East End Eats XXVIII: The Queens Head Pub

 

Hey, we're back here wrapping up Chicken Wing Month with a look at another pub, The Queens Head in Leslieville. And yep, it's another place where I have some history so settle in! Time for a story.

(but first, it being National Day for Truth and Reconciliation here in Canada, do take a moment to learn, reflect, acknowledge and consider the brutal atrocities against Indigenous Canadians, and perhaps how you yourself can support organizations, Indigenous businesses or causes that can help these still struggling communities. One day a year is a nice gesture, but these are issues that should not be so quickly acknowledged and then forgotten) 

Back in summer 2015 I jumped between multiple restaurant jobs, so when I saw Queens Head was hiring servers/bartenders I figured dropping off a resume couldn't hurt. I ended up getting an interview with the manager(?), who liked the cut of my jib(gib?) despite my serving experience being rather minimal at that point in time. He explained he also ran the Thai restaurant next door, and so as a trial shift I could work over there and see how I handled things. So far, seems reasonable right?

Heh. A few days later I arrive at the Thai restaurant and nobody was expecting me. The manager guy wasn't there (though at least the people working knew his name) and it was pretty dang awkward. Still though, I figured I'd see it through. Well... lets just say this ended up being the longest, most tedious two hours I've ever worked anywhere. Part of me feels like I'm still stuck there! There wasn't a single customer (which apparently was very common) and yet the rule was we had to stand ready at attention for people on the sidewalk walking by. I quickly realized this was a huge waste of time (even if they hired me, I suspect it'd be there and not the pub) so I made up an excuse/lie that I had to leave to go umpire a softball game (something I've never done in my life). The staff was not impressed, even making me process a phone takeout order before leaving, but I certainly didn't care then and I especially don't care now. 

And that is the story of the shortest job I've ever "had", although since I didn't get paid I suppose it shouldn't really count. Enough of that, onto the food! Like I've been doing all month, I went for the spiciest option available which here was... "hot". Huh. Aside from those Firkin wings I really haven't burned my mouth very much at all this month (probably for the best). 

While these wings aren't particularly spicy either, they have an agreeable hotness that's fairly between a Frank's Red Hot and a lighter Sriracha (without the thickness of the latter sauce). You definitely get that sharp scent when opening the box, which worried me, but thankfully that element was limited in the flavour.

The wings themselves are tasty, crisp on the outside and more oily than greasy on the inside. They're not as fatty as say those pizza wings I reviewed were, which makes them much more gentle on the stomach... plus these are quite large! There's a good mix of tender texture with accessible softness on each bite, they're cooked well, and there's a lot of meat within. Filling indeed.

As for the fries, although they were cold once I got home (had to bike about fifteen minutes with them), they're also quite good. Crispy, thin, with notable potato taste (skins on, which I like) and not overly salty. I used most of the blue cheese dip you see in the photo on them. Speaking of that dip, you can't see it in the shot but there are real chunks of blue cheese in that sauce! I'm so used to blue cheesy-like pungent salad dressings that come with wings, and while the overall consistency of this dip matches that description, finding actual large bits of creamy blue cheese was a welcome surprise. 

Final verdict! These are good! Of all the wings I tried this month, hard to say if I liked these more than Gabby's... it's between those two. Queen's Head definitely have better fries. Granted, none of these wings were bad either... I've ragged on the Firkin ones but that's just because they're grotesquely overpriced. Pizzaville's were surprisingly decent (though a breaded chicken heart-attack machine) and Pizza Nova's perhaps the most unique in sauce and external texture. 

The real question is though... actual best wings in Toronto? I know a lot of people rave about Crown & Dragon near Rosedale station. I've tried to go there a few times and they've always been way too busy, so I can't comment. Best chicken wings I've had this year, personally... has to be Toby's at College and Bathurst. They're enormous, juicy, I got mine tossed in a Sri Lankan curry and it was fabulous... a nice bit of earthy building heat with all sorts of various seasonings and spices in there. Highly recommended. 

Anyway, thanks for reading Chicken Wing Month! The Tuesday reviews will go back to non-chicken items next week... unless KFC is actually bringing back the Double Down. Gulp... fetch the defibrillator folks.         

This Week In Star Trek: TNG -- The Most Toys

 

We're back talking about Star Trek! Despite the title, this likely won't be a weekly feature, more of an occasional and random look into certain episodes that interest me upon rewatching them (or in particular cases of the original series or Deep Space Nine... seeing them for the first time). 

There will be spoilers of course. 

For this debut, we're looking at The Most Toys, a late season 3 episode of Next Generation and really a point in time where that show really found itself (to which this episode is no exception).  

It begins with our lovable android, Data, seemingly dying in a shuttlecraft explosion. Now that's a teaser! Of course it happens to be a sinister plot, with Fajo (trading goods to the Enterprise to help with a biological disaster) faking Data's death so that he can add him to his collection of rare unique items. 

This episode works so effectively within its two plots: the Enterprise crew coping with the loss of Data (and La Forge's insistent disbelief that such an accident could happen). There's a great scene with Geordi and Wesley Crusher (yeah I know!) where they're in Data's quarters looking over his belongings and reminiscing about their fallen android friend's human-like pursuits. It's played with a sad subtlety that really captures the tragedy these characters feel. Likewise there's another scene with Troi and Worf in a turbolift where she points out how this is the second time Worf has replaced a fallen comrade at their position, to which he says "the best way to honour them is to perform their duties as well as they did". Even the normally unemotional Picard has a short moment quoting a bit from Hamlet. It's just stellar, stellar character stuff.

What really makes this episode hum along though is the Data-Fajo plot. Saul Rubinek has a long list of credits as a versatile character actor, and he gives Fajo this compelling mix of wide-eyed childlike energy with cold deceptive cruelty. Although he gradually understands Data is a more complex being than he initially thought (talking to him in their first scene together as a pet owner would) never once does he consider him anything more than a plaything, a possession meant only to entertain himself and impress others. Rubinek's excellent performance, across from the always reliable Brent Spiner, truly elevates this story to incredible heights.

As for Data, this is in many ways a spiritual sequel to The Measure of A Man for him. Where in that episode he was fighting for the right to be considered an individual and not property, here he is fighting for his own right for self-determination. Fajo tells him he can have "anything he wishes" and Data replies simply: "I wish to leave". He will not accept an existence wherein he cannot do what he, as a thinking individual with the rights of liberty and freedom of choice, is treated with such limitations. His method of dealing with Fajo progresses from simple diplomacy, to non violent resistance, to the controversial conclusion where Chief O'Brien has to deactivate a discharged phaser just as they beam him back to the Enterprise (it's always just in the nick of time, eh).

Overall... this episode is just fantastic. Perhaps the greatest knock is how Fajo's plan doesn't quite seem flawless (like how the faked biological disaster should be easily detected and is) but it's very forgivable considering the overall excellence of the story. Great character moments, great explorations of the themes of captivity and what it means to be a person instead of merely an object, and just a stellar performance from the guest actor. Truly a Warp 8 on the scale of quality.    

The Tuesday Taste: Pizza Nova Chicken Wings vs Pizzaville Wings

 

 

 

She said "it's not now or never

wait ten years we'll be together"

I said "Better late than never

just don't make me wait forever"

Don't make me wait forever

 

Another Tuesday, another Taste! And apologizes for making you readers wait forever for another review. As compensation for that, we've got a double feature today... plus another little something coming later this week to end off Chicken Wings Month. 

For now though, it's a direct head-to-head wing challenge involving two pizza chains I've reviewed (pizza-wise) before: Pizza Nova and Pizzaville.

First off, I've always found the constant availability of wings at pizza joints kind of strange. Not to argue that they don't go together, quite the contrary... pizza and chicken wings seems nearly as perfect a "having friends over to watch a game/movie" combination as chips with dip. I'm just curious about the origin of the pairing. Especially since chicken on pizza is widely frowned upon (personally, it can work great in certain circumstances, like in pesto territories).

Regardless of how this culinary symbiosis began, lets dive into these particular selections and see what they do, and don't do, taste wise.

(like the previous wing reviews of the month, I went for the spiciest option each one had)

 

Pizza Nova

 

 

Pizza Nova describes their wings as "oven roasted". This may very well be true, as they lack the seeping greasiness you'd find in a deep fried item. 

I know I come across as a Nova fanboy oftentimes, with my garlic pizza hacks and appreciation for their good tomato sauce... but yeah I do quite like these wings. They're cooked seamlessly through: satisfying to bite on the first go, the meat inside juicy without obstructive fatty or sliminess from being underdone. I know, it is Pizza Nova... these are probably pre-frozen products (there's a tinge of that frozen taste in there honestly) but that's hidden sufficiently enough behind solid execution. 

As for Nova's "Hot" sauce... it's a mixed bag. I like the sauciness of it, the thicker texture, and how there's way less of a sharp vinegary taste than I found with the previous two wing reviews. The flavour itself though is rather strange, like a thicker ketchup with a hint of chili to it (an occasional chili seed can be found), mixed with sweet BBQ sauce. Even the colour has a bit of a brownish red to it. When the wings were warm these were... well at least a bit spicier than Gabby's ghost pepper wings. After a couple hours? It tasted very much like a tomato BBQ sauce with a heat that had long departed town. Lets move on.

 

Pizzaville

 

 

Pizzaville consistently surprises me with their consistent competence. And what does that... consist of? Okay okay, I'll stop being such a literal dork. 

Well... perhaps this is just me, but on the trio of occasions I go to a Pizzaville each year I seem to set internal low expectations. Subsequently such expectations aren't then exactly shattered, rather merely bested by a reasonably decent product. Their chicken wings are no exception to that.

Are they spicy? Not even slightly. Their (rather confounding) menu doesn't offer a sauce to toss them in, at least I didn't see one, so I went for their "Spicy Crispy" option. There's some seasoning (like a dusting of powder cooked within the breading) that adds a faint "something"... but calling them spicy is a severe overstatement. 

That said, these are (as said earlier) reasonably decent. They remind me of a better frozen chicken wing you'd get from a supermarket: it'll never taste like the truly best pub fare article, it's a bit overly greasy once you get into one, textures dance the tightrope with oily blubber below...

As mentioned these are on the fattier side, so definitely more of an occasional guilty pleasure than a "I'm eating chicken to stay lean!" type thing. Yeah, go ahead and eat a bunch of chicken wings for an extended period of time... see how that affects your physique. I speak from experience... um friend experience! Yeah sure! That's my story.

 

Verdict!

 

Nova is definitely better in terms of quality. Pizzaville ain't bad though, their wings are a good size and eight of them only cost me ten bucks tax in (Nova was about 13 bucks for ten). I still shake my head at how underwhelming that pound of wings from the Firkin was, at 18 dollars... and frankly these two portions individually are more food than that was. Both orders combined was barely a five dollar bill more of an expense too. I've got nothing against my former job, I swear! Only that your wings are overpriced and extremely unsatisfying in amounts demanded and provided.

Later this week.... more surprises! 

 

Burnt Ends -- I'm gonna write about Star Trek again soon. Stay tuned. In the meantime, enjoy this wonderful scene in an otherwise pretty bad Trek episode.  

Is This The End of Zombie Shakespeare? -- As an English major type sorta guy, and appreciator of many (definitely not all.... Taming of the Shrew is unfunny and terrible) of his plays... I liked this article of everyday sayings we have evolved upon from the many works of Shakespeare. It does speak to the evolution of communication itself, how a mere reference of a quote can be so easily and commonly understood, even far separated from original context. 

The Simpsons are likewise an excellent example of this. If you get the reference of the title above, you get it. 

 

Tuesday Tune -- This song is mid-2019 for me. I saw/worked the show at Bud Stage when this band played there that summer, within still feeling the feelings. It's just a damn great tune and an insanely fun bassline.     

They were damn phenomenal live by the way, even though the audio was somewhat obscured from the particular bar I was working that night.

That's it for me... until later this week! Until then, don't spill that mustard.

     

 

    

The Tuesday Taste: Gabby's Chicken Wings

 

 

If you're stuck in a rainfall

of shattering glass

Where you miss the moment

watching it pass

 

Another Tuesday has arrived here in September 2021, and so we continue along with Chicken Wings Month. This week we look at a different prominent chain of pubs here in the GTA, a franchise which I have not been employed by (unlike last week)... Gabby's.

According to their website, the first Gabby's was opened on Yonge Street just north of Lawrence in 1989 (I'm assuming it's their "Roadhouse" location on 3263 Yonge). They've since expanded to twelve outposts, which to be honest seems considerably lower than I would've guessed. In my mind I assumed they were everywhere... maybe it's just because I've always somehow lived or worked close to one. I mean, there are two within a fifteen minute walk of where I live now. 

As for personal nostalgia... I don't really have anything beyond going to the Gabby's on King and Peter a few times over the years. Once on a date, another time before a Blue Jays game, and more recently with some co-workers after a Roy Thomson Hall shift because we were hungry for... chicken wings! Now there's a segue.

Like last week, I got a pound of wings tossed in what I figured would be their spiciest sauce: Ghost Chili. Unlike last week, I elected for french fries this time because I genuinely didn't remember if Gabby's had good fries or not (plus it was only an extra two bucks). With tax and tip, it came to about twenty dollars... still rather steep for my liking but an improvement over the eighteen I paid last week without fries. 

First off, these fries are entirely decent. They remind me of the fries I used to get from the food trucks parked along St. George across from the Sid Smith building at U of T. Once they get completely cold they're fairly unsalvageable (the texture becoming too dry to bother with a reheat) but while fresh they provide a salty, very potatoey flavour... and (while I bet they still are) they don't taste as obviously frozen as many other pub french fry offerings.

How about the main attraction though? As a chicken wing, this is also a definite step up from last wing (I mean week). The texture is really what you want in a good wing: a firm and slightly crisp exterior yet accessibly soft, while the meat within is juicy enough to slip off the bone. These are notably greasier than the Firkin fare (you'll need lots of napkins) and where those wings left me wanting more due to the small portion size... these Gabby's wings are just the right amount (as I feel like another pound would've been just a bit too much oiliness for my poor stomach).

The dip you see pictured is one of the blue cheese variety, definitely more on the creamy side and the blue cheese taste exists more as a hint than a domination. It's very okay and actually works better as a dip for the fries than for the chicken.

How about the spice though? Well this here was the let down... this ghost chili sauce* just wasn't very hot. And there was a lot of it, so there was plenty of opportunity to unleash it upon myself. Nah, this was more like a slightly sweet, more refined version of Frank's Red Hot... more of a sharp sting on the tongue than anything burning throughout your mouth or lips. It could linger a bit on a good bite, but otherwise a very underwhelming result. I'd give it a 5/10 on the New Hotness Scale (with a "1" being a piece of cardboard and a "10" being the chili Homer Simpson can only eat by covering his mouth in wax). I gotta get myself one of those spoons carved from a bigger spoon. 

*also if you're thinking I could've just gotten their suicide sauce... bah I figure I'll have to go for that eventually at one of these places. In the meanwhile I'd prefer to try something more unique to a place if I can.

Overall... while not impressing with the level or quality of their spice, Gabby's do impress with the quality of their wings. I like that they're tender, notably larger than many wings you'll come across elsewhere, basically just enjoyable to eat. As for burning my mouth into ashes, I guess you'll just have to wait until next week... oh no how terrible. 

 

Burnt Ends -- Slowly plugging away at a few ideas but none are really close to even finished first drafts. Mostly thinking it might be fun just to rewatch a random Star Trek episode and write about it, call it "This Week In Random Star Trek" or something. Just something I can write quickly and not put an excessive amount of thought into. 

I'll also probably have an article about the Blue Jays coming out later this week on BattersBox. I hear that team is playing pretty okay these days...

 

The Bat'leth In The Stone -- Speaking of Star Trek (I know I was), I simply have to share these classic fairy tale titles revised for a Klingon audience. Qapla! And may the rivers run red with the blood of your enemies!

 

Port Landsia -- Speaking of rivers! Even though I share a lot of their stuff on here, BlogTo's level of journalism is often dubious. This article, however, really does an excellent job detailing the extensive project happening down in the Port Lands. From diverting the flow of the Don River and trying to build a sustainable rock bed and riverbank for that, to what they're doing with that cool looking bridge you've probably seen. It's vivid photos galore of... dirt, rocks, maps and I swear it is significantly more interesting than I'm making it sound.

 

Love Or Confusion -- Speaking of vivid... the legendary Jimi Hendrix needs no introduction, surely. Here's a quick interesting read about some factoids regarding his debut album with The Experience, one of the most influential albums in rock history. 

 

Tuesday Tune -- Speaking of influential... well this isn't the first time I've shared a Radiohead tune and it definitely won't be the last. It's the twentieth anniversary of the Kid A/Amnesiac release and so the band has remastered a bunch of songs from their vault of that era. Here's one they released just last week and it is yet another good one, simultaneously sweet and bleak (so, basically Radiohead).

 

 

 

That's it for me this week. Until next time, hey go vote next Monday if you haven't already, be kind to each other, don't be a trash clown protesting a hospital and especially don't spill that mustard.     

 

The Tuesday Taste: Firkin Pub Chicken Wings

 

 

My fear was just a shadow

And then a voice spoke in my head

And she said, dark is not the opposite of light

It's the absence of light

And I thought to myself

She knows what she's talking about

And for a moment I knew what it was all about 

 

Another Tuesday, another Taste! And, another month of reviews following a theme! For the truly excellent month of September, on this show we shall be reviewing various prominent chicken wing options, pubs or otherwise. 

Few foods (at least in North American culture) seem to better exemplify a night hanging out with friends at a bar and watching a big game, than chicken wings. I've learned, from trying to bake the frozen kinds, that there really isn't anything that quite replicates the genuine article you get at your local watering hole.

Of course, there's such a thing as a bad chicken wing, and perhaps we shall come across such examples as the month goes along. For now though, lets start with a well known chain of pubs (and one I used to work for!) here throughout Toronto... the Firkins.

Before we begin though, first off just for clarifications sake... despite my previous employment at a Firkin I have an entirely neutral position coming into this. I don't hold any grudge against the company, nor is there such lingering affinity for me to sing unjust praises towards the food. I'm just a guy, reviewing something from their menu. Hell, I didn't even visit the location I used to work at (and that's mostly because it's too damn far from my house). 

Second, and the way more interesting part: well I didn't initially plan it this way but for this chicken wing month.... I will also be trying the spiciest sauce each place has to offer for my wings. Because goddamnit I'm sure my taste buds burning in agony is what all you wonderful readers come for! Geezus what have I done...

Quick backstory on the Firkin Pubs: their website doesn't say really anything but I believe(?) the first one opened up sometime around 1987-88 and it was one of the downtown Toronto locations (maybe the one I worked at? The Eglinton/Yonge one? The Church Street one? Who knows, I worked there in the Beforetimes after all). Regardless of my anecdotal accuracy, there are about two dozen Firkin locations now, mostly in the Greater Toronto Area but also in Cambridge, Ontario; the Halifax airport (it was hilarious finding that one by accident in said airport while still employed) and even for some international flavour, a couple in American airports also. 

I went to the Gull and Firkin, because it's close to my house damnit, and got myself a pound of wings doused in Meryl's Deadly Seven sauce. I assumed it was a different name for their "suicide" sauce and I'm certain I was correct. No fries though, because to be honest I worked there for three years and unless they were super crispy (or free while hungrily working a busy shift) I always regarded their fries as generic frozen meh (if you must though, get the cajun seasoning... trust me).

The wings! Keep in mind I tried everything on that menu at least once, but I'd rarely go for the wings because even with a staff discount the portion size still seriously underwhelmed me. This is still very true: now paying full price, plus tax and tip? This just isn't very much food for eighteen bucks. Is this a metric pound of wings? Seriously. I could go get a large walk-in special pizza for 2/3 of that price and have something to eat for the next day. Not off to a good start here.

Also not a good start: the slightly tough, overcooked exterior of these. First bite and yeah, it's a bit chewy on the outside and several parts on the ends of the drumsticks especially are crunchy. Thankfully the meat within is not a struggle, it's actually quite decent, not overly fatty and tastes like properly cooked chicken. 

Texture is such an important aspect of chicken wings since, being a fairly simple dish, the sensation of eating them is about as important as the flavour (which will mostly be whichever sauce you choose). These Firkin wings are just pretty okay in that regard, with the tougher exterior compromising the enjoyment especially once cooled off. The modestly tender chicken within is far more enjoyable but not enough to balance everything.

Time for some positives though. This was the first time I'd tried the Firkin Dip in about two years, and as far as wing dips go this one is an all-star. It's nothing mindblowing or even that complicated (it's like a thin, creamy dill salad dressing) but compared against blue cheese dips or random ranch sauces (blech) this is a winner. Plus the portion size provided is above standard, which I certainly really appreciate when leading into my next point. Let's call it...

The New Hotness: Like I mentioned above, for Chicken Wing Month I'm getting the spiciest sauce available at every place because I am an idiot. Meryl's Deadly Seven sauce alleviates that self-burn though, while replacing it with another. As a flavour, I wasn't a fan: it's very vinegary in scent and taste. One old cook I used to work with created a similar kind of sauce (off menu) we'd serve to one specific patron for her fish tacos, and this Meryl's sauce very much resembles that thick pulpy sauce he created (which was wildly hot) if it'd been blended with vinegar to soften it up somewhat. The heat is there though and doesn't waste time. It hits you quick (unlike other super hot sauces I've liked more, that slow building burn promising doom is the fun part) and it seemingly seeps into every bite of the wing. Even parts that are just chicken within, no outer layer, no sauce and the burn from your mouth has faded... nope the pain is still there. Problem is there's little taste beyond the heat, which is fun and accessible (I mean, don't let your great grandmother try it, but if you can handle spice this won't obliterate you) but flavour wise it's just like a hot vinegary chili paste.

On a New Hotness Scale, with '1' being a slice of white Wonder bread (with a glass of water on the side for dipping) and a '10' being the spiciest holyfuck I've ever had (a million Scoville sauce called Million Dollar Sauce)... this would be about a 7.5 I think. It hits you, your nose runs a bit and your eyes water, you'll be taking some breaths.. but it also fades reasonably. Granted, I also wouldn't want to enter a contest to eat as many as I could in ten minutes (at my old Firkin we did this for a Super Bowl a few years back... wouldn't have wanted to see those washrooms the next day).    

Overall... rating Firkin wings... I'm not blown away. The heat and the dip are the best parts about this. Everything else? I mean it's definitely fine, but for the price you're paying and the amount you get this just isn't worth it. There are far, far superior wings out there that are tastier, larger and cheaper even with fries. Here's hoping we hit on one of those spots next week.

(As for the Firkin, get the chicken curry instead because that is darn good.)

 

Burnt Ends -- It's from Thursday, but I write about baseball too don't ya know.     

 

Joey From Etobicoke -- More baseball, more Joey still bangs. 

 

Garden For The Gardiner -- I can't really make much of an honest opinion about how the city is tearing down more of the Gardiner Expressway here in Toronto, ripping down the eastern terminus near the DVP. I don't drive, see, though I bicycle past this particular demolition point fairly often (and incredibly frequently back in the Beforetimes). This is really just an excuse to share this article about how when they ripped out another eastern section of the Gardiner 20 years ago. 

It's very weird to see what that stretch of Lakeshore Blvd looked like back then, which again was not very long ago. I don't think I'm coming out of left-field when I say the present configuration is a significant improvement, not just for cyclists looking for safe routes but for neighbourhood palatability. There are businesses that have opened along that stretch of Carlaw I doubt could or would want to exist if they were nestled next to a highway off-ramp. 

Nobody likes being stuck in traffic, I get it. I sure as heck don't (cyclist traffic can be a thing, especially on long weekends and you encounter casual Bike Share riders on the trails who have no clue how to pick a bloody lane). Hey though, I'd like to think most of us can agree that improving our neighbourhoods is more important than a goddamn freeway. I say most of us, because in that same article someone commented how they lament the Spadina Expressway was never completed. You know, the 1970s expressway that would've destroyed Cedarvale Park, Nordheimer Ravine, most of the Annex etc. But isn't Allen Road so awesome to visit????     

The Slice Reheat Question -- I know I know, I'm genuinely obsessed with this stuff, and last week's pizza coincidentally is one simply impossible to salvage by any method. I still swear by the pan on low heat option (especially covered) but the toaster oven works just fine (also on low-ish heat) for certain pizzas. That article is a fun read (for science, obviously).

 

Morons Of The Week -- (Seriously. If you do this, you don't need a vaccine. You need a fucking brain transplant.)

Tuesday Tune -- Finally picking a Beastie Boys song this week. So naturally, we're going with the most un-Beasties sounding song from their first three albums. It's funky, chilled out and damn great. 

That's it for another week. Stay tuned for next time when we confront another offering here in Chicken Wing Month! And yes, they will be spicy and there will be suffering (can't wait! Ha ha... ughhhh). Until then, be kind to each other, keep a cool head and don't spill that mustard.