Beyond the Pale, Stalwart, True History

Good morning,

Ottawa is heating up with a long list of cultural festivals and we’ll have some of those in the upcoming events calendar on Thursday.

As a long-time fan of theatre, I would be remiss in not reminding readers that Ottawa’s celebrated Odyssey Theatre is back at Strathcona Park for its 39th season. 

Founder, artistic director and playwright Laurie Steven presents her Brothers Grimm-inspired tale “The Girl with No Hands”. As always, this is fine theatre under the stars with shows running from July 31 to Aug. 24 and tickets are available here. 

It’s also beer season, so let’s hit the road for some summer suds.

I’d also quickly like to thank everyone who purchased a ticket to our first event of 2025. We sold out in less than a week, which was much faster than anticipated. I’ve included a poll at the end, as I’d love to know if you want us to host more food and drink events in the future.

Let’s get to it.

Ralf Joneikies, food and drink editor. [email protected]

BREWERY

Beyond the Pale brews up good food and drink in the ByWard

Approximately nine months ago, Beyond the Pale Brewing landed a prime location in the Byward Market thus marking their second location.

The enclosed courtyard is an attractive historic location and for a few moments while socializing you can allow your imagination to whisk you away to Europe or at the very least, Montreal or Quebec City.

Perhaps best known for their Pink Fuzz beer, a largely wheat-based brew loaded with zest of grapefruit. It has some of that IPA bitterness but not too much. 

I opted for their Clean Cut which is described as a Kölsch, a beer specialty from Cologne, Germany. Kölsch is sometimes described as a lagered ale, although the reality is that it uses a special German yeast strain that ferments best at lower temperatures than the common ale yeasts.

It was a fresh and light-tasting brew with hints of sun-drenched hay giving off some cereal notes. A delicious and less hopped option for hot days.

Deep-fried cauliflower florets have been the rage for about a decade now and are commonly and erroneously described as “cauliflower wings”. For reasons that don’t require much elucidation, this drives me nuts. It’s a vegetable.

But this lazy shortcut is used on menus to signal that a diner can expect “buffalo hot sauce” on their cauliflower. In my experience, this has only worked once. I was still living in Vancouver, and I had this at a vegetarian restaurant on Main Street. Come to think of it, it may have been my first time having this appie.

At Beyond the Pale, they don’t refer to this as “wings” but simply as crispy cauliflower. That’s all that’s required. It was the best version yet and one of the most surprisingly delicious things I’ve had this year.

The seasoned batter was super crisp with steaming, perfectly rendered cauliflower at the core. These bites came glazed in a sweet Halifax donair sauce spiked with jerk seasoning. Such a simple idea but one that worked very well, making this vegan appetizer a winner.

For a main dish I ordered a cabbage roll filled with basmati rice and dressed in a smoked tomato sauce. 

On the side were oven-dried oyster mushrooms that, interestingly, vaporized in a plume of dust as soon as I bit down on them. I’m unclear as to the seasoning as the mushrooms were so bitter, they were inedible.

The roll itself was stuffed with toothsome basmati rice done in that delicious smoked tomato sauce and robed with Ermite, a Quebec blue cheese. Ermite is a beautiful blue cheese, but too strong for this dish and it would have benefited from either a Gorgonzola or a German Cambozola. Cheeses that are creamier and milder.

I was informed that the menu was created by well-known Beckta chef/co-owner Richard Wilson and frankly, based on the little I had, I’m not surprised by the talent behind the recipes.

With dishes like fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese, shishito peppers, roast potatoes and beet ketchup or kielbasa with buttermilk spaetzle and king eryngii mushrooms, there’s enough that’s intriguing to lure me back.

BREWERY

Stalwart Brewing is a must-visit next time you’re in Carleton Place

On a recent lunch trip out to Carleton Place, I enjoyed a glass of brew from Stalwart Brewing. Located at 10 High St., just a minute drive from the main shopping street, Stalwart has that hidden gem vibe that should be the standard of any small town. It just adds to the building of community. It’s also a nice find for visitors.

They’ve been on the landscape for nine years and, somehow, that was news to me. I expect that it, in part, has to do with the fact that their brew is not available at the LCBO and I understand that choice. Some breweries like Flora Hall in Ottawa deliberately choose not to be represented there, and that’s entirely legitimate. It’s also an expense they don’t incur.

Like all breweries, Stalwart has core brands along with rotating brews to provide beer to those hopheads that like bolder hoppy suds to those that prefer milder or fruitier beer. 

Taxman is a crushable blonde ale that is bright with a delicate hop background and with an appealing saline finish. 

As someone who enjoys low alcohol English ales, I was very pleased with Between Love and Hate Dark Mild. At only 3.5% alc. this is more complex than you expect with roasted nutty and caramel notes and without the attendant palate fatigue. 

They also do a series of seltzers that have a slight twist: they’re brewed and contain no vodka. Not quite like the seltzers you know and not exactly like beer-based radlers either, these are neutral malt brews that are modestly flavoured with things like vanilla, orange, peach, cranberry etc. A refreshing alternative choice. 

For those with a hunger they do offer hand-held savoury pies and on alternate Thursday nights, they have Taco Night where $22 gets you a pint and all-you-can-eat tacos. After 8:30 pm the price drops to $17.

Finding Stalwart was a nice surprise as it’s allowed me to share this good beer with readers.

OUT OF TOWNER

Toronto’s True History Brewing offers some of the best German brewereded beer in Canada

I was introduced to Toronto’s True History Brewing (1154 St. Clair Ave., W.) by Kichesippi Beer Co. brewmaster Phil Kochanke. He’s not only a fine brewer but his palate is one I respect. 

When earlier this year he insisted that, on my next Toronto visit, I stop in at True History Brewing, I made it a mission.

He was right. This is some of the most precise and delicious German-style beer being brewed in Canada. 

Gold Star premium lager (sold in 6-packs) for example, has landed in my taste rolodex as a favourite, everyday beer. It has a straight-ahead and friendly profile but with some nuance and complexity and none of that insipid, unpleasant finish you get with pretty much all commercial lagers.

Over a period of two visits, I attempted to sample their entire line up and there’s nothing more to add than this is a very serious brewery dedicated to creating recipes that will be talked about. Their ethos is low and slow (necessary for traditional German brews) and because they are a small batch operation, they often run out. 

Every single brew was distinct and super clean but with an intriguing interplay of malt, hop and yeast facets that made for character-driven beer. All were very quaffable and had a freshness I’ve seldom experienced outside of brewhouses in Germany. 

I also took the opportunity to enjoy their potato salad which, depending on the province in Germany, will have different expressions.

This was a version I’d not had but was attractively presented with perfectly cooked potatoes and the freshest cucumber, frisée, sauerkraut and shaved fennel. It was dressed in a mustard vinaigrette that was like a battery charge to the gums. If only more restaurants could provide German-inspired food at this level.

Finally, there’s one brew that they do not package and that is “There’s Always Money in the Banana Stand Hefeweizen”. For lovers of wheat beers, this is one not to miss. 

Because of its yeasty volatility this brew cannot be bottled or canned but it is the freshest tasting wheat beer, with all those notes of banana and clove,  you’re likely to enjoy. 

All I can say is “Thank you Phil for the introduction.”

SURVEY

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QUICK BITES

• This article argues that removing the GST from restaurant bills would provide tremendous benefits for all Canadians and the stats (if true) are impressive. [Restaurants Canada]

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• Throughout Germany you’ll find dozens of takes on potato salad and here’s a pretty common and tasty version. [All Recipes

LOOKOUT WINE

Symbiose Riesling is a lunchtime favourite

Whenever I see a Vintages release from Germany for $12, I think back to the good old days and hope that this will be one of those rare “great finds” that will have me buying wines by the case.

Read the review + subscribe to our free wine newsletter

FROM THE ARCHIVE

Ridge Rock Brewing is worth the drive

Originally published October 2023

As one season unwinds and folds into another, there is always something exciting and comforting about fall. We take advantage of the weather and head out on road trips to visit charming villages and towns and to gaze at the colours that nature unfurls.

Until the end of October, you have the chance to visit the excellent Carp Farmers Market with some seriously good producers of fruit, vegetables and meats. There are also desserts of course but more on that later.

There are good eateries to explore and one of those is close by: Ridge Rock Brewing Co.

I stopped in one Saturday afternoon and opted for a table inside. They have a patio but it was a little chilly for my liking.

Read the review

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