Europe Bar and Restaurant -- tasty Hungarian food!
We were craving schnitzel for dinner, so I recalled that there was a place near Bathurst and Lawrence that had been praised here. A quick search turned up Europe (sometimes referred to as Europa in posts) and google turned up a listing for Europe Bar and Restaurant. The don't have a web site, but they had what I was looking for: chicken schnitzel with dumplings, goulash soup and perogies served with a choice of bacon or sausage. We got all of this to go.
Well, thanks again to my fellow hounds for steering me right. Even a 1/2 hour out of the kitchen, the schnitzel was delicious -- crisp without being greasy, thin without being a dried out piece of cardboard (or worse a mass of fatty bits). The dumpings were really nice and tender and served with a light gravy (maybe a paprika gravy?). I needed some fresh pepper to liven them up, but hey, they're dumplings -- not exactly a flavour explosion at the best of times. The dinner was served with a choice of rice, dumplings or potatoes and a choice of cucumber salad, coleslaw or homemade pickled beets. I had the cucumbers, which were simply dressed in a sweet vinegar. Hubby had the beets, which he really loved. He said they were pickled with dill, which he had never had, but enjoyed very much.
The perogies were awesome -- served with a mound of golden brown fried onions, two thick slices of meaty, salty bacon, and oddly enough...potatoes. Not sure why I would want potatoes with my cheese and potato perogies, but oh well. But the perogy dough had that great chew that I love and the filling was smooth and tasty.
Didn't try the soup yet. It will be lunch tomorrow. The portions are generous, two large pieces of schnitzel per order. We have plenty of leftovers for tomorrow.
The sad thing is that my husband said that at 6:45, the restaurant was empty except for one table. So please everyone, if you're in the mood for Hungarian food (and now that fall weather seems to be creeping up on us), please give this place a try!
Europe Bar and Restaurant
3030 Bathurst St.
(647) 436-9739
By TorontoJo
on Sep 23, 2009 04:52 PM
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how much were the items you ordered?
what is the place like inside in terms of eating in?
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I didn't see the inside -- my husband went and picked up the food. He said the interior was simple, clean, felt very family run, maybe 15 tables. Our bill came to $46 including tax. That included 2 schnitzel dinners, 1 perogy dinner, 1 large goulash soup (enough for 2) and several slices of a country sourdough-like bread.
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Very 1980s with a homey feeling :-)
Thanks for the reminder that it's time for a return trip. Love their wooden plate. You really need 3 to share the one for 2!
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Sounds great.
Fickle, what do you mean you need 3 to share the one for 2?
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I believe fickle means it's a very generous wooden plate;)
Enough for 3.
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I'd guess he means it's enough food for 3 people -- two would have a hard time eating it all.
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Oh okay, thanks for the clarification.
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Ha, "1980s"... I think that's what my DH was kindly trying to describe when he said "felt very family run"!
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Hope you enjoy the goulash soup, TorontoJo- it's my favourite version in Toronto right now:-)
Nice selection of Hungarian desserts, too!
I keep meaning to return, to try out their chicken paprikash.
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Mmmmmm, chicken paprikash! I How's parking in the area?
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Usually there's plenty of metered street parking available. It's located on Bathurst south of Lawrence on the west side.
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Eating goulash soup now...very tasty and comforting. Nothing like homemade soup! Big chunks of tender beef, lots of dumplings, not over-salted as so many restaurant soups are. Yay!
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Do you know if they are open for lunch or just dinner?
Thanks
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Just saw that we got a take out menu -- it says they are open 11 - 11, 7 days a week.
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Thanks very much!
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I was there when it first opened. It was quite good.But it was impossible for me to have a normal meal because I was alone and the portions were too large (am I really saying this?). I wish that some of the lady owner's friends would suggest to her to put on a prix fixe meal with smaller portions . Then she might get a lot of singles who just want a good meal- cab drivers, lawyers- a latterday Mars. The prix fixe even would work better for two.
VVM
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Just take the leftovers home for the next day. That's what I do.
You must try their home-made "kremes" dessert. A vanilla custard in pastry shell. The best!
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I am so intrigued by this place but have not, and likely will not, be able to try it in the near future. Schnitzels and pea soup are not things that any Hungarian kitchen will do poorly. If you enjoy the food, don't stop at those.
What are the other dishes and daily specials on the menu? Are any Hungarian pastas, apps or stews, other than paprikas, porkolt (aka gulyas,) listed?
How does the menu selection compare to nearby "Paprika?"
For that matter, how is "Paprika" faring?
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Funny, I just finally went to this restuarant after wanting to check it out forever. I was getting my car done nearby. I was alone and I have to tell you the portion was disappointing. Barely any chicken meat on the Chicken Paprika...the two smallest and meager pieces of chicken I've ever been served on the bone. The dumplings were good and the paprika sauce tasty, I added some extra pepper flakes to enhance the flavour as well.
AS I was waiting for the food I see a sign at the cash that basically says they only accept cash! That was another disappointment as I don't count on having very much cash on me. I just barely made the bill with everything on me and I will never go back. Not worth it. The Chicken Paprika meal I had was $9.99 plus tax. I was hungry again shortly after.
It's too bad because we need more Hungarian restaurants.
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That's weird...I was just there last night, and paid with a credit card (as I've done before). Also, consistent with my earlier visits, the portions were gargantuan (and delicious). Are you sure you were at Europe Bar and Restaurant??
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I was there on Thursday and, as usual, we had more than ample portions and I paid with a credit card. I cannot understand your experience. Europe is one of my "go to" places for hearty, stick to your ribs food...I've always had a very good experience.
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Now I'm not sure, sorry. Was just north of a Thai place across from new condos. Maybe I was at Paprika then, because this place absolutely did not take credit cards.
Will try Europe restaurant then, if that wasn't it.
My apologies for misinformation. I didn't pay attention to the address, but it was also north of a Goodyear Tire place.
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That's definitely Paprika, somewhere around Deloraine(ish). Europe is south of Lawrence.
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Are you perhaps mistaking it for the restaurant "Paprika" which is farther north on Bathurst? I have been to Europe Bar and Restaurant several times, and the portions are huge and very filling. Also, I always pay with a credit card.
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I went with my buddy and his girl the other night based on rec's here.
Really tasty stuff. Had the house schnitzel and liver dumpling soup. Portions were great for the price. Definitely worth the money you pay and the schnitzel was really good - still juicy, not dried out and not oily ... mmm I want another one right now. My friends had the goulash to start and they seemed quite enamoured with it.
Had a poppy seed crepe which wasn't the greatest - gonna try something else next time around. Pretty close to home too so I'm definitely gonna be back.
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