As I read news of the change and watched the space transform through pictures on their Facebook page, my curiosity grew. Rustic finishes, hand painted signs, a cozier feel, changing menus....all sorts of things were taking shape as the days passed. When I heard that they were opening their doors on March 1st, I had to see what it was all about.
The Willistead is slated to bring a change to the culinary scene in Windsor. Building on its roots of farm-to-table fare, Chef David's vision was to make dishes that are ever-changing and closer to what he would serve family and friends at home. When we walked through the doors, we noticed the difference right away. The bar was longer and filled, the tables were closer together, soft bench seating surrounded the dining area and staff were dressed like your friends. The walls were covered with pickled produce, wooden crates, rustic decor and a picture frame collage depicted the new name "The Willistead" in the background. I liked it already.
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| (taken from the Facebook page) |
By the time I stopped looking around to read the single page printed menu, I was already looking forward to the rest of the night. The food was sectioned into à la carte groupings of "Snacky Poos, Salada, Sandwiches, Main, Meat Bowls, and Veg". Prices were very reasonable, with the intent that you would order from a variety of sections.
Here's what we had:
To start, we ordered the Arugula Salad with fennel, red onions and radish in a mustard vinaigrette. It was crisp and fresh, but to be honest, a bit on the tart side. But, it was a large portion and more than enough to share.
I ordered the Fried Chicken Sandwich with Butter lettuce, Apple and Maple Mayo with a side of their Handcut Frites with Dill dipping sauce. It was delicious! The fried chicken was crispy and flavourful, and all of the toppings created a balance of sweet and savory in my mouth. Mmm! The frites were a tad on the salty side but the plate was huge and the dipping sauce was really tasty (and I like dill).
My hubby enjoyed Braised Beef on Orzo as his main dish. It was very filling, the sauce had a tomato base, and the dish reminded me of a comfort food my grandmother would make. Good for a cold winter's day.
Our sweet waitress, Mary Ellen, shared that the menu will change on a daily basis as decided by the chef and the fresh and seasonal local foods available to use.
Congrats to the staff on a wonderful opening night, I can appreciate that with everything new, comes growing pains, but to us it added to the charm. We had a good laugh as wandering servers bearing our food discovered that we were in fact, table 10!
The culinary scene in Walkerville continues to amaze me, as it grows each year in vibrancy. The Willistead is a welcome addition to the area, providing diners with a fresh menu, creative dishes, an urban and rustic environment with an atmosphere that takes you to a place all its own.
So put on your nice jeans, get ready to listen to some good folk rock music and gather your friends to go and try The Willistead, Windsor's newest addition. Yum!
1840 Wyandotte St. East,
Windsor, ON
(519)253-8226
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