During the second coming of the classic cocktail era, Canada’s bar scene has flourished, attracting hordes of mixologists from across the globe who are keen to showcase their latest renditions of traditional recipes. F&H interviewed three inspired mixologists to find out what keeps their customers coming back.
The Cascade Room, Vancouver
Eight years ago, Vancouver’s cocktail scene was taken by storm when Nick Devine, a Berkshire, England expat, opened George Lounge in Yaletown. Here patrons could watch their bartender muddle, mash and chop the ingredients. Since then, Devine (and partners) have opened three more concepts in the east Vancouver neighbourhood, including The Cascade Room. Founded in 2007, it revisits the golden era of the classic cocktail and features a daily chalkboard of modern and seasonal creations. “It’s what we did at George but a hundred years earlier,” Devine chides. “Anything with bourbon in it seems to be very in vogue right now,” he says, pointing to the signature Cascade Room Cocktail, made with bourbon shaken hard with fresh-pressed apple and lime juices, vanilla bean, bitters and egg white, served with a shaving of roasted hazelnut ($10).
The Cocktail Parlor at Storys, Toronto
Hailing from the small town of Port Hope, Ont., Wes Galloway’s interest in the cocktail scene piqued after witnessing a mixologist demonstration during a foodservice show. Today, he’s helming the bar at The Cocktail Parlor inside the 170-year-old Storys building in downtown Toronto, where he offers a program that’s unique, electic and progressive. “I’m seeing more women appreciating whiskys, and I see [them] ordering single malts, Old-Fashioneds and tobacco Manhattans,” he says, adding that the menu also inspires the Mad-Men loving crowd to branch out and discover more adventurous cocktails. One of his more popular creations, The Doppler Effect, channels the nostalgic scent of baked apple pie with house-roasted blueberry-infused vodka, house-made Weissbier liqueur, fresh lemon, orange bitters and a dash of orange oil ($15).
The Lab, Montreal
Fabien Maillard (pictured) studied culinary arts in Paris, France before founding The Lab, a Montreal-based speakeasy-themed bar that specializes in the art of the slow cocktail. “I moved to Quebec in 2001, and the cocktail culture was really poor. I was looking for a bar — a place [where] I could play,” he says. Open since 2008, The Lab offers a taste-and-sensory experience through 10 unique drink categories that range from “Gentlemen’s Club”-inspired creations to “Mischievous Pleasures.” One mainstay is the popular gin-based Cosmo Daisy, featuring Tanqueray gin, Pierre Ferrand Curaçao, homemade cranberry coulis and fresh lemon juice ($11). And, Maillard’s fun-seeking side has bartenders entertaining the crowds through fire-throwing flair and service with a subtle performance element. “It’s a very simple movement — the way we play with the bar spoon, the way we approach the customers — and the pleasure we put in doing it,”
he says.
