The Grove, Cut Above the Rest

Another venue for our CaRMS suppers was The Grove. A local favourite and well renowned for their pub style food, I entered with some trepidation. I had just been disappointed by the Cornerstone and knew that the Grove was a sister restaurant with some ties to them. However being related does not render the same judgement on all and thus I entered with as much an open mind as possible.

The Grove is a large establishment on the corner of Stafford and Corydon Avenue. I am told this used to be two restaurants, a bar and a restaurant which amalgamated to become the current rendition. I was impressed with the decor and the attentive wait staff. Furthermore it possessed a vibrancy and energy from the packed crowd. I was excited.

The Grove features a stable menu of standard pub fare. Furthermore they offer daily specials which range from an appetizer, main and dessert. Rounding off the menu are local beers and cocktails, should you be in the mood for some alcohol hydration.

As we were ordering for a group we started off with a number of appetizers. The Cheese Platter featured Blue Cheese, Brie and Chevre and was served with crackers, crostinis and fruit. The addition of fruit here was a nice balance to the creamy cheeses.

Their special was the Chicken Wing Platter. Deep fried wings with a homemade honey garlic sauce served with vegetables and a blue cheese dip. The wings themselves were as you would expect, but went well with the creaminess of the cheese dip. Overall solid!

Billed simply as Fancy Fries, this was a monster serving of poutine. I enjoyed the thick cut fries which were topped with nice squeaky cheese and finished with a beef based gravy. Overall this was a good dish but altogether ordinary.

Wanting to try something new we ordered the Chevre & Pequillo Pepper Croquettes. These croquettes were panko crusted, deep fried and served with a roasted pepper dip. This was a nice inventive take on cheese balls. The chevre added a creaminess that was cut by the spiciness of the pequillo pepper. Well done!

To add some heartiness to the meal we went with The Duffy pizza. A nice offering with crusty dough topped with mozzarella, hoison, spicy chicken, tomato, avocado and sriracha. I enjoyed the interplay between the salty Hoison sauce with the creamy avocado and smooth mozzarella. I would never have imagined them working together but somehow The Grove has managed it. On the other hand, the Sriracha sauce feels tacked on and unnecessary in an already flavourful dish.

Wanting to order a main I went with The Stafford Burger. This came highly recommended by many people, and it did not disappoint! A fresh fatty with the usual fixings, avocado, blue cheese and bacon jam. The interplay between the fresh avocado, sharp blue cheese and fatty bacon jam with the crisp vegetables make this dish work. The patty itself was well done and cooked perfectly, but it was the toppings and fixings that took it to another level. I still can taste that bacon jam!

Despite being sister pubs, The Grove does a much better job than The Cornerstone in food delivery and creativity. I enjoyed the interplay of multiple flavour profiles and welcomed the creativity displayed in their dishes. Ultimately the Grove does a fine job on delivering modern pub fare with a twist and is worth the visit, if not just to try the bacon jam!