A classic was on the docket for your favourite food reviewers this month: Ethel’s Lounge. A joint that requires no introduction, and probably no address given the iconic sign – although we will give it to you: 114 King Street North – Ethels’ reputation proceeds with it. A warm, inviting, retro spot with great decorations, great drinks and tons of great activities going on!
Making the trek on a sleepy post-St Pat’s Sunday, this visit marked a special occasion for multiple reasons. First and foremost, we welcomed another special guest to the review: Andrew’s brother, Bradley. A great segue into the other reason this edition is so special… and bittersweet, as this article marks the final edition of LizzDrewTake On The ‘Loo, as your favourite reviewers will soon graduate. It is not all sad news however: this was also an important training session for Brad, who will be taking the resident food reviewer mantle come September—if The Cord will have him that is…
With the administrative bit out of the way, we can get to the thing you have all been waiting for, the food & drinks! Starting with the latter, Andrew, seemingly dissatisfied with the various beers he had gotten to know the day before, sprung a bottle of Moosehead. Ice cold and refreshing, it played a vital role in taking the edge off post-Pats. Lizzie followed on the booze train, getting a pint of Strongbow Cider. Bradley, for his part, grabbed a beer as well, although he was far less patriotic in his purchasing decisions, grabbing a nice bottle of Coors Light. It is important to note that for quite basic drinks, Ethel’s charges a pretty penny, one of the biggest knocks against the Waterloo legend.
When it came to food, Quesadilla was the name of the game, with both brothers opting for them, although with different proteins. Bradley got it with Pulled Pork (the Sunday special), whilst Andrew got it with Brisket; neither disappointed. Savoury, packed to the brim and golden brown, provided the much-needed grease and muck-factor. To give you a glimpse of what next year’s food review column will look like, here’s Bradley’s own words on the topic:
“Quesadilla was gas. Too expensive otherwise.”
Ever the outlier, Lizzie in turn got the wings. She found them mediocre, a bit too crispy for her liking, but maybe another lad’s delicacy. She will not order them again in the future.
Ethel’s has been a standout member of the community for over 30 years, and we would bet that most of those reading this right now have been in (or at least around the area) during their time at Laurier. Thus, it is only right that we end our residency in the Arts & Life section of The Cord with a long-time resident of Uptown Waterloo. Ethel’s hosts Sunday trivia, Taco Tuesdays, live music Wednesdays and much more throughout the year for our Waterloo community. Something for everyone (for all ages) in the heart of Uptown.
Over the last 18 editions we have been across the KW area, reviewing any and all places that offer good eats, good drinks—or at the very minimum—good vibes. This is not goodbye forever, as we may be back for some summer editions of The Cord, and at the very least Bradley and his roommates will be back in September to pick things up. But regardless, we thank every single person that has taken the time out of their busy day to read our articles over the years, and we would like to specifically thank our amazing editor Sheryl, as well as Bronte, The Cord’s previous editor and the person who agreed to have us featured in the first place. Thanks for everything, and always remember, if you end up going to any of the places we have reviewed over the years, tell ‘em LizzDrew Sent You!
Cheers!
Here’s Our Ratings: Ambiance: 8 out of 10 – Drinks: 8 out of 10 – Food: 6 out of 10 – Affordability: 5 out of 10
Contributed Photo/Archives
