On the second day of my Guelph culinary tour I enjoyed a quick lunch and beer tasting at The Woolwich Arrow. I had just spent the morning puttering about the Guelph Farmers Market and was in a “sampling sort of mood.”
The Wooly was inspired by the Ontario micro-brewery “explosion” that occurred in the late 1980’s. The brewery industry was dominated by 3 large companies for over 40 years until the start of the craft brewery phenomenon. The Wooly has been a landmark pub in the heart of downtown Guelph for years. The menu celebrates local brews and British Pub favorites with a Canadian twist. Beer Magazine actually listed The Wooly as one of the “125 Places to Have a Beer Before You Die.”
I thought it would be fun to focus on nibbling on Canadian comfort foods so ordered three dishes that would satisfy our bellies and would also pair well with beer. I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw antojitos on the menu. I was first introduced to these cream cheese and jalapeño Mexican inspired bar snacks in University and haven’t seen them on a menu since. It’s funny how a culinary microculture in Guelph has created an iconic local snack. Mac and Cheese dotted with bacon and mushrooms and aged cheddar covered Onion Soup also hit the sweet spot.
We sampled:
Beer Tasting
F&M Harvest Lager, Beau’s Night Marzen, Blanche de Chambly, McAuslan Apricot Wheat
Antojitos
cream cheese and local jalapenos, roasted peppers and red onion baked in tortillas with sour cream and salsa
Roasted Onion Soup
balderson smoked cheddar and croutons
Mac and Cheese with Caesar Salad
thornloe cheddar, steen’s milk, organic meadow kefir and parmesan bread crumb crust
