Name: The Iron Cow Public House
Contact: TD Coliseum, 101 York Blvd., Hamilton, ironcowpublichouse.com, @theironcowpublichouse Neighbourhood: Central Hamilton Chef: Coulson Armstrong
Ownership: Our House Hospitality Company and Oak View Group
Accessibility: Fully accessible
Two years ago—just as Matty Matheson’s Queen West steakhouse was hitting its, ahem, prime—the team at OVG Hospitality found themselves frequently unwinding there. At the time, they were deep into planning a massive overhaul of Hamilton’s Copps Coliseum, and it just so happened that the project included 9,500 square feet earmarked for a restaurant—one that could help anchor and amplify the venue’s rejuvenation.
Last week, the Iron Cow Public House opened its doors inside the reimagined venue. It’s a massive space, but the vibe is somewhere between a cozy Steeltown sports bar of yore and an Anglophile’s dream pub. While Matheson is the guiding creative force, the man behind the menu is Coulson Armstrong, culinary director of Our House Hospitality (and recent Top Chef Canada winner).
The Food
An intentionally rule-bending blend of buttoned-up British dishes (think toad in the hole or a roast dinner with all the fixings) and classic composed plates cleverly reworked into bar snacks and sides. Case in point: butter chicken transformed into a nacho-style cheese dip with naan triangles for scooping.
These dinner rolls are adapted from a recipe Chef Armstrong makes at home with his wife. The pull-apart milk buns are made fluffy and elastic with the help of a Japanese tangzhong starter and a touch of sour cream. They’re finished with a sprinkle of Maldon salt and served warm with honey butter. $10
Riffing on a roasted beet and goat cheese plate, this salad layers peppery watercress with chunks of sweet and earthy oven-roasted beets and cubes of house-pickled beets. Everything is lightly tossed in a bright citrus vinaigrette and finished with brown butter–roasted walnuts. Beneath the greens and roots, a hidden mound of whipped goat cheese mousse ties everything together. $17
The crimson trout is cured overnight, then house-smoked and served over a base of horseradish cream and finished with watercress and lemon. Thin slices of pumpernickel crostini, gleaming with olive oil and a pinch of salt, join the party. $22
The butter chicken dip is a nod to the chicken parm at Rizzo’s (Matheson’s Italian red sauce restaurant in Fort Erie), complete with its superfluous (but still necessary) blanket of bubbling mozzarella. It starts with house-spiced butter chicken thighs that are covered in cheese, then blasted under the salamander oven until blistered in all the right places. Finished with a dollop of sour cream, some green onions, cilantro and shaved shallot, it’s a little tikka, a tad tweed and a tiny bit trashy—and yes, that’s a good thing. House mango chili and triangles of naan lacquered in roasted garlic butter arrive on the side. $22
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Classic beer-battered haddock comes with thick-cut twice-fried chips and a genius buffet of sauces: a house spin on mushy peas (bright-green raw peas blitzed with fine olive oil, dill, garlic and chives); house tartar sauce loaded with dill pickles, fermented cucumbers, capers, herbs and mayo; and rich Japanese curry sauce, perfect for dragging those taters through. $26 Photo by Nicole and Bagol
The juicy and crisp flattened half-chicken is butterflied, deboned and air-dried overnight before being salted and cooked skin-side-down until deeply golden. Finished in the oven, it arrives next to an orb of impossibly velvety mashed potatoes. “We’re pushing 40 per cent butter into those potatoes,” says Armstrong. A red wine jus adds even more richness to the plate. $34
This classic trifle is layered with house-made angel food cake, raspberry jam and cherry whipped cream. $15
Banana soft serve made with brandied bananas meets bourbon, caramel, olive oil and salt. House-made ginger snaps add crunch and spice.
The Drinks
Canadian pride weaves quietly through a cocktail list that’s devoted to the classics. Lot No. 40 rye appears in the house amaretto sour as well as in an old fashioned washed with duck fat made using birds from Folia, chef de cuisine Marco Battaglia’s family farm in Burlington. The locavore commitment extends beyond cocktails: the wine list comprises entirely Ontario-made bottles, and more than half of the 11 draft taps pour Canadian-made beers (three of which are brewed right in Hamilton).
The house old fashioned is a blend of Canadian whisky and Calvados, duck-fat-washed for 24 hours and lightly sweetened with Canadian maple syrup. It’s finished with black walnut and Angostura bitters. $19
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Vodka, dry vermouth and sherry meet a brine that’s equal parts feta and green olive in the house dirty martini. A whisper of olive bitters and an olive garnish complete this extra-savoury twist on a classic. $20
The Jalapeño Diablo is a spicy spin on a dark and stormy that blends jalapeño-infused tequila, crème de cassis and freshly squeezed lime juice. It’s served in a highball with a float of ginger beer. $19
The Space
Paisley and plaid set the tone in the 174-seat room, which is anchored by a 360-degree bar. Tartan-covered booths are lined with layers of archival Canadiana, including old-school Tiger-Cats team photos, spectral family farmhouse portraits and concert ephemera from the entertainment venue’s former life. For such a sprawling space, it’s surprisingly cozy. A charming private dining room is available to book, as is a private billiards room that has direct backdoor access to the music venue (hello, talent hideaway).
Erin Hershberg is a freelance writer with nearly two decades of experience in the lifestyle sector. She currently lives in downtown Toronto with her husband and two children.
