By Nadine Moedt (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: February 26, 2014
Townhall Public House is an after-church brunch candidate by day, a manly man’s bar by evening and a sticky night club after dark.
Townhall is owned by the Joseph Richard Group, which has establishments — liquor stores, night clubs, and “public houses” — across the Fraser Valley with similar menus.
When Townhall replaced the Duke of Dublin in downtown Abbotsford, it was rumoured that all the men they hired had to meet certain “hot requirements.” While this may have been a ploy to reel in the ladies, it also may have to do with alcohol’s little trick of insidiously lowering one’s standards.
Having regretfully experienced its night club scene once, I was a little reluctant to try its brunch. However, Townhall offers $4 brunch on weekend mornings, and the draw of a cheap meal was too enticing.
Townhall is much quieter by morning, yet somehow the residue of the club remains; the waitresses are dressed in too-tight, too-short skirts, and the atmosphere has a weird feeling of being in limbo. The walls have old records and vintage brewery decor, and the ads in the menu and in the bathrooms appeal to the club-goer. The establishment tries to target both the Ron Swansons and the Tom Haverfords of the world, and falls a little flat in the attempt.
One major plus is because it is technically a bar, children are not permitted.
The food itself is good, if a little stingy in the portions. The $4 meal consists of two eggs done to your preference, toast, home fries (akin to hash browns) and a choice of sausage or bacon. The home fries are the highlight: well-seasoned, crispy, and just greasy enough for a mid-morning meal. For free you can substitute a little bowl of fresh fruit — which has strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, and grapes — in place of the fries. I also tried the $6 breakfast wrap, which comes with the home fries; portion-wise it is similar to the $4 meal, but for those of us who don’t eat meat, it still feels like a complete breakfast without the bacon. Ask for it on the side, then get the table started in a bidding war.
The coffee is outrageously expensive, especially considering we didn’t get refills. If you come during the brunch rush, about 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., don’t expect to receive high-quality service. The waitresses are in a constant state of panic, either due to understaffing or irritating patrons. It took 20 minutes to get the bill after our meal.
Other items on the menu are perhaps a little pricey; burgers start at $11.50, fish and chips are $15, and the sandwiches start at $11. The selection is uninspired, but if you’re into the dressed-up-greasy-spoon type of meal it may be worth a try.
