This past Friday, Laurier's Spoon University Chapter took students through Uptown on a food crawl to try out some of Waterloo's yummiest restaurants! Our group got the chance to test four eateries on the journey, making for a memorable afternoon filled with many delicious meals from savoury duck wings to butter tart delicacies!
If you haven't heard of a food crawl before, the best comparison would be a bar hop! Think Twelve-bars or Bunny Hop... but a lot less alcohol and a lot more food. Our Waterloo food crawl included four meals, drinks, desserts, and many magnificent flavours!
The day's event started in Waterloo's Uptown Square at 2pm, and of course we had to dive right into some food. Once everyone arrived we held a raffle to win a package of delicious Esta Chocolates, a local company from Waterloo which belongs to one of the club's members! Next up, headed to the first stop, The Bauer Kitchen.
The Bauer Kitchen
Walking into Bauer Kitchen the aesthetic space filled with mouth-watering smells hinted we were in for a delicious meal. When we arrived we were greeted by Cindy Fawcett who gave us some history on the old building which Bauer belongs to, as well as information on other local restaurants owned by the same company. One recommendation Cindy gave us was to check out Bauer's Brunch, held on Saturday's and Sunday's– and I can attest from personal experience, it is incredibly satisfying.
After Cindy gave us some history we were introduced to Justin, Bauer Kitchen's Chef De Cuisine. Justin painted us a beautiful picture of what it was we would be eating that day, duck wings, and left us drooling until we were served. The wings were cooked confit style, meaning that instead of being deep fried like normal chicken wings they had been slow cooked for hours, which allows for the meat to fall beautifully off the bone! The Bauer Kitchen was a phenomenal first stop on our food crawl, leaving us hungry for more!
Copper Branch
Our next stop was Copper Branch, a new restaurant in Waterloo offering delicious plant-based eats! At Copper Branch we were introduced to Shaun Wang, the owner, and Alicia – the store supervisor.
Just like Bauer Kitchen, we were given an overview of what Copper Branch offers in Waterloo and how the store came to be! The restaurant was busy with other customers grabbing dishes ranging from plant-based power bowls to vegan poutine! Copper Branch had prepped delicious Spicy Black Bean Burgers for us topped with crisp lettuce, fresh tomatoes and South West Sauce which added a smoky kick to the delicious burger. Alongside our meal, Copper Branch provided us with Chai Tea Lattes which were perfect for warming us up on the sunny but chilly day!
Zoup
Our next stop on the food crawl was Zoup! If you haven't been, I highly suggest grabbing a bite from this restaurant as the cozy atmosphere is perfect for chilly days, and a great spot to grab a quick meal. Zoup offers a wide range of different soups from dairy free to vegetarian to spicy, all of which you can taste test before ordering. Sara, the Area Manager at Zoup greeted us at the restaurant, telling us all about how the store works as well what soups we would be trying. Participants of the food crawl had the option of grabbing a delicious and hearty bowl of chicken pot pie soup (Zoup's most famous flavour), as well a delicious tomato bisque for all the vegetarians on the crawl!
Just Love Pie
Our final stop on the tour was Just Love Pie, the perfect note to end our filling tour on! We were introduced to Alicia, the store manager, when we arrived and she told us all about the company. From sweet to savoury the store was filled with pies, a Skor butter tart being one which certainly caught many eyes and left me craving to go back. Alicia served us mini butter tarts that were absolutely incredible. I think I heard everyone around me saying that the sweet treat literally melted in their mouths. The pastry was perfect, and the filling left me wanting a whole bowl to eat after.
Laurier's first ever food crawl was a great day for everyone to get outside, enjoy the beautiful weather, and discover some of the culinary talent Waterloo has to offer. Whether it's sweet or savoury you're looking for, The Bauer Kitchen, Copper Branch, Zoup, and Just Love Pie all offer incredible and original meals that will leave your bellies full and your taste buds satisfied. This year's food crawl went off without a hitch, and we are so grateful for the wonderful restaurants which accommodated us, and the delicious foods which they served! With luck we'll meet again in the future, maybe at another food crawl next year!