Although we’ve had a couple false starts along the way, it looks like it’s finally rooftop patio season in Toronto, bro! We’re hanging out at the Writers Room Bar, on the 17th floor of the Park Hyatt, where they’re serving up cocktails inspired by Canadian writers — like the Wordsmith, which has a quote from Mordecai Richler beneath it on the menu:
This drink mixes dark rum with sweet vermouth and bitters, for a little extra kick at the end. It also feels a little strong — especially when you’re drinking on an empty stomach. 😉
Speaking of which, these fried maitake mushrooms are some nice little bites, with a sweet chili honey and a side of ranch. Definitely in my top five deep-fried mushroom dishes, bro!!!!
Their Mini Park Burger totally lives up to its name. It’s really just a slider (and a $19 slider at that). Still, it’s pretty tasty, with some onion jam on the bottom and gouda cheese on top…I just wish there was more of it to go around.
If you’re looking for something bigger, their Korean fried chicken comes with lettuce wraps, a little bit of kimchi cauliflower and a little bit of donkey sauce and peanut sauce. I’m not sure you actually get more deep-fried nuggets here than you do with an order of maitake mushrooms…but hey, it does come with lettuce, so there’s that.
Now, I wouldn’t normally order a beer at a cocktail bar…but when they told me about this off-menu, in-house special, you KNOW I had to try it! Their Kabosu IPA is brewed exclusively for the hotel by Folly Brewpub (which we already know is too legit to quit), and it mixes in some Japanese citrus fruit for a taste that’s both hoppy and sour. I think I’ll skip the Margaret Atwood absinthe/cognac cocktail and have another one of these instead… 😛
Burgers, Bacon & Beer 