Mark S.'s Profile

There aren't very many small restaurants/bistros in Kelowna that I would describe as excellent, but this place is an exception.  

The following is a list of things that I love about the Minstrel;

- I love the courtyard/patio ( There's an amazing Plane Tree around which the whole courtyard revolves.  Yes, it is "just" a tree, but I wouldn't mention it unless it was impressive - in a "size matters" kind of way)
- Great Pizzas
- Decent venue for live music
- Friendly staff

Whether you are some crusty old wealthy WASP type person, or some kind of wakeboarding hipster hybrid, you will likely find something to enjoy about the Minstrel.  

My only criticism would be their limited draught beer selection.

Buffalo has a lot of buildings with that turn of the 20th century character that I always have a soft spot for.  Soundlab is located in the basement of one of these types of buildings, though you'll be hard pressed to find the entrance the first time you go (it's not exactly blatantly obvious, more like 1920s speakeasy obvious).

Not being a native of Buffalo, I'm no expert on the local music/arts scene, but I get the impression that the Soundlab serves as a inexpensive venue for the city's arts community - meaning that it doesn't appear to exist with the sole purpose of being a popular hangout that regularly attracts nightly crowds.  There's no beer on tap (and its actually somewhat expensive - $4/bottle - for alcohol in the US.  Though you still beat Toronto's strict policy of extortion for alcohol, so congratulations!)

I've come to see bands play on two separate occasions.  The 1st time to see Petra Haden, and the 2nd time, James Blackshaw.  If you're into up and coming independent musicians, then the Soundlab is a good place to find that kind of thing.  There are no major visual obstructions to the stage, and there are a few booths to hang out with friends in between sets.

Overall, the Soundlab isn't a bad venue, but in its current conditions it's no gem either.

I've been here twice, and was impressed on both occasions.  I'm fairly confident in saying that this is the best sushi restaurant in the Niagara region (though I haven't been to Michinoku yet - so who knows).

Anyways, I think it's worth pointing out that this place is really not in the heavy touristy area of Niagara Falls (Yay for locals!), but it's not too far away either if you were to walk from Victoria Ave.  Actually, it's difficult to even recognize the place as a restaurant - since it's not really near anything else that resembles an actual business.

Despite this somewhat sketchy location though, the interior of the restaurant itself is better than what you'd expect - although there is (of course) the mandatory excessive use of large ceramic cats with the one hand salute, as well as water pond thing /w wheel (hence the name Suisha Gardens) complete with an array of fake plants to remind you that human beings and fake nature can coexist in harmony.  BUT, possibly one of the coolest aspects of this place is that they are set up for teppan yaki - which until recently, I had only seen performed before by Chris Farley in 'Beverly Hills Ninja'.

The first time I went I stuck to their largest sushi combo plate that I could order, which was I suppose a fair amount of food for a person with a normal appetite.  Where they may lack in quantity, they completely make up for in quality.  The nigiri and sushi rolls are all generally very good and worth trying - eel included.

On my 2nd visit I decided to give the teppan yaki a try.  We tried the beef and also the vegetable teriyaki, and had the pleasure of being entertained by the teppan yaki chef who went through his routine of tossing various ingredients around in the air and slicing them with his knife, then proceeding to set it on fire.  I have to say that, even though he was clearly not an expert, I was definitely having a fun time watching (it's like sitting 2 ft away from some kind of pyromaniac food magician with a crazy sharp knife).  And on top of that, again the food was excellent.  

I don't get to eat here as often as I'd like, but it's definitely one of my favourite places to eat in the Niagara area and worth a visit.

Now this is more like it.  The Brickyard is one of my more recent favourite places in around Niagara Region (on either side of the border).

The Brickyard has a Louisiana-style theme to it and does a fairly good job sticking to it, while incorporating the sports bar/pub feel as well.  It has a genuine character to it (as opposed to generic suburbia) which is endearing.  

Drinks:

TONS of beers here, and plenty on tap as well.  More than you can possibly comprehend or have experienced before.  They even bring in limited time specialty beers for a few months.  Basically if you a fan of drinking beer/hard liquor and appreciate a wide selection, then this is the place for you.

Food:

Humongous portions that you'll never be able to finish, and your choice of 2 sides with their classic half chicken (and one of the side options is a shot of Bourbon!).  

They also have some of the best wings I've ever had.  There's a house-styled dry rub which is great, and the usual saucy kinds as well, and of course they're massive.  They use a house sauce (which they also sell in bottles) which is pretty dynamite.  The food tastes like its prepared by someone who knows what they're doing and takes pride in what they do (a rarity in Canadian pubs).  Full marks in my opinion.

Not knowing what was recommended to get here, my friend and I tried to meat sampler, which had ribs, pulled pork, wings, and I can't remember if there was anything else.  Basically it was a giant plate of meat that over filled us but we felt it would be a disservice to ourselves not to finish (possibly not the correct choice, but overeating is really a big part of the North American lifestyle and we were trying to fit in).
 
Group Availability:

If you are looking at doing a function for a larger group, then the Brickyard can accommodate you in their rear banquet room with food & open bar (until 11pm or something around there - you pay a flat fee by the hour).

Entertainment:

Sometimes there's some live music going on there, though the only time I was there it was some guy playing the usual wedding/bar songs (though he did do it fairly well).  There's also a ton of TVs around showing all kinds of sports, and they're all fairly visible throughout.

Overall:

I love this place - it rocks.

Bugsy's is often regarded by many st. catharines locals as one of the better pub/restaurants in town.  Unfortunately, I agree.  The sad truth is, if Bugsy's is to be considered one of the better (or best) pub in town, what does this say about pubs in St. Catharines?  The point being that Bugsy's is an average pub, not especially great, but definitely not bad either.

Pros:

- Yes, the staff is very friendly, and definitely adds to the charm of the place.
- And Yes, there are a ton of beers to choose from (though only around 10 or so on tap - the rest are bottled beers from numerous countries around the world).
- And Yes, in the bar section there are many many nice flashy big screen LCDs displaying whatever possible sport you might be interested in watching (great place to catch a Leafs game).

Cons:

- Much like most average pubs, most everything on the menu is deep fried (though this is probably for the best, being that its not exactly an Iron Chef back in the kitchen putting together gourmet masterpieces).
- If you get stuck in the back room because it's too busy, you basically feel like you're sitting at the kids table at a family dinner.  On the opposite end of the stick, sit too close to the front door during winter, and you'll be wishing you were wearing thermal underwear.

Some of my favourites from the menu:

-Deep fried Dill Pickles, Fish & Chips,

Other notes:

-Some people seem to think that the wings here are great, but I'd have to disagree.  Yes they are large, but quite often are also dry (because someone's gone a little light on the sauce, etc.).

Interior:

Bugsy's is essentially made up of three different sections;  A regular restaurant section with a few booths, A bar side with a bunch more booths & standing tables, and also a back section for parties/overflow.  And similarly to the franchise equivalents (Kelsey's, Applebees, etc.), the walls are decorated with the usual clutter of useless paraphernalia reminiscent of "Uncle Moe's Family Feedbag".  

Overall, Bugsy's is a good for St. Catharines, but nothing remarkable anywhere else. Essentially, Bugsy's sticks to the generic North American formula for restaurant/pubs, and I suppose there's nothing wrong with that.

The Harvest Barn is unique.  It's a fresh produce market, a bakery, deli, soup & salad bar, and convenience store, all the while presented with its own local character.  

I often go there for lunch for some of their fresh sandwiches and salads, or I'll often stop by on the way home from work with some locally grown fruit/vegetables.  All of Niagara's finest farmed products on out and on display.  The Harvest Barn is a great alternative to fast food lunchtime ventures.  The food tastes great and you feel healthy after eating - what a concept!

The Harvest Barn also serves as a great alternative to the supersized Mega-grocery stores which are all too commonly found in suburban cities across North America (which also tend to import their produce from all over instead of fresh, locally grown food).

Outside they have picnic tables if you feel like enjoying the sunshine, and also a small kids play area (ie. small wooden train) which is great for distracting the little rascals or hyperactive adults.  

They also have Fruit Baskets, Deli Trays, and Sandwich Platters.  I've never had the pleasure of having any, but I wouldn't hesitate in ordering seeing as everything else I've tried has been pretty fantastic.

The bottom line, I highly recommend the Harvest Barn because it's healthy, locally grown food and they take pride in the quality of service that they provide (and it shows).

The Angel is one of the few (relatively) popular local haunts in the small town.  Niagara locals (and workers) share this pub with the thousands of tourists which come to visit every year.  Unlike most other pubs in North America, this one has a much more genuine British feel to it, with solid thick stock wood tables and original wooden beams lining the ceiling.  Within Canada, The Angel is almost certainly one of the oldest pubs around.

When to go:

During the summer it's always busy, but especially on weekends.  As a nice gesture to the locals, tuesdays and thursdays during the off season are cheap-er nights with beer and/or food specials.

Nightlife:

There is generally some live musical entertainment every Friday, Saturday (and occasionally on Thursdays as well).  Sometimes you get the Celtic bands which one would expect to find playing in a pub, but you'll also find more of the wedding-type bands who just love to play Van Morrison and Jimmy Buffet covers.  On rare occasions though, genuine Blues, Funk, etc. can be heard resonating out of the corner of the pub.

Food & Drink:

The Angel has a wide variety of beers both in bottle and on draught.  They carry several imports, domestic, and local brews (including their own - my favourite is the Angel Inn Red).  There is also a lengthy wine list if you're so inclined.

The food is one of the areas that could be improved at the Angel.  Of course you have your standard pub fare, which I'd rate as average at best.  I generally stick to either the Chicken Fingers/Fries, or Sheperds Pie, or Fish & Chips.  If you're in the mood for a finer dinner entree, they have those as well.  

The main issue I have with the food is the lack of fresh ingredients, and the impression I get that the occasionally the food is prepared by an unenthusiastic kitchen staff.  

But hey, the kitchen's still open until midnight, which can be a pleasant surprise for late eaters.

Accomodations:

For those looking for a place to stay, there are rooms available, both above the pub or in cottage form just alongside the Inn.  Though I've never seen the rooms myself, friends who have worked at the Angel have always told me that they are pretty decent.  Staying at the Angel would also be advantageous due to its central location, essentially within walking distance of anything worth seeing in the Old Town area.  

Overall:

This is probably one of my favourite places to go in the town.  Its almost always lively, has friendly staff, and lots of great beers/wines to choose from.

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Oh yeah, it's also haunted - allegedly...