THREE VIKINGS STORMS CULINARY SCENE ON 124TH STREET
Danish fare will be sure to please patrons missing the former Daravara gastropub
If clearly blessed with a burgeoning neighbourhood food and drink orbit, there were audible moans occasioning the demise of Daravara on 124th Street. It’s true that the gastropub’s (hate that designation) kitchen had its ups and downs over a relatively short lifespan — along with industrial optics some found bleak — but for many of us it was a friendly, agreeable, locally owned spot for a glass or two and betterthan-average pub fare.
The good news for consumers is that Three Vikings, the establishment that has replaced it, has carried on the tradition — and arguably upped the dividends for customers. Certainly, on three recent visits the dining was superior to Daravara in its waning months. Visually, there is still a certain froideur to the room, although some recent, modest Viking-esque trappings have warmed it up a bit. And like a lot of other spots of late, there are too many backless stools for patrons, which are great for shoehorning folks in during peak hours, but remain uncomfortable for the long haul.
The theme, which reflects the Danish heritage of the ownership, carries over to the menu with dishes on offer such as oven-faced sandwiches (smorrebrod), hot pretzels, polser sausage with pickled cucumber, the delicious frikadeller and even the sweet curry sauce they serve with chips.
What then, I asked our jolly, attentive server, of the Brit likes of shepherd’s pie, stuffed yorkie, ploughman’s lunch, fish and chips or baked beans and toast on the bill o’ fare?
Well, then, I must have forgotten about the Viking attacks (remember Lindisfarne!) on
Yorkshire from the eighth to the 11th centuries, culminating in the rule of Danish King Cnut, who was also crowned King of England in 1016. So there, snoozing history majors! Makes perfect sense. I couldn’t find historic links to Peru (quinoa salad) or Quebec (poutine) or hummus (various Middle Eastern nations), but we’ll let that slide.
On previous lunch visits I had enjoyed a daily special of beef stew and a righteous veggie burger of beets and black beans. On review night, we grazed on the pretzels (served with tasty beer cheese sauce, $12) and decent home-cut fries accompanied by a light, sweet curry sauce ($10.50).
The fish and chips ($18) were quite acceptable with a medium-light batter, house-made sauces and the respectable, aforementioned fries. At $20, the stuffed yorkie is the priciest item on the very reasonable menu and worth every sovereign. Here, we have a well-turned-out Yorkshire pudding filled with boneless beef short ribs, served with a lovely parmesan mash and beef gravy. What a fine dish for a winter’s repast and very much to their credit the Viking also offers a vegetarian option with sauteed mushrooms and miso gravy, which I will absolutely try next time.
Frikadeller ($18.50) are flat, pan-fried Danish pork meatballs and are they ever delicious! You owe it to yourself to give this one a whirl — again, perfect for a northern town — served with the above-mentioned mash and gravy, house-made sweetish pickles and perfectly rendered, not-mucked-up red cabbage.
The dessert of the day — they serve wonderful, locally produced Pinocchio ice cream as well — was a sticky toffee ( bread) pudding ($6 and a bargain!), ravenously consumed by three spoon-wielding, already full diners.
The only rub to an otherwise satisfying evening was the potato leek soup ($6), which was on the watery, possibly leek-less side — did they leak out? — and mysteriously unseasoned.
There’s an impressive array of reasonably priced beer on tap, bottles and cans here for your perusal, along with a tiny cocktail and wine list. We selected a glass of Pasqual Toso Malbec for $7.25, another bargain.
So, then, chalk up another winner for 124th Street, a neighbourhood standout pub every neighbourhood in the city would be proud to embrace: another unpretentious northern European menu with plenty of suds that are a perfect fit for Ourtown.