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Penny Whistle
3 reviews for Penny Whistle
3 reviews in English
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Review from Christopher P.
Victoria, BC
5/25/2011
This is one of the few (only?) places in Guelph that is worth a trip from *outside* of Guelph to visit. The Penny Whistle bills itself as a British Indian pub, and it mostly delivers in spades.
Each week there is an 'event' at the Penny Whistle: the curry buffet. There is a random assortment of curries that are served, all mild, and a good mix between vegetable and meat. Nann is plentiful, hot sauce available, and rice overflowing. The quality (for a buffet) is high and prices are low.
This said, the 'good stuff' isn't really available at the buffet. If you order the Indian items off the menu you'll have an option: mild, medium, or hot. The first is for those right off the plane from Britain: flavourful but without significant spicing. The send is for most Canadians: hot, but not so hot that you're going to burn alive from the inside out. The third is for Indians and those who have a goodly tolerance to heat: this is, for lack of a better word, near-pyretic.
Last time that I went I got a hot vegetarian curry and my brother a hot chicken curry. My mother got a medium dish. She found hers quite spicy, without it being overwhelming. I knew what I was getting into - I both adore and regularly eat spicy cuisine - and loved it. My brother....he looked like a tomato that was ready to explode like Eyjafjallajökull. While he firmly maintained that a pulsating red body colour was 'cool' and 'funny' and 'nothing to be concerned about so don't call 9/11 or ask the waitress for a couple liters of milk', I would suggest that he ordered something that was too hot for his tastes.
I also ordered some of their vegetable samosas. In years previous they were much, much better. Since then they've begun buying them from an outside source and they are far, far blander than I'd have liked. This isn't to call them bad, and they're probably the best in Guelph, but really a comparison with 'best in Guelph' is a poor showing indeed! I remember the days (perhaps six year ago?) when I could choose the spicing for them (again, mild, medium, or hot) but this is no longer the case. Nevertheless, they are massive (really best to share them with others) and delightful.
Their British fare is spicier (i.e. not as bland!) as most British fare that you'd enjoy in a pub in the UK. The burger is more flavourful, beef and chicken stir-fry's positively spicy, and shepherd's pie (made with beef last I had it....) quite tasty. None of it, however, compares to other fare available within walking distance (say, to the Wooly) but isn't bad in itself. While I've not had the fish and chips myself, those who I've dined with and purchased that meal were very happy. Apparently the tartar sauce is particularly rich and nuanced.
The on tap selection is quite large, but includes mostly mainstream typically British/Irish/Canadian drink. No, you're not going to find unique drinks that are super specific to particular locations of Britain (or any from India) but you get a wide enough selection of high quality commercial beer that it's hard to be terribly upset.
So, what' the takeaway? The Penny Whistle is superb in providing British-Indian dishes, good in its beer selection, and certainly acceptable in its provision of typical pub/British meals. I would highly, highly recommend it - this is one of the very few places to eat in Guelph that shine above many comparable restaurants in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, and Victoria: it's one of Guelph's precious few gleaming gems of culinary delight. -
Review from Peter R.
Guelph, ON
I've heard the curry dishes are really good here, but this time stopped in for lunch - BLT and Fish&Chips. Both meals were very good, as were the draft beers!
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Review from Matti C.
Scarborough, ON
1/11/2011
This place is farking awesome.
The beef booah (I think it is spelled like that) was absolutely one of the tastiest things I've ever eaten. I told them to make it as spicy as absolutely possible and they did. It's quite a delicious and filling dish.
Their samosas are also bar none, and nicely sized. The waiter was a real hoot and quite personable. Everything about this place rocks. It has a really relaxed, and well presented pub-like atmosphere.
I visit every time I am in Guelph.
