come back during regular hours and try this again.
