On a cold, hungover Sunday morning, we ventured to McCabe’s Irish Pub and Grill for this month’s edition of our review.
A quaint and nicely designed restaurant (that still maintains the ornate appeal of old English and Irish pubs), McCabe’s is located right in the heart of Uptown Waterloo at 44 King St. South. A great spot for something different – or, in our case – a hunger quenching lazy lunch.
Accompanied by Andrew’s parents (including his Dad who originally wrote food reviews for The Cord back in the 90s), we started off with the warm goat cheese and feta on flatbread as an appetizer for the table.
It was a very interesting dish that drew a divide between Lizzie and Andrew.
It mixed the savoury profile of the goat cheese with the sweet and tangy contributions of bruschetta and balsamic vinegar which polarized your reviewers.
Lizzie wasn’t on board with it at all (citing a lack of je ne sais quoi that could push it over the top and its high price point), whereas Andrew believes it was a unique addition to the meal that is good if you’re looking for a fresh and fun dish to share.
When it came time for the entrees, Andrew ordered the medium-sized wings with medium sauce (Andrew’s issues with spice have been heavily documented throughout our previous installments of this column), whereas Lizzie grabbed the tried and true Philly Cheesesteak.
For a desolate pub on a Sunday morning, our food took noticeably long to come out, an issue also present when it came to drinks and appetizers.
Lizzie’s Philly Cheesesteak was probably the best thing about the place. Aside from the beautiful architecture of the establishment, the philly was mouth-watering and stuffed to the brim. The combination of gravy soaked meat kept it moist against the firm yet soft bread as cheese was stretched and pulled with each bite. The fries accompanying the meal were so-so, but with the right dip, could truly change the game.
Andrew’s wings failed to hit the spot, partially because of Andrew’s rough night at Pub On King and Phil’s that preceded this impromptu review.
At the end of the day, it is hard to mess up chicken wings (they were still moist, flavourful and packed the medium heat to clear the sinuses), but to the mind of a hungover student, it lacked the greasy crunch and bitingly spicy sauce that is needed on Sunday mornings.
Especially at the exorbitant price of $26 (seriously, economic studies need to be made on the inflation of chicken wing prices), it didn’t live up to Andrew’s expectations, even with the inclusion of blue cheese and vegetables.
McCabe’s is important for this column, as it is the first review where Lizzie and Andrew disagree heavily.
Lizzie believes that the lackluster service and high price point warrant a lower overall rating, whereas Andrew believes that its ornate charm and interesting menu is enough to at least make it worth a try.
As we’re at a crossroads, we leave it up to YOU to decide where McCabe’s falls on the Laurier eatery scale–however, if you do end up dining at this restaurant, tell them LizzDrew sent you.
Overall Ratings:
Ambiance: 8/10
Food: 6/10
Affordability: 3/10