I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together
As a recent graduate, I don’t have much of a reason to go to Katipunan anymore – except for Walrus. Even though the crowd doesn’t change at times, we never run out of people to meet. Every day spent there is different because the groups of people in the bar are like stars waiting to form constellations.
All this talk about Walrus’s ambiance aside, let’s not forget their food and drinks. Walrus is already becoming known for its crispy, salty Chicken Skin, as well as the Vote for Alfredo, if you want a real meal. My personal recommendation would be the Cheese Cigars, and though I’ve never tried it, I bet the new item on the menu, Grilled Cheese Sandwich, tastes just as good!
The menu doesn’t really specify the bar’s cuisine, but judging from the items such as the burritos, the nachos, and the quesadillas, I suppose Walrus’ food is a Mexican-American fusion. In fact, it feels as though the menu was created partly out of nostalgia for Cantina’s Mexican cuisine. Nonetheless, the other items on the menu are light and tasty, as well – perfect for the beer munchies.
A customer enjoying his Buffalo Wings.
Buffalo Wings.
But let’s face it. Walrus isn’t really the place for a heavy meal. In fact, it’s not the place where you go to eat in the first place. You’re looking for the bar’s main attraction: its alcohol – the reason that brought these people together in the first place.
You’ll really want to drop by to get a taste of their refreshing cocktails. Personally, I am a beer girl through and through – until I took a sip of Sun of a Beach on one sultry afternoon. As described in the bar’s menu, it is a “Carribean blend of calamansi and mint.” It’s been my order ever since, if not Walrus’s Cuba Libre. The other cocktails are just as interesting as my personal favorite, too. A popular cocktail is Strawberry Fields Forever, a reddish vodka-based cocktail.
What is even cooler is that Walrus offers an item on the menu for those who can’t decide which cocktail to order: the Booze Cruise. (Or alternatively, for those who want to get drunk on a variety of cocktails.)
No, Walrus doesn’t offer your typical cocktails like Zombie, Screwdriver, and the like, but these cocktails are enjoyable alternatives if you’re looking for something new. These cocktails are actually based on classic cocktail recipes like long island iced tea, piña colada, sangria, but with the bar owners’ own added twist.
. . .
I’ve always liked going to bars because I enjoy my alcohol and I like having fun, but for once, I go to a bar primarily for the ambiance and the company (though I don’t forget to have a beer in hand). I like that it shelters me from the view of the stressful cityscape. I like that every time I go there, I meet someone new, and that I don’t get trapped into the addiction of alcohol because the servers and the co-owners there always make sure that you don’t. And I like that Walrus never makes you feel lonely, but it doesn’t make you feel dizzy from the loudness of the crowd, either. Everyone knows everyone and if someone doesn’t, he or she eventually will know someone. The bar is starting to form some sort of a subculture, an eclectic combination of things that people from different cliques and backgrounds enjoy.
“Cheers!”
So, drop by Walrus and experience that warm, summery feeling yourself; the sensation upon entering Walrus is similar to sipping margaritas by the pool or the beach while sunbathing. Sit right down and order yourself a beer or a cocktail, and by the end of the night, you’ll make a friend: a fellow customer, a bartender, a waiter, or even one of the owners. And don’t be afraid to sing your heart out to the familiar song that is playing, because my best bet is that everyone else is already singing along to it. Imagine all that fun packed in a small, quirky beach bar located in Katipunan. The experience itself will outweigh what you’ve imagined so far that you’ll be left crestfallen when the bar has to close down for the night or when you have to leave. But don’t worry – it seems to me that Walrus is determined to keep serving its happy customers and is in it for the long haul.
Walrus Bar Katipunan
3rd Floor 318-A Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, QC
