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As many of you know, I live in the Danforth area. I've been living here so long, that I often tell people that I'm half Greek. You'd be surprised at how many people say, "Oh really?" actually believing that, but fear not, for I always set the record straight. As much as I love Greek culture and Greek food, I must admit, I do not have a drop of Greek blood in me. The popularity of the Danforth is something I have lived with all my life. It has nothing to do with the fame of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and probably everything to do with the annual "Taste of the Danforth." I love the Danforth but I never go for the annual food fest since I already know which are the best eating establishments and I hate large, sweaty crowds. For those new to the Danforth area, you need to know that Greektown does not span the entire length of Danforth Ave. The region to which "The Danforth" refers to is solely the strip between Pape Station and Broadview Station. More accurately, I would say Chester Station and not Broadview, but others have adamantly stated that Broadview was the endpoint. Far be it for me to argue. I do not usually go and party on the Danforth simply because I think there is something fundamentally wrong with partying so close to home. Especially if you're still sharing that home with your parents. Even more so if that home you're sharing is their home as opposed to your home. But my friend was free to hang out with me on Sunday night and I didn't particularly feel like going out to Palazzo's (for those who went with me last time, you remember why) so I suggested that she come down to the Danforth. What's great about the Danforth in late spring/early summer is the patios. Almost every restaurant, coffee shop, and dessert house has a patio. And there is something just more enchanting about dining or lounging under the stars surrounded by the general bustle of the city. Country folk won't appreciate this, but it really is a truly enjoyable experience. So my friend and I head down to the Danforth and stroll along looking for a place to chill. I wasn't actually looking since I was planning on letting her choose. I live here, so I can go where ever I want at any time; a luxury unavailable to her. Our first stop was Ice Lounge. This is a new lounge that was opened this year (I think) and is located on the northeast corner of Danforth & Carlaw (across the street from Baskin Robins). I wasn’t particularly in the mood for alcohol (I know, it’s a shock) since I had already consumed a lot of alcohol this week, but I didn’t think it was appropriate for us to sit at a bar and both get mineral water. Since I am always on a quest for the perfect martini, I ordered a Leechy. This is their version of my beloved Crazy Catz minus the limejuice. It’s a good deal cheaper than my regular drink ($7.25 vs $9 before tax and tip) but it’s also short 1/2 an ounce of alcohol. Psychologically, this drink looks less appealing simply because without the limejuice, it only half fills the martini glass. I’m not saying that I would like my drink diluted (although I haven’t gotten to the taste part yet) but from a visual perspective, I must say it’s quite disheartening to be served a glass that is half empty (yes, I’m a pessimist, although at the time, I commented to my friend that the glass was half full, thus making her think that I’m an optimist). With martinis, the look is only 1/3 of the battle. The rest is taste. I think I should really incorporate cost in there somewhere, but I’ll leave that for another time. As with all my martinis, I swirl it a little and then lean in for the sniff. The drink smells good but is not nearly as aromatic as the Lychee Extreme from Therapy ultraLounge. I take a small sip from it and get the bite from the sharp vodka taste. It’s a good drink but still not quite as good as my Crazy Catz. The garnish for this martini is a canned lychee and so as with every lychee martini I have, I look forward to getting to the bottom. As we sit and chat about our lives and enjoy the crisp evening air, I slowly sip my drink. It grows on me so I can honestly say that this is a pretty good drink. I’m mildly disappointed when I get to the lychee though because for some reason it doesn’t soak up the alcohol flavour as it does in the Crazy Catz. I’m not sure why. Maybe the citrus from the limejuice allows for better absorption (yes, I’m a chemical engineer) but it’s not really of dire importance. Final assessment: This is a good drink. I do recommend it. And because it is greatly more affordable than the Crazy Catz, I’d almost be inclined to give it a higher rating (but I won’t and you all know why). Ice Lounge itself is not a bad place. It's very airy and open (which is always good) and has the luxury of a corner patio. If you want the airiness of the patio without actually having to sit outside, you’ll be happy to hear that Ice Lounge’s glass floor-to-ceiling windows all open up so you get the outdoor feel even while you’re indoors. In keeping with the theme of its name, the décor is primarily white. The frosted glass and mirrors at the bar also add to the icy effect. It’s too bad that their chilly service matches their cold name. I was none too pleased with the service and lack of attention, but again, tipped better than I should have. I really have to stop doing that. Their front lounge and patio décor continues into the back lounge (which is perfect for those VIP private parties) and the washroom downstairs. Clean and crisp definitions in keeping with the ice theme. Ice Lounge’s final standing is:
As with all clubs and bars, the primary question I always get is, “How’s the crowd?” Well, the crowd at Ice Lounge was less than impressive. I didn’t really pay a lot of attention to the people around me, but I noticed enough to say that the girl doing her nails on the patio at the table next to us did not impress me, and the bald, old waiter was less than stellar. A bachelorette party that pranced onto the patio were mildly annoying but I think they were entitled considering you only get married once (in theory). I didn’t notice any hot guys or cool people around but then again I wasn’t really paying that much attention either. I guess next time I walk by, I should put in the effort to make a better assessment. I guess the fact that it was half empty and a Sunday night added to the level of difficulty. But that’s beside the point. As with most nights, the adventure did not end here. After some more wandering, we found ourselves inside a Greek niteclub. We went to Imago. That’s right. I went to a Greek niteclub. And no, this was not pretty. If only the night could've ended with Ice Lounge. At Imago (which is about half a block west of Logan on the south side of Danforth), after we walked halfway down the stairs, the frantic doorman called us back to check our IDs. No problem there, except that he wouldn’t have had to call us back if he had been paying attention instead of chatting it up with his buddy. Being that it is almost summer, I found it to be incredibly bad taste for the establishment to impose a mandatory coat check of $3. First, anything more than $2 for coat check is highway robbery. Second, coat check should never be mandatory. Third, it’s much less offensive for them to just impose a $5 cover charge. The crowd assessment for this place is beyond pathetic. As to be expected for a Sunday night, there isn’t really much of a crowd. There was more than what I would call a fair sized crowd (considering the day) but it wasn’t a very cool crowd. I’m not trying to be mean, but brutal honesty is the only way to go. I have rarely seen that many ugly people all in once place. The darkness and my sitting far away from them were not helping the situation at all. I was thankful that the two ugly guys that were staring at us didn’t get up the nerve to approach us. The vast number of over-dressed people led me to believe that we should not have been let into the club in the first place. What with my Nike ACG hiking boots, black tank top and blue jeans, I should have been turned away at the door. But I wasn’t, so there I was sipping a Smirnoff Ice, feeling very out of place, and very thankful for the darkness. Speaking of my Smirnoff Ice, let me tell you about the waitress.First, she comes over and asks to take our orders. I order a Smirnoff Ice and my friend orders a Perrier. She then asks me for ID. Now, someone please remind me. Is this not a club I just entered? Wouldn’t they have carded me at the door? If they don’t usually card at the door, wouldn’t the staff already know this? Maybe I’m being a little harsh but I thought it was pretty stupid to get carded twice in one night at the same location. What’s even stupider is that when I told her they already carded me at the door (which could have totally been a lie), she believed me and didn’t bother to check with anyone. And we wonder how minors get alcohol. As if that wasn’t enough, she then comes back with our drinks only to bring me a highball that’s half-filled with liquid and packed with ice. Makes me wonder what it is she thinks I wanted. I asked her what it was and she said, “Vodka and ice.” Did she really think I just wanted Smirnoff and ice? She’s a waitress in a club. Doesn’t she know that Smirnoff Ice is a bottled mixed drink? The unbelievable stupidity of it all just astounds me. And rightly, I send her back to the bar to get me the right drink. But I’m nice about it because I don’t want her to spit in it. At this point, I really cannot stand to be there anymore. So we chat a little bit and I quickly drink my Smirnoff. I’d comment on the décor but I don’t think that that has enough allure to save this establishment from my “Never again in a million years” and “Death first” lists. The pounding Greek gino-beats, immense darkness, horridly ugly crowd, mandatory coat check, and inane waitress are enough to turn me off of this place forever. If someone else wants to check it out that’s fine by me. If you feel that I am wrong or unjustified or you had a fabulous experience there, please let me know. But I think it’s pretty safe to say that I will never return to that establishment. It’s at the top of my “places of which I never wish to suffer again” list, right next to Palazzo’s. |
The Rec Room |
