WELCOMING ATMOSPHERE AT THE RABBID FOX,
Similar to a book and its cover, judging a restaurant by its website would be unwise. But after seeing the humorous and welcoming website for The Rabbid Fox, I was looking forward to visiting its Pioneer Park location in Kitchener.
As my husband and I walked in the front door on a Thursday evening in mid-May it felt like entering a neighbourhood pub. There was a good crowd already gathered around the large sitdown bar to our left, and several tables near the bar were occupied with couples and groups relaxing after work.
We were welcomed immediately and allowed to choose our table, so we decided to sit in a booth on the far right of the room. It gave us a view of the televisions over the bar showing the baseball game, but in a quieter spot.
Turns out we didn’t need to worry as the noise level from the bar remained reasonable, even after the Thursday night live entertainment started. A solo singer accompanied by his guitar began a set around 7 p.m., and the volume was perfect for the venue.
The decor of both restaurant and bar are in a typical tavern style with wooden tables and chairs, and colourful signs and posters on the wall. It isn’t fancy, and the furnishings show its age, but everything appears well maintained.
A closer inspection of a picture of the “rabbid” fox logo confirmed that any foam on his muzzle is due to drinking his pint of beer. Accordingly, there are plenty of beers on tap to choose from, and more options in can or bottle. With the focus on beer, the wine list is limited to a few Ontario whites and reds, and one Australian red. My husband ordered a pint of Sapporo ($8.85) and I tried the House Pinot Grigio ($6.50).
The website promised generous portions, so we ordered two appetizers to share.
The first to arrive was the Breaded Mozza Sticks ($9.99), described as handmade, rolled in panko crumbs, fried and served with marinara sauce. The server recommended them, and I think if they had arrived hot they would have been better. Unfortunately they became dense as they cooled and I did not find them very appealing.
The Garlic Mushroom Skillet ($10.99) was served literally piping hot. The mushrooms were still sizzling in their butter, garlic and white wine sauce as they sat in the skillet. Served alongside four pieces of garlic toast, they had a good garlic flavour without being overpowering. I felt that the dish should have been served with a spoon and bowls to really enjoy the sauce, with softer bread for dipping.
My husband’s main dish was the Fox Feast ($17.99). With a name like that, it was hard to pass up. It is a plate-sized Yorkshire pudding bowl filled with jalapeno Havarti, shaved ham, sautéed mushroom and onion, and roast beef generously covered in gravy, au jus, and the house horseradish aioli. It was as large as it sounds, and could easily feed two people. The flavour combinations worked well together, according to my husband. There were plenty of fillings and it needed the aioli to add a little zing to all that richness.
I had ordered Cody’s Beef Melt ($15.99) without realizing that it would be similar to the Fox Feast. In this dish, the roast beef, sautéed mushrooms, onions and peppers, melted cheese and aioli are served on a grilled baguette. It was quite tasty, and the crispy, hand-cut fries, with a side order of gravy, were very good.
Our server was quite friendly, and dropped by often for a visit. I was also impressed when another server stopped by to make sure that we had been taken care of while we waited for our drinks.
The restaurant’s website turned out to be a good indicator of what we could expect at The Rabbid Fox; generous servings, plenty of beer, and a sociable setting.
Assessing food, atmosphere,
service and prices. Dining Out restaurant reviews are based on anonymous visits to the establishments. Restaurants do not pay for any portion of the reviewer’s meal. Sandra Walneck can be reached at swalneck22@gmail.com.