This past long weekend was absolutely crazy for me. I scheduled 3 weddings and 2 bridal trials in 2 days which resulted in me dolling up 11 people. It was a blast but definitely tiring. Huge shout out to my boyfriend who drove me on Saturday to 3 different locations across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)! And thanks to everyone that showed me lots of love and support!
To celebrate the success of Saturday, my boyfriend and I decided to go to Casey’s Bar and Grill which is this week’s Food Friday feature.
[custom_box width=”80%” bgcolor=”#D5F2B6″ border_color=”#3F9F29″ text_color=”#3F9F29″ icon_url=”https://www.fionaman.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/knife-fork.jpg”]RESTAURANT: Casey’s Bar and Grill
ADDRESS: 925 Dixon Road Rexdale, ON M9W 1J8 – Locations across Ontario & Quebec
CUISINE: Pub Food
PHONE: (416) 674-3031
WEBSITE: http://caseysgrillbar.com//[/custom_box]
I actually got offered a $50 Gift Card by a PR Firm to try out Mixologist Nathan Cameron’s new summer beverage menu. Remember Nathan? He’s the genius mastermind behind Fionn MacCool’s summer menu drinks from my previous Food Friday!
Well Nathan has done it again! He put on a twist on on traditional summer staples like the mojito, margarita and sangria.
From Left to Right: Strawberry Cider Mojito, Shock Top Margarita, Blueberry Cider Sangria
First up was the Strawberry Cider Mojito. I am absolutely in love with Somersby Apple Cider ever since trying Nathan’s creations at Fionn’s MacCools. It has a bit of sweetness and tang to it. When added to any drink, it adds a refreshing effervescent quality, so it was no surprise that this drink was my favourite of the three. This drink is pretty much your standard mojito, but by adding in the strawberry purée and cider, it instantly makes it a summertime patio drink.
Strawberry Cider Mojito
Captain Morgan® Spiced Rum, strawberry purée, fresh mint and lime juice topped with Somersby Apple Cider and a fresh strawberry
Next was the Shock Top Margarita. For those that love margaritas and beer, this is the drink for you. The twist to your standard margarita is the Shock Top White Ale. It is a Belgian wheat ale and pairs well with orange. So it was obvious for Nathan to pair this with orange liqueur. Personally, I’m not a fan of wheat ale beers, so this was my least favourite. But the boyfriend did really like this one.
Shock Top Margarita
Cuervo® Tequila, orange liqueur, fresh lime juice topped with ice cold Shock Top White Ale and a fresh orange slice.
The last drink from the summer menu is the Blueberry Cider Sangria. I love sangrias and love making them during the summer. Usually the recipe calls for simple syrup to sweeten the drink. Instead of adding sugar, Nathan made the smart choice and used…you guessed it…Somersby Apple Cider to remove the tartness from the red wine! It tasted like blueberry punch with soda water. I wished I could taste a bit more of the cider because I just love it so much!
Blueberry Cider Sangria
Smirnoff® Blueberry Vodka, fresh lemonade, red wine, Somersby Apple Cider, soda and fresh blueberries.
We couldn’t have gone to Casey’s without having an actual meal…so we ordered Sweet and Spicy Chicken Bites. It was a great appetizer to start. It was just the perfect amount of spice to counteract the sweetness. The chicken was perfectly cooked. What elevated the dish was the crispy chips and spring onions. It just created an extra layer of dimension and contrast in texture.
Sweet and Spicy Chicken Bites
Chicken bites, red peppers and cucumbers in a sweet and spicy sauce
Next was an order I actually had before and love. It was the Spinach Salad with Grilled Shrimp. Anytime I go to a restaurant and order a salad, I always steer towards any salad with lo mein noodles. So this salad contained everything I love. The feta cheese added a creaminess to the salad which eliminated the need for any dressings. The highlight of the dish was the grilled shrimp. It was still on the shell and grilled to perfection.
Spinach Salad with Grilled Shrimp
Skewer of grilled shrimp, baby spinach, Mandarin oranges, red peppers, egg, bacon, crisp onion strings, Lo Mein noodles and feta cheese in an orange
Finally we ordered California Turkey Burger with the bacon omitted. Unfortunately the turkey patty was really dry. No amount of guacamole could help it. When we spoke our waiter, he was really honest to us and said that he had heard these complaints before and the problem was the patty. The Manager came and suggested that we order the Louisiana Jambalaya with all chicken instead of sausage due to our dietary restrictions. It was piping hot and had a great amount of spice that isn’t for those faint of heart. This dish definitely made up for the dry burger.
California Turkey
Bacon, Swiss cheese, guacamole, red onions, tomato, dill pickle and lettuce
Despite the dry turkey burger, we still had a great time and enjoyed all 3 drinks. We appreciated how honest the server was and how accommodating the Manager was as well. Definitely makes us want to go back to that location.
All 3 drinks from the summer menu is now available until September 1st, 2013.
GIVEAWAY
Cowan & Company and Casey’s Bar and Grill has teamed up with me to offer 1 lucky reader with a $50 Gift Card to experience the new summer drinks menu and Nathan Cameron’s creations.
Disclaimer: $50 Gift Card was provided by the PR Firm and all outstanding amounts were paid out of my own pocket. All opinions are my own and are always open & honest.
