Need a Fix?!

Ah, Wharncliffe Road...six kilometres of run-down century homes, car dealerships, tattoo shops, a shisha cafe, a methadone clinic, and Cowboys--or in my day, The Nac (and in my parents' day: Dr.Rockit's).  Six kilometres that refuses to have a bike lane, to go construction-free, and refuses to be trendy.  That is, until downtown leases and Impark got out of control.  That is, until Wortley's hipster cachet sold-out their market.  That is, until no one wanted to drive to Byron anymore.  Wait, no one ever wanted to drive to Byron.  A weird thing has started happening along Wharncliffe...it's on the cusp of being trendy.  With similar homes and properties over-priced in Wortley, Manor Park has seen an influx of younger and cooler home-owners.  With it, a craft brewery has opened up and so has a new restaurant called Craft Farmacy ("Dispensing Deliciousness")--and yes, the methadone clinic is next door and there is a pot shop down the street (dispensing other things...).  Craft Farmacy, however, is just one great big pun.  Featuring local craft beers and an array of fresh farm and sea (insert audible groan) products, Craft Farmacy has just the fix I need.

Fix No.1: Beer.  Lots of beer.  Two pages of craft beers.

Flight of beer.  Schrute Beet Beer at the far left (AKA beer with hints of red currants).

Not sure what to do with that much beer?! (Drink it...?!)  Order a flight and sample what's on tap.  My flight included one cider (as in, this doesn't taste like beer at all), one with citrus hints (as in, it tastes EXACTLY like grapefruit juice), an ale (as in, this one tastes like beer), and finally, one with hints of red currants (as in, it looks and tastes like beet juice).  So the first three were enjoyable enough, but the latter reminded me of something Dwight Schrute would bottle and sell.

Fix No.2: Oysters.  Craft Farmacy has a raw oyster bar featuring a variety of fresh, east-coast oysters sold at market price.  Be forewarned: there is oyster eating etiquette.  Wait, no there's not.  You can use your fork if you want, but a well-shucked oyster will come out of its shell easily.  So, scoop up an oyster shell from the ice, hold the wide side to your mouth and slurp that sucker back.  Never had oysters? It feels like a gooey slug, only bigger.  It tastes like a mouthful of sea water.  And some people love it.  I, on the other hand, do not.  Not in the least.  One Reviewer had the same reaction.  So, we decided to try the next kind of oyster which felt more like a Survivor food contest.  In fact, we determined that whoever could not get the oyster down had to drink the Schrute Beet Beer.

Fix No. 3: Fried Cheese.  There is no greater equalizer in the world than fried cheese.  Royalty and servants, bosses and employees, up-scale bistros and pubs--fried cheese can bring us together (unless you have problems with dairy or gluten--sorrynotsorry). 

Escargot

There's nothing much to say here.  It's deep-fried cheese.  A fancy mozza-stick with stewed tomato and olive tapanade for dipping.  OR had the escargot--served in a more elegant and sophisticated way than the escargot of the 80s--and proclaimed them to be the best he's ever had, but it's not fried cheese.

Fix No. 4: Gnocchi.  Those perfect little dough-dumplings that Italian cuisine brings to us.  Better than that, ricotta gnocchi--dough-dumplings made with cheese!  Served with shogun, maitake, and cremini mushrooms in a beet ragu (seriously, does Dwight work in the kitchen?!), the gnocchi is plump and velvety.  Be sure to drag your gnocchi through the carrot reduction for a nice sweet balance to the otherwise savoury dish.

Ricotta Gnocchi 

Fix No. 5: Dessert.  Don't go out for a nice dinner and then say, "no, I couldn't possibly have dessert."  If you have to, share a dessert, but don't not get any at all--if cheese can bring us together, not eating dessert can tear us apart.  And I'm not about to share, either.  Mine, a chai-infused creme brulee served with a fresh ginger cookie was light and creamy and went well with the coffee.  OR went with the stout-infused German chocolate cake--a heavy (and monstrous), rich, and decadent finish to the meal.

The Damage:  With very full bellies and a fairly hefty bill this is the place to go if you are a foodie.  The owners and chef have clearly put a lot of thought into the restaurant and menu.  It is the only London restaurant that is Feast On certified which means that it uses only locally-sourced foods and drinks (including the craft beers).  So while the price is on the high side, the quality in food and atmosphere warrant the bill.  Also, as this is a new restaurant, the prices are probably a reflection of the minimum wage increase which you will start to notice at all small businesses and restaurants.  So this trendy, and only slightly hipster, restaurant is worth the visit.  It doesn't quite fit in with the established Wharncliffe fare, but it gives you a downtown vibe without having to go downtown.  But be careful, "dispensing deliciousness" is a good way to get you hooked.

Location: Craft Farmacy (449 Wharncliffe S. London, ON)
Entree Cost: $18-$30
Number of Reviewers: 2
Value: $ $ $
Overall: * * * 1/2