By Joanna Lee, Modern Mix Vancouver writer

A couple of weeks ago, I visited the newly opened Union Bar next to the Jimi Hendrix Shrine across the Georgia Viaduct in Chinatown. The restaurant is the fourth from the Cascade group (think the Cascade Room, Habit Lounge and Latitude, all further up Main Street). There are about 80 seats with about 10 to 15 seats at the bar. Much of the space is wooden and the walls adorned with various art installations. The food is Southeast Asian with several rice and noodle dishes, curries, pad thai and nasi goreng, as well as a variety of small plates, including beef satays, salads, and banh mis. Notables include veggie pakoras and the mildly sweet and spicy chilli chicken wings. The Cascade’s Arthur Wynne has created a diverse Asian-inspired cocktails list with a twist. For a sweeter cocktail, try the Banga #1, served in a fashionable little jar, or a virgin cocktail with Lapu Lapu cucumber juice, coconut water, calamansi and pandan syrup.

For a Sunday night, the Union was fairly busy and about 1/3 full. The vibe is hipster mixed with a bit of a trendy warehouse feel to it, with the use of long wooden communal tables, giving it a very simple, minimal, and clean feel. Staff are friendly and attentive and the prices are very reasonable. It is a fantastic addition to the Strathcona-Chinatown neighbourhood and is definitely worth several visits.  The Union Bar is open nightly from 5pm onwards.

The Donnelly Group’s collection of bars and clubs in Vancouver carves a large spot in the Vancouver nightlife scene. The Bimini Public House in the heart of Kitsilano was the first venue that Jeff Donnelly bought in 1999. Bimini’s first opened in 1974 with BC’s first neighbourhood pub license.  In October 2007, the day before the bar was set to reopen after a $250,000 renovation, Bimini’s was decimated by fire, leaving virtually nothing to salvage. Despite four years or countless hurdles and delays, they never gave up on the project and reconstruction is finally complete!

Modern Mix Vancouver was invited to The Bimini to celebrate the grand re-opening of this Donnelly Group Public House.  It had a very familiar “Donnelly Group” vibe to it, even though I hadn’t previously been to the “old” Bimini.  It could have been a Smiley’s or Library Square!  Typical of several of the Donnelly Group bars/clubs, there were barstool and booth seating among wooden finishings throughout the bar.  Other cool game-type fixtures in The Bimini includes a jukebox machine, vintage pinball machine and fooseball table.

The Bimini is open daily – Monday to Thursday 11:30am to 1am, Friday 11:30am to 2am, Saturday 10am to 2am and Sunday 10am to 1am.

By Eudora Koh, Modern Mix Vancouver Writer

Chaise is another one of the jewels along Main Street, which we all know is recognized for its smaller hole-in-the-wall restaurants and diners. After passing by countless times, I finally got to try the resto-bar that I’d heard so much about.  The highlights of Chaise? It has a very relaxed and casual atmosphere which is perfect for an evening any day of the week, and has a chalkboard full of daily specials, great service, and drinks specials! Initially, from its fancy-looking exterior and signage (and name for that fact!), I would have imagined Chaise to carry pricier food and beverage; on the contrary, the entire menu was affordable and everything sounded down-to-earth but appetizing.

The atmosphere inside Chaise was split into a bar/lounge area, with high tops and bar stools, and a more intimate area, which I’m guessing is the dining room with the booth and table set up.  Maybe it was because I was there on a Friday night, and a Canucks game night, but at times, I found it too loud to have a meaningful one-on-one conversation.

I ordered the Jamaican Burger which was $10, and was loaded with jerk chicken, cranberry mayo, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and raw onion (of which I probably should not have eaten so much).  Vanessa had the $10 pasta with meatballs special for $10.  She found the meatballs tender, moist and flavourful but the pasta a bit bland.

Regardless, the value of the food for the price you’re paying made up for that, as did my overall experience.   The portions were definitely filling, the food was decent, and best of all, the beer special was only $4.75/pint.  If you ask me, that definitely makes for a good Friday night … minus the raw onion breath I was stuck with.

I drive past this area most mornings, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that The Donnelly Group has opened yet another bar/restaurant .  This time, the group brings “its signature style and a little taste of Britian to Yaletown with the opening of The New Oxford” (1144 Homer Street).  Read below for the press release – I hope to check this one out for myself soon:

A tongue-in-cheek nod to both the world-renowned University of Oxford and British sporting culture, The New Oxford sits proudly on the edge of Yaletown, a welcome addition to Vancouver’s notoriously trendy neighborhood. Vintage touring bikes line the ceiling, leading the eye to a looming portrait of literary genius, misfit and Oxford alumni Oscar Wilde. A long view of the room – which runs the width of the entire city block – reveals rustic gray millwork, classic pub-style furniture and black & white photos of various other notable Oxford grads. The 50-foot long cantilevered bar serves as the room’s centerpiece, leading visitors into a ‘study’ motif, complete with taxidermy, original-print hardcover books, vintage sporting gear and even more comfortable seating.

The space has been given a sleek makeover that has drawn both thankful regulars and new clientele. Smiley’s Public House delivers the style of a modern, British-style pub while retaining the warmth and character of a traditional pub. The open-concept room boasts 240 seats and a range of table sizes, including 16-seat picnic tables. Guests come in to loosen their ties, tuck into modern pub food, watch a football match and engage in good-natured banter around the pool table. The dance floor brims on busier nights, and a DJ spins to the after-work crowd on Fridays.

One of the summer’s highly anticipated restaurant and bar, The Diamond (6 Powell Street), quietly opened its doors last week in historic Gastown.  Overlooking Gassy Jack in  Maple Tree Square, the new establishment is a partnership between Mark Brand (Boneta), Josh Pape (ex-Chambar) & Sophie Taverner (ex-Boneta, Cascade Room), all major players in the bartending industry.  The place is authentically Gastown, situated inside one of the more historical buildings on the corner of Powell and Carrall.  Think corner space inside an exposed-brick room lit up by big white decorative chandeliers in one of the city’s hottest neighbourhoods.  With 60 seats and a killer view, The Diamond operates on a first-come first seated basis.

The menu’s theme is primarily Asian and includes 10 dim sum-like plates such as hand made gyoza stuffed with organic pork and shitake mushrooms, green tea noodles, and peking duck & chicken sub with japanese mayo all ranging from $3 to $12.  As expected, the cocktails list is innovative, classy and unpretentiously priced with drinks like Buck Buck Mule (London Dry Gin, Fino Sherry, Cucumber, Cilantro & Ginger Beer) and Tequila Martinez (Reposado Tequila, Bianco Vermouth, Lillet, Peach Bitters & Orange Oil).  The Diamond is open Wednesday to Sunday from 5:30pm onwards.

UVA Wine Bar

UVA Wine Bar (900 Seymour Street) was opened in April, 2008. 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.

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.