The Caledonian

It seems that lately we are having a reprieve from the onset of fall.  When we think it would finally start dropping in temperatures, we get a wave of days that dance about the border of 20-something degrees.  Looking at the 14-day forecast, up until about Wednesday next week still seems holding on to the last vestiges of summer.  Maybe just like me, you can take one more night and enjoy a beer at an outdoor patio.  One I would recommend for ambiance and comfort, would be The Caledonian, a Scottish pub by College and Bathurst.  The façade seemed tiny from the front of the restaurant but looks could really be deceiving.  Several tables deep, further lengthened by a bar, the space afford a lot of patrons without overcrowding.  But because we still have warm weather, I urge you to walk past all that cozy interior and walk towards the back patio.  The backyard paved and littered with a good amount patio furniture and fixtures, it was perfect a place for winding down, for enjoying beer and a good conversation.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

As I waited for the company of the rest of my Ryerson friends, we enjoyed and nursed Scottish beers straight from the tap.  I asked for a pale ale and our server recommended Deuchars IPA.  It was spot on to the taste I wanted, not too dry and with no bitter aftertaste, that beer was smooth to the palate. As my party arrived, we started on for dinner and I looked forward to sampling Scottish cuisine.  I have not tasted haggis and have heard a lot about it, but I must confess, despite all the offal that Filipino cuisine has, I was still squeamish about it.  I was just lucky I got to taste it though as  one of my friends tried it out.  It was tasty after all, with hints of gamey meat but I think I would be able to finish the thing once I get another chance.  What I ended up with was a House-Made Scottish Steak Pie. I was in the mood for a beef stew then and did it ever satisfy. Under all that flaky pastry were tender cubes of beef immersed in thick gravy. If I had bread, I prolly would have wiped that ramekin clean.

So go out and enjoy the last warmth of a backyard patio and grab a beer by The Caledonian. Embrace the last few days of summer-like weather. Pretty soon enough, these days will be all we dream about until the coming of spring.