Thursday, August 7, 2014
www.thesil.ca
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REVIEW: Bronzies is good as gold If you’re looking for authentic italian eats, look no further than this hidden Hamilton gem. Sarah O’Connor Staff Reporter
In late July I went with my family to Bronzie’s, a hidden little restaurant on James Street South. We went on a Saturday night and it was packed, but my parents made reservations ahead of time so we only had to wait a couple of minutes for our table to be washed down and ready. I overheard a couple who came in after my family and it was a fifteen minute wait. Not too bad, but Bronzie’s doesn’t have much of a sitting room for customers waiting for a table. Making a reservation would be a smart move. The restaurant is extremely small, hiding itself in a little corner on James Street South, and walking to your table can be a cramped and awkward
affair, but there’s something about the smallness of the restaurant that gives Bronzie’s its friendly atmosphere. Were it bigger location I feel the atmosphere would be lost, which would take most of the experience out of dining here. We ordered the “Bruschetta with shaved Parmesan” ($6.95) for an appetizer. Six pieces of sliced Italian bread with a generous amount of diced tomatoes and shredded parmesan cheese on each. The traditional feta cheese would have been a nice touch on the starter, but the large amount of shredded parmesan helped dull the ache of
the missing feta. Even with the missing feta I would swear that this is one of the best bruschetta’s I’ve ever had. For the main course I ordered the “Chicken Parmesan” ($15.95) which came with a side salad, a slice of bread, and a generous helping of pasta (spaghetti or penne, it’s your choice!). The dish was more than generous with the chicken parmesan nearly falling off the plate and the chicken and pasta slathered with tomato
sauce. The parmesan, as well as all the food at Bronzie’s, has a unique taste because every dish is personally hand-made. Nothing is frozen and nothing is old. Only the freshest ingredients are used, which makes every bite savory. We did have to wait a bit for our food, Bronzie’s even has a sign inside that notifies customers that all their food is freshly made at the restaurant, but the food is well worth the wait. But if you don’t want to wait, you can always call ahead and order off the Take-Out menu to pick up your food. A good portion of menu items on the Take-Out menu come from the Lunch and Dinner menu. Even with the wait the
service was friendly and the staff were always present to make sure every table was taken care of and every customer was happy. While waiting, Bronzie’s ended up feeling like home, and I look forward to going back. While Bronzie’s is hidden and parking can be a hassle for drivers, it is in a perfect location for students. Considering how popular James Street North has become with Art Crawl, students just need to walk a little farther down the street to visit the shops and restaurants that are overshadowed by the north side of the street. Bronzie’s gives customers an authentic Italian feast to gorge on and provides a cozy atmosphere for students. In short, Bronzie’s is somewhere your Nonna would be proud to eat.
Dining Time: 30-60 min. Price Range: $15 - $30 Location: 201 James St. South >> Lunch or Dinner <<
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