The Brew Table is open and amazing [General]

2012 Jan 30
When Darcy McGee's closed back on December 31st and I heard that they were going to open as an independent restaurant I was very happy. I was there on opening day which was last wednesday and all I can say is I wasn't disappointed.

I ordered a Certified Angus Burger and it was seriously the best burger I have ever had in my entire life. The burger just melted in my mouth. It was topped with an onion ring with flavors i can't even describe. I got it with a side salad and the new house dressing some roasted red pepper dressing was absolutely incredible.

To top off this amazing food I had amazing service.The beer was nice and cold with a great section. I think I counted 23 beers on tap with some cool ones I have never Heard of.

By the looks of things on Facebook I am not the only one with these views there are pictures of food with other great reviews. check it out and "Like" their page they are giving things away constantly www.facebook.com/thebrewtable . They also have a really nice website www.thebrewtable.com with cool pictures of the new restaurant.

I am looking forward to see what other peoples takes are of this new place. All I know is that it is going to definitely my new hang out for sure!!

2012 Jan 30
Shill much?

:-)

2012 Jan 30
Soo, where did you work before The Brew Table??

Haha. Looks cool though. I'll check it out on Friday.

2012 Jan 30
Looks decent, beer list looks nice except spelled Kichesippi and Okanagan Spring wrong....

2012 Jan 30
Kronenbourg and Lug Tread as well...

2012 Jan 30
Well, I'd love to try this place out and give a real unbiased review.

I don't think I've ever been to the Book of Face before (for realz), so can't stalk/like them there.

On their website link I see that the actual physical location is 360 Moodie Drive in Nepean. Telling me that it's where something USED to be wasn't much help.

I prefer that if someone is coming on here to promote their new business that they openly say so. If you work there and want people to keep coming so you keep your job, just say so. The OP seems to be one of these.

That's MY opinion. I just find it interesting that the place has just opened and you claim that they are ALWAYS giving stuff away.

I may take the Dragonlady there Wednesday night. I like a good burger and may be able to describe some of those tastes that you couldn't. I'll also try to confirm your count of the beers on tap.

2012 Jan 30
Hey Guys

Just so you know I actually don't work there. I just really like the food and I am in marketing so I really like what they are doing with the website and the facebook marketing.


2012 Jan 30
must point out another typo. "hor's d'ouerves". i hope the spelling isn't indicative of quality and service!!!

anyway, looks like a nice place, maybe i'll check it out.

2012 Jan 30
14.50 for a stilton burger? 9.99 for 2 egg breakfast? Better be good. Maybe I'm getting too cheap in my old age, but places like this are usually mediocre, and prices like are unreasonable unless the food is really good.

Rizak, let us know how it goes.

2012 Jan 30
I've got to say, if you're going to name your bar/restaurant "The Brew Table" you should really put more effort into your beer list. For the amount of interest in good beer in Ottawa (and people willing to pay for it) it's amazing how long it's taking for restaurants in this city to smarten up and get some quality beer menus. Dull, dull, dull.

2012 Jan 30
Cheers to that, Brian Mc. I got all excited when I saw the name Brew Table, but then I saw the beer menu....... yeesh.

But as you say, the interest is there, so if not this restaurant then perhaps another one soon enough. A couple of new brewpubs certainly helps :-)

2012 Jan 30
The local Micros they have are good but really - get rid of the megaswill completely, and get rid of all the imports except the Hefeweizen and replace them with good micros.

2012 Jan 31
Yikes. That menu reads like a farce!

2012 Jan 31
It's Funny I am new to this site and just happened to stumble upon it. I am a big food lover and was excited to read and post food reviews.

What I have learned about this site is

A) you post your opinion on something and get totally ambushed. Just because I liked the restaurant and had a great experience I must work there.

B) You guys aren't interested in the food your more interested in picking a part a menu for spelling mistakes are make stupid snide remarks.

I am going to continue adding my critiques to this site of different restaurants that I go to for people that are genuinely interested in the food and service of the restaurant.

Hopefully some of you (and I use the term extremely loosely) "Foodies" because realistically you are all a bunch of complainers. I really hope you all can follow my lead and start posting something useful about food on this site and not just negative things about a place you have never been too.

2012 Jan 31
GoodyFishing Welcome to ottawafoodies! I'm sorry to hear you feel we are a bunch a complainers. If you stick around and get to know us abit better you will find that we share your interest in food. You are encouraged to review as many as you like! If you click on the "tags" button at the top of your screen it will take you to a list of restaurants in the Ottawa area. You can search that list for the restos you want to review then post away. If you don't see a tag for a restaurant you want to review you can add one. Just follow the instructions in the "help" section: ottawafoodies.com/about.

Hopefully you will not take our comments above too personally. I believe they were directed mostly towards the restaurant (poor beer selection, expensive menu items, spelling errors, etc.) It's just when a reviewer is gloating over a restaurant or their marketing strategy (presence on facebook, twitter, etc.) it looks a little suspicious. Nice to see you back and comment on our response. I look forward to reading more of your reviews.

2012 Jan 31
i've been holding myself back after seeing all the bad comments made on that threat about the brew table. although i did make a comment about the misspelled "hors d'oeuvre", i am having a hard time understanding why people are dismissing this restaurant because they serve a particular kind of beer, or because something on the menu doesn't please them. at least this place offers a good variety of local brews!! and i felt the menu had some good offerings. i'll be trying this place out soon. why not? what are my options in that area anyway, royal oak, firkin...

2012 Jan 31
Thanks Tourist. That's just it I believe this site is called Ottawa foodies not Ottawa English class.

Sure I agree there is problems with spelling which realistically should never happen. BUT we should be talking about the food and the service.

I know that I would never discount a restaurant because of the spelling mistakes. Its all about the food and service.

All I ask of people is try something you might like it and if you have a bad experience with the food and service tell us. If you have a great experience then tell us.


2012 Jan 31
"tell Us" would imply that you do work there...just my take.

Not a big deal, really. I'll be checking it out this week and will provide feedback.

2012 Jan 31
GoodyFishing - the thing is that we've seen so many shills on this site and your post had the trademark signature of one. You sign up and moments later make an emphatically positive post about a place. That is almost always a shill. You know what they say - if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck ... it is probably a duck

OK, you don't work for them. My next question was whether you work for or are otherwise associated with the company who did the website.

Anyway, if you really are not a shill, my apologies.

2012 Jan 31
Of course you could be referring to 'US' being people on this forum...I'll stop harrassing you. Haha.

Is your name Jordan btw?

2012 Jan 31
Agree with Zym though...had there only been comments on the food and service, decor, etc...but the Facebook, and website details just makes it appear that you weren't just a first time visitor. Of course you could just be very detailed and informative...

2012 Jan 31
Hey guys thanks for your responses and here are the answers to your questions

1) Yes I did build the website

2) When I wrote "tell us" I mean my self and other "foodies" on the site

3) Yes My name is Jordan. Do I know you??

With that all being said realistically at the end of the day if the restaurant fails or succeeds it doesn't affect me in any way I have been paid to do my part. I just call the shots as I see them.

I do strongly believe that if you guys get to the restaurant you will see what I am talking about. The Food is nothing like what it used to be when it was Darcy McGees.

I also understand where you are coming from as far as a first time poster posting what I did. But at the same Time I posted because that's the way I truly feel. And trust me when I say this and you will see real soon. that I am going to be posting lots of reviews.

I love food and I appreciate great customer service. If I have a great experience some where I will tell you. If I have a bad experience (which you will see in my next review) you will hear about it.

I am not on here to promote a restaurant for any reason other then i like their food and there service.

2012 Jan 31
I have always found their service to be less than stellar so if it is the same people with just a new name I doubt I would ever go back.

2012 Feb 1
uhmm looked at the beer list and over half are run of the mill stuff...
Might be nice to have a few more different style beer from different countries, laffe brun is one I look for and don't find much but it is in LCBO so available.
I also try to look for some more obscure Czech beer that I like.

Now if we can get one in Ottawa with a beer list similar or even half of the one at say the bier market in Toronto which has 100 beers from 100 countries including some Czech ones I like, I would be happier.

Looking at the menu, is it my imagination or quite a few menu items were from the Darcy McGee menu?

thinking back, was this Darcy McGee's the one that was offering the coupon deals? if so business probably was not that good.

2012 Feb 1
And I think the menu typos are slightly relevant. I mean if it is a hole in the wall with a handwritten menu board, fine. But a glossy, professional menu? Seems kind of shoddy.

Put it this way Goody - you are a web designer - if you see a poorly designed web page (say, playing midi music) will that make you think higher of a place, remain neutral or lower your opinion a little?

2012 Feb 1
All things aside, Nick has done a nice job on the interior, the menu is new, new chef & yes some of the old staff are still there.

Give the guy a chance,they just opened & you're picking on spelling errors?

Darcy's didn't go under; Nick wanted out of the franchise, his store was (& will remain)an enormous success.


2012 Feb 1
" .... his store was (& will remain)an enormous success."

What store ?

2012 Feb 1
Good grief! :-) Store for "prepared food intended to be consumed on premises". Also known to some as a 'restaurant'.


2012 Feb 1
Blatant spelling errors demonstrate a lack of attention to the details. If they can't spell the beer properly what else are they screwing up?

I wonder how much business there would be for a bar in a small community like Bells Corners considering they're also competing with Local Heroes, The Cock & Bull, East Side Mario's and Mort's Pub.

2012 Feb 1
They've always been totally packed on Thursday nights when I go there with the #ThursPintsW twitter crowd. My biggest complaint was with the food, so I'm thrilled that they're leaving the Prime franchising group and striking out on their own. After looking at their menu, I'm a bit freaked out that half of it seems to be standard D'Arcy McGee's offerings (with adjusted names) and they still don't have nachos. Will report back after trying it of course! :-)

2012 Feb 2
That would be the pub location attached to the hotel at Moodie and Robinson Road. Hotel pubs usually have a slightly higher price, probably due to higher rent. It also would explain to me why half the beers are the Standard Stuff - travellers expect it and you can't force something "weird" on them. (Good bar service could have them recommend a local or micro similar to the big name.)

I've always been curious how spelling errors end up in menus. Are there even proofs sent, are files now only supplied by the business... But if I go to an upscale Italian restaurant and see "Proscuitto", I blink. There's only two beer misspelled here, but they're the locals, and favourites of many here, so that's why there's some small guff given. :)

As for the review above, well, it's written in marketing-speak, sorry. Flavours you can't describe? We want descriptions! :) The best burger of your life? That tells us nothing, because we have a different life, and some could snarkily ask if you've had only 4 burgers before, or only fast food burgers; what's the bar - what was the previously "best burger of your life"? Hyperbole is better if followed by some level of factual description ("I really love/hate their wings because they're very salty"). You do exactly that with the beers - saying they were very cold. Some of us might prefer the same beer but served a little less chill, so this gives us an indication, something to know in advance. The 23 taps makes sense despite 18 on the menu, which was likely done some time before opening. I'll agree that despite the basics, there are beers there that Hotel Pubs usually don't have, so that's nice. The owner isn't trying to reinvent a genre, but to escape from the constraints of the previous menu - and it means things can change far quicker than usual, so keeping an eye on it will be good.

2012 Feb 3
X-13D
With dnd moving to the old nortel campus your looking at around 10,000 people which is right near bells corners i have no question this bar we will be a big hit i think a couple more might be needed.

2012 Feb 3
Yes, sadly bars in that area have never had a very high bar set for them due to the sheer numbers of office workers in the area. Folks in my group at Nortel used to love going to Casey's though I could never figure out why

2012 Feb 3
I wrote a big, long diatribe making fun of this Mr. Jordan Suchandsuch, but I erased it, because I'm "mature."

I will only leave the graphic, which I believe speaks for itself. If it doesn't: It is a picture of Mr. Suchandsuch being found out for what he is -- a phony whiner who can't spell.

2012 Feb 3
Let's stop jumping on him... His only real mistake was in denying he has anything to do with the restaurant when in fact he built their website. His original post was clearly shill/marketing material, so calling him out on it was a good thing.

I was at The Brew Table last night briefly. The decor is fantastic after the renovations. Service is still really nice. The Seafood Chowder still tastes the same... a bit like canned chowder with some overcooked salmon in it. Fills the hole, as they say, but won't win any awards.

The fries I sampled are awesome! Huge improvement over the nasty dry thick cut "steak" fries they used to have. These are super moist inside and nice and brown outside.

I'll post a proper review once I've eaten more, but so far it looks like things might have improved.

2012 Feb 3
Yessi first of all I would like to say you have some serious issues. You have no nothing about me! Why am I being classified as a douche in your eyes?

I have not whined at all I gave my opinion and truthfully answered every question. As far as spelling goes that was all on the menu which I didn't design I just put the image up. But there are no spelling mistakes on the actual site it self.

I also don't think that it's whining when I say instead of complaining about the minor spelling mistakes just go on test the food and the service and then post on here your experience.

I would suggest taking down your childish drawing because at the end of the day it reflexs poorly of you.

2012 Feb 3
Hey, the place got a 5 star rating on Yelp: www.yelp.ca

*irony on* It seems the public have spoken... *irony off*

2012 Feb 7
You reflexs poorly on yourself. And yes, I do have "serious issues" with people who lie repeatedly, get caught, and still act like haughty a**holes after the fact.

2012 Feb 9
Went to the Brew Table with a couple of coworkers for lunch and was happy with the food we received. The new menu is different than the old Darcy McGee's menu but I think they kept some of the old favourites. Our table had the fish and chips, beef bourguignon, and the seafood linguine. The fish was tasty but the fries were a little undercooked. The tartar sauce that was served with the fish was of good flavour, but the portion size was a little small. my coworker raved about the beef bourguignon and said he would definitely have it again. The seafood linguine looked good and the people having it said it wasnt bad. Cannot comment on any of the beers as no one had any. Beer review will be the next thing on the agenda. The service was ok, not great but not bad either. The place was busy so I can understand why service was a little slow.

2012 Feb 9
but what'd you think of the website?

2012 Feb 11
Ok Yessi think what you may I am not going to sit on here and argue with an immature little girl.

Luck 13 thank you for using this page in the way its intended. It's good to read a proper review.

2012 Feb 20
First: Yes I'm new, no I don't work there, no I didn't work on the site and no I'm not the owner (lol).

I'm off there for dinner tonight with my family and folks. My parents had been regulars (when it was D'Arcy McGees) and always ate there. I'm hoping the new menu will eventually improve service. I stopped going when they took their fresh Shepperd's pie off the menu. Open Feedback from the customers is the only way they'll learn. Will post a review tonite.

I`d really like to support this venture - The Darcy`s franchise was killing the restaurant which is why the service and staff were less than stellar. Local brewpubs are everyone in Victoria (BC) and fluorishing. Ottawa needs more. Prime restaurants were slowly killing this palce when it was Darcy's.

However if they can't serve food worth the prices on the new menu, the Brew Table will die off as most other restaurants in Bell's Corners have. $9.99 for breakfast is a non-sequitur, I'll wouldn't pay that for breakfast anywhere.

@GoodyFishing: The new website works, but not too well in older browsers. Menu layout is a bit clumsy to work with but I've seen a lot worse. re: Your Yessi comment, that image is not Yessi's, and has been floating around the internet for a decade. I'd also recommend changing website hosts...150-225ms response times is slow, and causes the menu loading to hang sometimes.

@Freshfoodie: The old fries were bulk produced and shipped frozen by Cara Foods. I'm told the new ones are fresh cut in-house. We'll see how that works out I guess.

Now back to your regularly scheduled crap-flinging. :D


2012 Apr 28
Plagiarizing I E T ...First: Yes I'm new, no I don't work there, no I didn't work on the site and no I'm not the owner (lol).

I am a bit biased tho...
I have been going there for many years - mostly business lunches - and have always enjoyed the food and service. There has been the odd meal which could have been better but compared to the other pubs (even other D'Arcy McGee's with the same menu) it usually meets or exceeds my expectations.

The Brew Table is much brighter and cleaner than the old dark wood decor.
They have old style lighting with large filaments - really cool (I want some for my house).

The menu is similar but the quality seems better for the food I have tired so far - especially the burgers and fries. Sandwiches are good and I also like the cottage pie.
I still need to venture out on the menu - maybe if I go for dinner.

Last visit I had a daily special soup - spicy parsnip - which was fantastic. I don't care much for parsnips so I'm glad the server highly recommended it.

For Beer - I usually order Smithwicks when I'm there so I don't have any complaints or opinions.

For service - I'm a bit surprised with the so-so comments. It's always great for me but it may help that some of the servers recognize me?

So...it will still be my go-to-spot when I want to meet or take people for a pub style lunch.