I walk in through the large wooden doors of the Unionville Arms and cannot help but notice the smell. It’s the smell generally associated with pubs; fries, burgers, wings, beer. Also noticeable is the noise. With the Leafs playing yet another loosing game, the men at the bar are sitting around yelling profanities towards various television screens. There are several televisions which are hung above the bar, allowing the customers to sit comfortably both at the bar and the surrounding tables. To get to the bar I must walk past various booths and intimate tables located at the front of the room. The restaurant, like most pubs, is separated into two parts; the bar area and the dining area. Various families are seated in the booths trying to enjoy their meals. The waitresses bustle about trying to please those sitting at the tables, while the bartender takes care of the noisy group hovered around their beers.
After being asked where I prefer to sit, I choose a nice booth that’s both intimate but close to the bar so I’m able to watch the game. Even the families, who aren’t taking part in the action of the game, are talking animatedly with each other helping with the energetic atmosphere. A middle-aged waitress comes over to take my order. Perfect timing. Right away I order myself something to drink. The booth is comfy and seems rather spacious but I am sitting alone. The table that I rest my hands on is of dark wood, weathered from years of use which adds to the comfortable atmosphere.
Several minutes later my waitress, who has introduced herself as Theresa, brings my drink over and asks if I’m ready to order.
“Are the crab cakes good? They seem like an odd addition to the menu” I inquire.
“Oh they’re great. All of the appetizers are great, well, except the escargot. That was recently added on and I’m not sure the chef knows exactly how to prepare it. Although I’m biased, I hate snail” She laughs and I smile.
“Crab Cakes it is then.” She writes down my order.
“Anything else?”
“Well, since you’re so hoenst, what’s the most popular meal?”
“Well ever since the Ribs have been put on the menu they’ve become the most popular. But our wings have always been a staple here so I’d try those first if you like wings” She replies.
“Great. I’ll have them medium please”. Theresa writes it down and walks off to the kitchen. From my seat I am able to see a bit of the kitchen with its white tile flooring and white walls. Clearly they did not waste any time in decorating the kitchen.
To my right hand side is a set of four stairs that lead to the raised level of the restaurant. On this level there are about eight more tables and two booths that add even more privacy from the bar area. On the wall there are thirty or so charactures of past and present customers. Humorously I recognize one of the pictures as a man sitting at the far end of the bar. He is definitely a regular. A couple of the waitresses are talking to the men and women at the bar and I notice a waiter on the raised level talking to a family of five. The staff clearly treats everyone as family.
Fifteen minutes later my Crab Cakes arrive. There are three of them placed neatly on the plate with a small bowl of chipotle mayo beside them. I unravel the cutlery beside my plate from the napkin and pick up the fork. As I cut into the crab cake my mouth begins to water at the crispy outside. The inside however is soft and moist. The mayo is both creamy and spicy, adding a nice compliment to the crispy cakes. It doesn’t take me long to finish the crab cakes but I leave one to save room for my meal.
Theresa is quick to take my plate away and I wait for my next meal. The Leafs have lost the game by now but somehow the bar has gotten busier. It doesn’t take long for my wings to emerge from the kitchen and I have a clear view of Theresa bringing them over. They are neatly placed on a square, very white, plate. The wings are saucy but not dripping and don’t create any sort of mess on the plate. I pick one up and start eating. They are hands down the best wings I have ever tasted. They are spicy, the way I like them and beyond the spice you can actually taste flavor. I eat all of them including the celery and carrot sticks that were placed beside them as garnish.
“Well it seems you enjoyed those!” Theresa says smiling as she walks over to clear my plate.
“They were a great recommendation. Thank you! You’ll have to give my appreciation to the chef.”
“I don’t need to boost his ego anymore than it already is. Every customer who orders the wings says the same thing” She says laughing. Theresa picks up my plate and cutlery and asks, “would you like anything else? Coffee? Tea? Dessert?”
“No thanks. Just the bill would be great.” She nods and walks away.
Theresa returns with the bill and a few mints. As I look it over I notice that it on the more expensive side for a pub. A total of $34.99 for just one person. I tip her and grab my coat to go.
Overall it was a great experience. The food that I tried was great and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, especially on a cold fall night. One thing that I would change however would be the randomness of the menu. They do include typical pub food but items like the Chicken Curry don’t seem to fit at all. I understand the desire to appeal to all customers but perhaps a more synonymous menu would bode better with the overall reflection of the restaurant. Remember the old quote, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”? Well perhaps the chefs and owners of the restaurant should have considered it when adding the variety that they do onto the new menu of the restaurant. Additionally, the place could be a bit brighter. Yes, pubs are generally dark places however brighter décor would blend better with the atmosphere. The staff was pleasant and the environment the other customers provide is welcoming. I would definitely go back here or recommend it to those who ask.
After being asked where I prefer to sit, I choose a nice booth that’s both intimate but close to the bar so I’m able to watch the game. Even the families, who aren’t taking part in the action of the game, are talking animatedly with each other helping with the energetic atmosphere. A middle-aged waitress comes over to take my order. Perfect timing. Right away I order myself something to drink. The booth is comfy and seems rather spacious but I am sitting alone. The table that I rest my hands on is of dark wood, weathered from years of use which adds to the comfortable atmosphere.
Several minutes later my waitress, who has introduced herself as Theresa, brings my drink over and asks if I’m ready to order.
“Are the crab cakes good? They seem like an odd addition to the menu” I inquire.
“Oh they’re great. All of the appetizers are great, well, except the escargot. That was recently added on and I’m not sure the chef knows exactly how to prepare it. Although I’m biased, I hate snail” She laughs and I smile.
“Crab Cakes it is then.” She writes down my order.
“Anything else?”
“Well, since you’re so hoenst, what’s the most popular meal?”
“Well ever since the Ribs have been put on the menu they’ve become the most popular. But our wings have always been a staple here so I’d try those first if you like wings” She replies.
“Great. I’ll have them medium please”. Theresa writes it down and walks off to the kitchen. From my seat I am able to see a bit of the kitchen with its white tile flooring and white walls. Clearly they did not waste any time in decorating the kitchen.
To my right hand side is a set of four stairs that lead to the raised level of the restaurant. On this level there are about eight more tables and two booths that add even more privacy from the bar area. On the wall there are thirty or so charactures of past and present customers. Humorously I recognize one of the pictures as a man sitting at the far end of the bar. He is definitely a regular. A couple of the waitresses are talking to the men and women at the bar and I notice a waiter on the raised level talking to a family of five. The staff clearly treats everyone as family.
Fifteen minutes later my Crab Cakes arrive. There are three of them placed neatly on the plate with a small bowl of chipotle mayo beside them. I unravel the cutlery beside my plate from the napkin and pick up the fork. As I cut into the crab cake my mouth begins to water at the crispy outside. The inside however is soft and moist. The mayo is both creamy and spicy, adding a nice compliment to the crispy cakes. It doesn’t take me long to finish the crab cakes but I leave one to save room for my meal.
Theresa is quick to take my plate away and I wait for my next meal. The Leafs have lost the game by now but somehow the bar has gotten busier. It doesn’t take long for my wings to emerge from the kitchen and I have a clear view of Theresa bringing them over. They are neatly placed on a square, very white, plate. The wings are saucy but not dripping and don’t create any sort of mess on the plate. I pick one up and start eating. They are hands down the best wings I have ever tasted. They are spicy, the way I like them and beyond the spice you can actually taste flavor. I eat all of them including the celery and carrot sticks that were placed beside them as garnish.
“Well it seems you enjoyed those!” Theresa says smiling as she walks over to clear my plate.
“They were a great recommendation. Thank you! You’ll have to give my appreciation to the chef.”
“I don’t need to boost his ego anymore than it already is. Every customer who orders the wings says the same thing” She says laughing. Theresa picks up my plate and cutlery and asks, “would you like anything else? Coffee? Tea? Dessert?”
“No thanks. Just the bill would be great.” She nods and walks away.
Theresa returns with the bill and a few mints. As I look it over I notice that it on the more expensive side for a pub. A total of $34.99 for just one person. I tip her and grab my coat to go.
Overall it was a great experience. The food that I tried was great and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, especially on a cold fall night. One thing that I would change however would be the randomness of the menu. They do include typical pub food but items like the Chicken Curry don’t seem to fit at all. I understand the desire to appeal to all customers but perhaps a more synonymous menu would bode better with the overall reflection of the restaurant. Remember the old quote, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it”? Well perhaps the chefs and owners of the restaurant should have considered it when adding the variety that they do onto the new menu of the restaurant. Additionally, the place could be a bit brighter. Yes, pubs are generally dark places however brighter décor would blend better with the atmosphere. The staff was pleasant and the environment the other customers provide is welcoming. I would definitely go back here or recommend it to those who ask.
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