Mill Creek Pub and Restaurant — Restaurant in Orangeville

I picked Mill Creek Pub on a leap of faith - four of us were departing the Orangeville Gun Show and were absolutely ravenous. Didn't want to wait until Toronto.

It doesn't look like much from the outside, one would easily walk past it and not notice the size of the place. Inside, there's two floors of spacious seating areas, with a comfortable atmosphere and minimalist industrial-rustic looks. Nice view out the 2nd floor windows.

The real surprise here is the food. I was not expecting any major surprises given the pub setting. Oh boy, did I ever underestimate Mill Creek's kitchen wizards.

The split pea and bacon purée soup I had was terrific. Not too watery and not too thick either. Perfect balance of flavor, especially with some soup crackers. Went (very pleasantly!) against the tendency of most pubs to pickle every dish in salt. Left me wanting to order another.

Next up for me was the Shepherd's Pie. I had to take mine with fries and pulled pork. The pulled pork blew me away, as it was identical to the pretty expensive stuff we buy from our local Louisiana styled smokehouse in Toronto. Again, not too salty or saucy. The fries were done just right, and not oily at all. The pie was on a level that would make a true Brit simultaneously weep tears of joy and envy. Smooth, savory, well spiced, very lightly salted, with tender meat, veggies that weren't baked to mush, and a perfectly baked mash crust.

My friends' burgers were equally delicious, and we all ended up passing some bites around to one another.

On an interesting note, one of the very few pubs I've been to where the water tastes fresh, and not like pipe.

Our waitress, Heather, was one of the most affable ladies I've met. Always coming by to check on us with a big smile and a sunny disposition.

Definitely will be back here in March, after...

Overall the experience was OK.

The interior of the building has dark features but is well lit. The service gives you a lot of time to socialize with your company without making you feel as though you are waiting too long which is nice.

The drink selection is commendable however on the day my friend and I went they were out of our first requested beer selections: unfortunate, but we both found alternatives that we were happy with.

I ordered the shrimp bruschetta pasta while my friend had the baked bacon mac and cheese as shown in the photos with this review.

My dish was underwhelming for the following reasons: I found it to be very oily, with very little flavour to compensate, the most notable was the tomato which is disappointing because I very much like a nice pesto, but this pesto lacked any substance. The pasta was also very soft, overcooked in my opinion.

My friend was also disappointed in his mac and cheese, this leads me to believe that pastas are not their strongest suit, perhaps their pub classics would've been a better choice but I want to eat what I want to eat.

Overall, it wasn't my favourite, but I found it acceptable enough for the town in which it is situated as there aren't a plethora of dining options in Orangeville.

The ambiance and the competence of the waitstaff definitely do the...

We were attracted to the shady patio on a hot day and the promise of some classic menu items along with a couple of intriguing offerings. While not a bad experience, we were left holding a mixed bag.

On the plus side, the service was excellent - friendly and helpful, attentive and professional. On the slight down side, the food was merely average. I had the Cajun Crab and Fish Patty and while the seasoning was good, the consistency of the patty was odd - crispy on the outside and mushy on the inside, to the point where it squeezed out the sides when bitten into. Crab and shrimp flavour had to fight through a massive kaiser bun and, I think, lost the fight.

My wife's Sticky Pork Back Ribs were tender and tasty enough but the BBQ sauce was unremarkable. I guess we were both looking to be wowed and were merely just... satisfied.

But I will emphasize the great patio and warm service. It seems like an ideal environment to meet with friends for some drinks and grub and a lively chat. It had a great community feel about it -- a place where locals might very well know your name and tourists were made to...