Modern Mix Monday – Lickerish Restaurant and Lounge

Looking for something to do? Every Monday morning, we present to you “Modern Mix Monday”, a brief but link-filled one-liner review of our past weekend loaded with suggestions to inspire you for your next!

I went to Lickerish Restaurant and Lounge (903 Davie Street) not once, but twice, this past weekend. It’s a small, two-floor restaurant with a tasty selection of contemporary tapas and drinks. When I went on Saturday afternoon, the patio seating was great for people-watching along Davie Street. Beer on tap and highballs were on special for less than $5. I also ordered a small dish of crunchy spring rolls with a creamy mashed potatoes with a red pepper and spinach filling for $8. I would recommend Lickerish as a convenient predrinking location, for an afternoon beer or an evening snack. Regardless, they need to step up on their marketing efforts as they “just ran out” of business cards when I went on Friday night, their website is still under construction…and there were only four people in the entire restaurant when we went on Saturday afternoon. Perhaps this would be a good time to check out Lickerish before it gets too mainstream and busy.

Modern Mix Monday – Chill Winston

Looking for something to do? Every Monday morning, we present to you “Modern Mix Monday”, a brief but link-filled one-liner review of our past weekend loaded with suggestions to inspire you for your next!

Dessert and Drinks on Friday night at Chill Winston in Gastown. Got the “Pursuit” cocktail (Absolut pear vodka, apple liqueur, gazela vinho verde, pear and ginger puree and a dash of lemonade) while my friend got fruity sangria. We shared the dessert sampler “The Beast of Both Worlds” with bite sized fruit and choclate desserts. Small and dainty but surprisingly great for sharing because their sweets (fudge, moouse, cheesecake, etc.) are so filling.

POP OPERA – grand opening review

As mentioned in my previous blog entry, POP OPERA (686 West Hastings) had its grand opening tonight.  After over an hour of waiting in the guestlist line up (ironically, my guestlist didn’t go through…but that’s a whole other story) the only reason why my group of three made it through the wait was because we outlasted the lineup, contrary to many frustrated party-goers giving up and waving down cabs on the street instead.  That being said, the lineup was one of the more enjoyable aspects of my night!  The weather was fairly warm with no rain, the people in the line-up were civilized not rowdy, the bouncers were respectful not rude and I had the fantastic opportunity to catch up with two of my friends.

Once inside, coat check was $5: a steep price to pay on a summer’s evening, but not atypical of the Donnelly Nightclubs.  Pop Opera’s interior had the same architectural structure as the old Club 686 yet modern updates, including lighting and artwork, gave it an upscale feel.  This club was made for VIP – with several roped off areas encompassing white couches and rectangular tables, on top of which were menus for bottle service.  Regardless, the club felt…cluttered…rather than spacious.  True, the wooden dancefloor was large and accommodating, but tables were too close to the bar and more often than not, we had to squeeze past people in the narrowness. 

Like any other club, the dancefloor had its moments with a jumping crowd one song and a dwindling, thinning crowd the next.  Perhaps this was due to an erratic music choice.  The featured DJs were “Flipout and J Swing” from The Beat 94.5 FM yet I found the song selection more appropriate for radio, not for a dancefloor.  Perhaps that was the sound Pop Opera was aiming for – with a wide selection of song genres – from grungy hip-hip beats to classic oldskool.

A door to the left of the DJ booth led to a smaller area enclosed in dark glass.  (For those of you who have been to the previous Club 686, this would be where the VIP seating was).  With a square-ish dance floor and rounded walls with full length mirrors, a completely different set of music was being played absolutely isolated and sound proof from the main room.

Overall, the branding of “POP OPERA” brings to mind Andy Warhol style pop- art and bright bubbly colors (ie. the Friday night posters and guest passes for complimentary colors with its contrasting bright pink and pastels) yet the actual venue was inconsistent with my assumptions.  Nonetheless, I am glad I had to opportunity to check out such a hyped-up and anticipated club :)

**Enter MMV’s first contest SHEAR GENIUS.  Application deadline August 3rd.

UVA Wine Bar

UVA Wine Bar (900 Seymour Street) was opened just over three months ago. Despite its modern, refurbished feel, with bold, black double doors at the entrance contrasting the light-colored interior German wallpaper, this venue has managed to keep it heritage roots, subtly incorporating aspects of its history such as the original floors from 1908. UVA Wine Bar is obviously influenced by an European allure, perhaps because of the French roots of the general manager Sebastien Le Goff. In fact, the ambient lounge melodies played in the background of UVA Wine Bar can be traced to the Parisian musical influences of the Hotel Costes in Paris.

Tonight, on a quiet Tuesday evening, I had the pleasure of sampling Lemon Cello, an Italian Liquor and one of UVA Wine Bar’s in house concoctions made by the bar manager Dave Yates himself. To sample this liquor in a cocktail, you may want to try Under The Tuscan Sun for $9 with homemade limoncello, absolute mandarin and grapefruit juice with a touch of cinnamon syrup and lemon juice served over crushed ice. Other citrus cello flavors in the making included orange, lime and grapefruit.

Also made in-house is their chocolate infused vodka. The magic ratio of three bars of Lindt 70% Cacao chocolate to five cups of vodka to one cup of sugar water melted on a double broiler yields a tasteful syrup with the final consistency of a thick chocolate milk. However, do not be fooled – it has a very strong alcoholic flavor! To sample this concoction in a cocktail, try the Tiramissuva for $10 with the house made chocolate vodka, cointreau, a splash of vanilla syrup, a shot of cream and a hint of espresso.

All in all the UVA Wine Bar is a lovely place to visit. Its clean architecture, mellow music and convenient location makes it a great place to relax and drink unique cocktails, a variety of wines and import beers available on their frequently changing menus.

PS. Cibo Trattoria (900 Seymore Street) is expected to have a low-key opening this weekend in the same building complex.

Space Lounge Restaurant

This past weekend, I had a chance to visit Space Lounge Restaurant (1149 Granville Street) which newly opened about a month ago in downtown, Vancouver. We sat at the bar for post-dinner, pre-clubbing drinks and I was able to talk with the Bar Manager Ivan Chew (AKA “Chewy”) and the Space Lounge chef Matthew Phillip

What sets Space Lounge apart? Other than their zodiac-inspired space theme, with a wall of glowing space lights, translucent curtains, and menu based on the four elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Air), the kitchen and bar have very close ties. In fact, all their cocktail syrups are made in-house with fresh ingredients! Simmer equal parts of water and sugar and add in dashes of licorice, spices, fruit puree…anything! As a result, the flavors of the Space Lounge menu and cocktail selection are likely to complement each other. I ordered their most popular drink – the Pirahnna for its unique blend of flavors. Spiced rum! House-made pineapple syrup! In terms of prices, it’s about $8 to $10 for a specialty drink – a little bit on the pricy end so make sure you try something unique! The bartenders are also equipped with bar tricks, so there was entertainment value in the tossing of shakers, and the pouring of alcohol at unusual angles.

As for its food, some bite-sized appies are served on silver spoons on a flat, square dish. Thanks to Chewy, I was able to sample a delicious bite of juicy mango topped with coconut sorbet. The other spoon held a square sliver of cheesecake. This serving-style reminds me of the appetizers at Whine-o’s just down the street, where appetizers (mini meatballs, etc.) are also served on white chinese style spoons.

We stayed until about 9pm but apparently as the night goes on, Space Lounge turns into a little bit of a dance floor. However, it closes at midnight so for those who was to get their late-night/early-morning groove on, it’s time to conveniently club hop down the Granville strip.