WFH becomes WFP: We set up our "office" at this Toronto patio for the day

Aug 31 2022, 4:00 pm

In a climate where many of us can work from anywhere, why not mix business with pleasure and take advantage of the last month of summer with quality outdoor eats and drinks, right? That’s what we thought, too.

In need of some breezy sipping and savouring time, the Daily Hive team decided to switch up our remote office and hit a bustling Jack Astor’s patio for the day. Cause hey, with how good these virtual backgrounds are getting, who would even be able to tell anyways?

Jack Astor's patio

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No matter how cute you made your home office over the pandemic, it’s really a no-brainer that a sun-soaked patio will always beat out a stuffy indoor space when it comes to choosing where to “work” for the day. And with elevated food, cheeky pints, and the energy of others all around you, Jack Astor’s offers a much more enjoyable office setup — even if productivity may take a hit.

Of course, the only problem with working remotely — especially on a lively patio — is that surprise calls from clients or the boss can kill the vibe and leave us scrambling for a quiet space to drown out the background noise. After all, the sounds of clinking glasses, cheering on sports teams, or group laughter is a dead giveaway that you may not be working as hard as you could be. 

Luckily, Jack Astor’s had us covered with their cheeky work from patio (WFP) pod and low-fi work-from-patio backdrops. 

Jack Astor's patio

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We strategically settled into the indoor/outdoor patio, where the retractable garage doors offer an outdoor yet sheltered dining experience. Here, a unique sound and sun-proof pod — found at select Jack Astor’s locations this summer — will have your boss and coworkers convinced that you’re hard at work from home.

The phone booth-like patio pod features a power outlet for your device and a living room backdrop for Zoom calls (yes, we tried it out and successfully tricked our friends). Similar backdrops could be found throughout the patio — and at every Jack Astor’s location this summer. 

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Before the laptops came out, our first plan of business was clear: order some summery cocktails (priorities).

Summer days are fleeting, so there’s no better excuse to go big with a refreshing adult beverage. And by “big,” we mean the restaurant’s assortment of signature Fishbowl cocktails. This drink definitely requires two hands.

After pondering over the options, which included a Pink Bubble Bowl (Polar Ice vodka, strawberry pureĂ©, passion fruit juices, lemonade, and a mini-bottle of Henkell RosĂ©) and Beached in a Bowl (Malibu rum, blue curacao, pineapple, and mango), I aired on the side of nostalgia and ordered the limited edition Orange Dreamsicle (with Absolut Watermelon, a can of Coors Seltzer Orange Cream Pop, lemon, passion fruit, and mango) — it tastes like childhood in a (very large) glass, but with a boozy twist. 

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With all the excitement of the Fishbowl, don’t forget that you’ll want to answer those incoming emails — and save room for the delicious food.

The fresh and made-to-order eats are just as comforting as the flavourful cocktails. The jam-packed Jack Astor’s menu caters to a variety of cravings and dietary restrictions (the only “problem” you’ll have with it is narrowing down your choices). 

The menu features no shortage of sharable options to help you bond with your co-workers over quality food. We opted for the fresh-from-the-oven Garlic Pan Bread (which came topped with a melted, three-cheese blend), Jack Astor’s famous chicken wings, and nachos. The limited-edition summer nachos menu offers everything from the fully-loaded Jacked Up Beef Nachos (double the cheese, beef, and all the toppings — they were dreamy) to the equally as satisfying Asian Wonton Nachos. 

Working from Jack Astor's patio

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Meanwhile, the chicken fingers have been a comforting favourite of Jack Astor’s for years. I went for the “sauced and tossed” option (also available for the wings), and had the fresh tenders tossed in the restaurant’s signature Honey Garlic and Medium sauces. With just the right amount of sauce, there’s no need to dip these addictive and juicy chicken fingers. 

For those in the market for something a little lighter, the Buddha Salad features arugula, mixed greens, quinoa, cucumber, green apple, strawberries, seed, nut and fruit blend, and goat cheese in a honey Dijon vinaigrette. It won’t leave you hungry (especially after a shared appetizer or two). 

Another fan favourite at the table was the Holy Smoke BBQ Burger — a double stacked 4 oz Ontario Angus ground beef patty with smoked bacon, American cheese, smoky BBQ sauce, crispy fried onions, pickled jalapeño peppers, and hickory mayo. Yum.

Working from Jack Astor's patio

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Once it was time to call it a day, we left feeling satisfied with the summer vibes, food, drinks, and fresh air fix.

And yes, we still somehow met our deadlines — well, most of them at least.

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