It was my sister’s birthday yesterday so we decided to celebrate at The Bier Markt at Shops at Don Mills since it was a midway meeting point for all of us. The Bier Market is located behind the Metro grocery store. Parking can be a challenge at the best of times at this outdoor mall; however, we were able to find a parking spot near Metro.
We had a reservation for 6 p.m. and arrived on time. The bar area, which was quite spacious and featured several large HD TV screens, was empty while there were a few parties in the dining area.
Our friendly server came over to welcome us and let us have a few minutes to look over the bar menu. She quickly returned and took our drinks order. The two guys in our party ordered beer: a Brooklyn Lager ($6.64 for 16 oz.) and a Krombacher Dark ($7.08 for 14 oz.) while the women ordered glasses of a Merlot from a Niagara winery and, teetotaler that I am, I abstained.
The guys were very impressed with their beer:
For dinner, we ordered one Classic Sirloin Steak, $26, two orders of Panko-crusted Filets of Sole and frites, $17, one order of Veal Schnitzel, $26 and one order of Chicken ABT Sandwich with frites, $17.
The Classic Sirloin Steak was cooked to order and fairly juicy. It was served with hand-cut Markt fries, Café de Paris butter and Bier 58 sauce.
Those who ordered the Panko-crusted sole both enjoyed their fish, commenting that the batter was light and not greasy. The fish meal was sizable, being served with two pieces of sole. It was too much to eat in one sitting so both women took home leftovers.
One of the guys who ordered the Veal Schnitzel said that it was crispy and tasty. The veal was served with a delicious Yukon potato mash and sautéed green beans that were cooked al dente.
I really enjoyed the Chicken ABT Sandwich. The chicken was perfectly grilled and moist, the avocado and tomato were ripe while the honey Dijon aioli added some delicious heat to the sandwich. Bonus: The Portuguese roll appeared to be freshly baked.
Those of us whose dishes came with hand-cut Markt frites were disappointed that they were served luke warm. That was the only weak point with our entrées.
Two of our group ordered dessert including the Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches, $7, and the Chocolate Fondue, $12. The sandwiches were particularly good, combining crunchy waffles with their sweet, creamy filling.
The Bier Markt at Shops at Don Mills is a very casual restaurant/bar. The volume level started to escalate towards the end of our meal, but that was to be expected as the bar got busier. We enjoyed our evening at The Bier Markt at Shops at Don Mills and would return.
The Bier Markt, Shops at Don Mills, 416-862-7075.
