Just one of the many micro craft beers on tap @Gambrinus
To town we go!
I had been itching to hit Gambrinus Bistro and Cafe in London Ontario for months now, and last night I decided to scratch that itch. From all accounts, it is the best place for craft beer this side of the GTA. My wife and I headed there for a dinner date and she knew little of my scheme to go there based on the beer selection, and I didn't know how wrong I was to discount the food. The quality of what we ate, and drank is second to few, and most definitely the best I've sampled in the area.
Gambrinus is located in the heart of downtown London, in Covent Garden Market. Steps from the John Labbatt center as well, you would be hard pressed to find a better location in this city. The atmospere is inviting, dimly light and warm. Dark wood, big mirrors and a spacious private feel set the mood for your evening out. The staff was courteous and friendly, with service being surprisingly quick, although we never felt rushed, and were often left to finish our drinks and talk. It wasn't busy, but I hear that it can be a madhouse when the JLC is rocking, so choose your poison, and your night wisely. The bar is fantastic, with plenty of top shelf bottles and an endless collection of tap handles diplayed above it on glass shelving. The food we ate was quality and made in house, from the Butternut Squash Gnocchi to the Sausages, even the sauerkraut was made in the kitchen and it showed. But the beer...Oh the BEER! Eighteen beers on tap, one on hand pump cask, and a list of bottles that covered nearly three pages of the drink menu. Flying Monkeys' Smashbomb IPA on tap, Aventinus Dopplebock from a bottle and Lake of Bays Mocha Porter on tap for dessert. I can't say enough about Smashbomb, it might be the best Canadian IPA I've ever tasted. Aventinus always struck me as a beer that would go great with German sausage and sauerkraut, and I was right- it's a match made in heaven. Mocha Porter left a little to be desired, but honestly in the company of the first two beers, I didn't really expect to have three revelatory drink experiences in one night.
The only downfall about a place this good is that you can't have it all. I left jolly and stuffed to the gills, and I had barely scratched the surface of what Gambrinus has to offer. For beer geeks, this place is a must for anyone in Ontario as a destination, and the best in SW Ontario that I've seen.
Keep a booth warm and the beer cold, I'll be back!
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