WORDS & PHOTOS BY CHRIS TIESSEN
I tend to think of hotel lobby bars as exotic sanctuaries: places where shrewd deals are made, great novels are written, stolen glances are met, and fashionable strangers – international jet-setters fresh off flights from distant ports of call – might be seen quietly sipping stiff drinks in dimly-lit corners. And these luxurious sanctums, generously appointed with the finest art deco or mid- century modern flourishes, almost always offer a feast for the eyes. They tend to be exciting. Enchanting. Enticing. I’m easily seduced by the very thought of great lobby bars. And one has just opened in the village of Elora. Well, sort of.
It’s a Thursday evening in early November and I’m enjoying cocktails with successful Elora restauranteurs Becky and Ardin Lalui at their latest enterprise: the Lobby Bar – a cozy thirty-seater that occupies the main floor of the village’s historic Dalby House flatiron building. I’m here to learn more about this new destination: to experience its vibe, enjoy its drinks, savour some of its shareable-centric dishes. ‘I’ve dreamt of turning this space into a hotel lobby bar for years now,’ Becky tells me as I take a long sip from my ‘Naked & Famous’ (a mix of mezcal, aperol, strega, lime juice). ‘The only thing missing was the hotel,’ she chuckles. It’s true. The Dalby isn’t a hotel. It was one, in Elora’s distant past. And is slated to be one again, if plans come together. Not now, though. But that hasn’t stopped Becky and Ardin from opening their dream lobby bar in the building anyways. And that’s okay with me because, even if there happened to be rentable rooms above our heads that I had booked for the night, I would no doubt be spending all my time in this exquisite space instead.
‘We really didn’t spare any expense when we built out the place,’ Ardin tells me. It doesn’t take long for me to see what he means. All around us opulence abounds. The lion-printed Gucci wallpaper, for instance, and Spanish ceramic tiles. The handmade banquettes and Russian lampshades. The cascading glass chandeliers. Coffered ceilings. English ceramic sculptures – of cheetahs and flamingos and more – positioned throughout. Hand-fired tiles fitted across the bar front. ‘We drew inspiration from our favourite lobby bars and restaurants around the globe,’ Becky remarks, ‘including the lobby bars at The Savoy, Claridge’s, and Brown’s [all in London], the bar at Hotel de Jobo [in Paris], as well as the Library Bar at The Royal York [closer to home in Toronto].’ As Becky tells me these things, my eyes continue to wander. I spot a cheeky brass monkey seated next to a bottle of Campari. A couple of ceramic toucans perched beside an elegant tube amplifier (connected to a direct drive turntable which puts work in during the Lobby Bar’s ‘Vinyl & Whisky Wednesdays’). Palm-sized brass cherubs holding whimsical chandeliers that light up the bar. The easter eggs are everywhere.
And the place’s extravagant interior design is backed up by its wonderful seasonal bar menu and delectable shareable dishes. As the three of us continue chatting over drinks, the Lobby Bar begins filling up with locals and out-of-towners looking for drinks and nom noms. Fashionably-dressed couples who are probably spending the night at the Elora Mill. A family who could have easily driven in from Kitchener-Waterloo. A handful of locals – including my fiancée, Liz, who is here with a bunch of her co-workers from Becky and Ardin’s other Elora Joint, The Friendly Society. As I take a last sip of my ‘Naked & Famous’, Executive Chef Mark Gebran – who oversees the kitchen here (and at The Friendly) – begins delivering a number of treats to our table. Formerly from Beirut, and with kitchen experience at the Four Seasons, Mark is a fantastic chef and has designed an Asian-inspired menu at the Lobby Bar the purpose of which, in Becky’s words, is to ‘take you away to some exotic locale.’ First up: an order of ‘Edamame’ (with togarashi spice & sea salt flakes), the ‘Black Tiger Shrimp Bowl’ (poached shrimp, iceberg, rice, edamame, broccoli, scallion, mango, sesame, avocado ginger aioli), and the ‘Chicken Satay’ (roasted skewered chicken breast, rice, yellow curry, chive, scallion sesame aioli). While the edamame is seasoned perfectly (with a pleasing amount of heat) and the shrimp bowl is fantastic (because shrimp), it’s the chicken dish – and especially its aioli, which gives me tahini vibes – that wows me. I pair these shared plates with a ‘Jungle Bird’ (dark rum, aperol, pineapple juice, lime juice, brown sugar cinnamon syrup) and excitedly await the arrival of more delectable dishes. It’s not a long wait. Next up: ‘Tuna Tataki’ (seared tuna, edamame, cress, sesame, yuzu dressing), ‘Vegetable Udon Noodle’ (shiitake mushroom, edamame, broccoli, bok choy, chili, scallion, soft tofu, sesame, sweet chili soy sauce), and ‘Saikoro Wagyu Tenderloin’ (seared wagyu tenderloin, bok choy, red chili, chive, sesame, honey soy glaze). Again, all fantastic. It’s the tuna dish, though, that I fall hard for. Meticulously seared. Wonderfully balanced. Perfect with chopsticks.
By now the place is packed. Tables filled. The bar jammed. Above the din I make out a Tears For Fears track on the stereo. I scan the crowd and imagine that I’m at some distant hotel lobby bar – and that all of these people are just passing in the night. Many of them are. Chef Mark brings out dessert: three flavours of mochi ice cream (matcha, coconut, and passion fruit) and a slice of Japanese cheesecake. And three spoons. And espressos too. Delicious. And, just when I think the night might be wrapping up, Ardin orders more drinks for the table – boulevardiers – and we keep the evening going. Liz and her crew decide to join us, and before long someone is spinning old big band classics on the place’s record player. I feel like I’ve been transported once more to some distant exotic sanctuary. It’s a wonderful feeling to have. In this beautiful village. At this terrific lobby bar – another gift to Elora from Becky and Ardin.
With or without a hotel.
THE LOBBY BAR 143 METCALFE ST UNIT A, ELORA thelobbybar.ca
