Miller Tavern has been around for many years, with locations in the heart of Downtown Toronto on Bloor, and North York. After a shopping trip at IKEA that was close by, we were fairly hungry, and wanted to catch the Leafs game so we decided to stop by Miller Tavern for Lunch.
To start, we had the
Miller Lamb Poutine (3/5).
Aside from the fact that the fries were crispy and
were made out of Yukon Gold Potatoes, there was
absolutely nothing special about this dish. Not that I was hoping there to be something special anyways....but for the $12 price tag..this most certainly was not worth it. The lamb was dry and chewy and and the cheese curds were not squeaky at all. The lamb gravy had no taste and was fairly bland. For $12, I could've gotten 3 even tastier poutines at New York Fries... Just Saying.....
But hey at least the Leafs were winning!
The
Tenderloin Steak Kebab with grilled vegetables, pecan wild rice and avocado yogurt sauce (4/5) was a great hit. The 10 oz tenderloin steak was grilled to perfection, slightly charred on the outside, while maintaining it's tender and juicy medium rare interior. The grilled vegetables were tasty, although I would've preferred bigger pieces, as they were sliced quite thin. The pecan rice was decent, but was chewier for my tastes. Loved the avocado yogurt as it was both light and refreshing.
Both my siblings decided to go with a burger each, starting off with the
Miller Burger (3.5/5), made with freshly ground beef, topped with aged cheddar, smoked bacon and caramelized onions. The patty was thick with a decent char on the outside. Although slightly overcooked, it was still juicy. My sister was not a fan of the tiny piece of smoked bacon, but the caramelized onions were nice and added a nice sweetness to the burger. she opted for the
Sweet Potato Fries (3/5) instead of the regular
yukon gold fries and was quite disappointed because it was soggy and not quite crispy at all.
My brother on the other hand, went with the
Cheeseburger (4/5), which was much better than
the Miller Burger. Made with the same thick fresh ground beef patty, this was charred nicely on the grill and was cooked to a perfect medium rare making it more juicy. My brother decided to stick with the Yukon Gold Fries, and they were pretty average, like the ones in the Lamb Poutine. They were definitely crispier than the Sweet Potato Fries which are a plus.
My mom had the
Chicken Penne (3.5/5), which
was quite tasty. The pasta was cooked to a perfect
al dente, and there was enough sauce to ensure it
wasn't dry. The chicken was juicy, but out of the whole dish, we only found like two pieces. This was
quite substantial, but it did the job.
My family absolutely loves deserts, especially
cheesecake, so we got two to share. The
Berry Cheesecake (4/5), was creamy and smooth, while
maintaining it's soft texture. The berry compote
topping wasn't too sweet, so it didn't overpower
the taste of the cheesecake. The cheesecake itself
was light, so it wasn't very overwhelming. The graham crust was so not thick either, but still ensured that the bottom was not soggy.
The
Raspberry Sorbet (4/5), was light and refreshing without being too overly sweet. It had the right amount of tartness, and was bursting with flavour. For $7.50, I would say it was quite pricey, but nonetheless it was a great way to end the meal.
The
Deep Dish Peanut Butter Pie (3/5), was too sweet for our liking. Composed of a cookie crust, the pie had a Reese's peanut butter cup flavour filling which was quite tasty, but really it was one
of the sweetest deserts I've ever had. I think everyone needed an extra glass of water after this. The brown butter Bourbon Creme anglaise was light, but it didn't really add much as the whole pie itself was overpowering with it's sweetness.
The
Vanilla Creme Brûlée (4/5), was much better as it wasn't overly sweet and was nice and smooth. The sugar crust on top was very well done as it wasn't too thick and cracked with the touch of the spoon. The vanilla custard had a slight bitter taste to it which I enjoyed as it balanced the sweetness.
The
Banana Caramel Crunch (3/5), on the otherhand, was not that great. Composed of popcorn and a scoop of vanilla icecream topped with bananas, caramel syrup and a layer of chocolate, this was quite disappointing. The popcorn was soggy and chewy due to the large amount of caramel syrup, and overall it did not have that crunch the way it was advertised. For $8.50 this was totally not worth it, and I am glad it is only on their seasonal menu.
Miller Tavern is a decent place for a quick bite, especially if you're looking for a nice steak or fresh seafood. Their servers are very friendly and the seating is cozy. It is quite pricey, but the ambiance makes up for it.
The Good:
- Portions are Decent
- Servers are Friendly
The Bad:
- Quite Pricey
- Food is inconsistent at times
Craving Chinese
For $4, the Sweet & Sour Pork on Rice (3.5/5) was pretty decent with a generous amount of rice topped with saucy, but still crispy Sweet & Sour Pork. The sauce was a bit too sour for my liking but the crisp veggies made up for it. 
