Compton Ave.
Compton Ave. is a dusky, dishy bar from local mixology legend Frankie Solarik and his crew.
Inspired by one of London's most exclusive addresses, the spot brings elegance and a slew of complex cocktails to its new home on Dundas West.
A master of mixology, Frankie Solarik is also a virtuoso when it comes to crafting singular experiences.
As founder and CEO of experiential hospitality group Frankie Solarik Holdings, he's like the Walt Disney of bar culture — creating spaces that whisk visitors to other places and times, through every thoughtful detail.
At Compton Ave., which opened in March, Solarik and his team continue the fantasy launched at BarChef and Bar Prequel — this time at a spot meant to plant guests squarely among England's aristocratic elite.
Its Dundas West address may not scream "upper crust," but the bar's pristine paint job, bloom-filled flower boxes, and lion head brass knocker are dead ringers for their U.K. muse.
That muse, says co-owner and director of operations, Kurt Tissera, is a swish townhouse in one of London's toniest suburbs.
With its evening hours (from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., Tuesday to Sunday), the Toronto take on that townhouse is always dimly lit and the party is always thumping.
If the bar's playlist brings to mind a Compton less familiar to wellborn Brits, it's all part of the plan.
Inside, classic English style finds new life (thanks to Toronto-based Darling Design), in mahogany-hued finishes and furnishings, rich brocades, delicate chandeliers and 19th-century paintings selected from Solarik's personal collection.
Chief among them is the lady of the manor, artist Heinrich Hollpein's Portrait of a Lady in Black. Observing the room from behind the bar, she reminds the team to strive for beauty and elegance in their every move.
She'd approve, one imagines, of the team's prim waist coats, the bar's glistening glassware and leather-bound menus.
Likewise, of Solarik's signature approach to mixology. It's a style defined by modern techniques and classic touches, freshness, house-made ingredients and the inexhaustible drive to create something new.
Taking centre stage, cocktails and non-alcoholic sippers at Compton Ave., include classics made with premium spirits, a number of martinis, contemporary bevvies and intriguing draught options.
Tea makes several appearances on the menu (who said your daily cuppa had to be served with milk?), and the bar's selection of gins is practically unmatched.
"Something that's different from all of our locations," explains general manager, Annabel Ngo, "is the new draught program. It's new to our concepts."
Tap cocktails will rotate to afford guests the opportunity to enjoy the extent of the team's capabilities, but carbonation and nitro-infusion promise a fizzy texture and sparkling finish to each one.
Made with nitrogen, "which adds a creamy texture," according to Ngo, the Nitro Espresso ($19) is a rich and silky take on the fashionable drink. Lush and nutty, it can thank burnt-butter Bacardi, sesame, tonka, Earl Grey and Amaretto for its sumptuous depth.
Timelessly elegant, the team's Smoked Olive Martini ($19) is as dapper and dashing as a gentleman in a three-piece suit. Balanced, with a lingering suggestion of hickory smoke, it's a modern classic for those who like drinks to look as effortlessly chic as they do.
Easier drinking than its namesake, the Umami Old Fashioned ($22) is an unorthodox sounding combo of Japanese whiskey, reduced soy, maple, pandan and Lapsang tea. Sultry with a savoury backbone, it caresses every taste zone in a decidedly welcome way.
A menu of small plates is required reading that should follow any drink order. Designed by head chef and culinary director for all of Solarik's spots, Lionel Duke, the menu invites guests on a whirlwind tour of the U.K.'s greatest hits.
"The menu features upscale British pub food," explains, Ngo, adding that dishes are upgraded via "culinary techniques. We're bringing Michelin and pub style together."
Made of sage-scented minced pork enrobing a soy-marinated egg, Scotch Egg ($8) arrives on a bed of charred hay that fills the room with the smell of another era and the spectral aura of smoke.
Jammy and golden, nestled onto a bed of black garlic aioli, it's a tempting sight, even if it is an awkward bite.
As rich as the monied few who inhabit London's Compton Avenue, Roasted Bone Marrow ($14) is a jiggly, fatty tease subdued with shallot marmalade and a blessed few sprigs of parsley.
Served with toasty house-made crumpets, it's for diners seeking ultimate indulgence by way of (practically) unadulterated beef fat.
Ideal with drinks, Yorkshire Beef Tartare ($16) finds four twee puddings filled with a classic mixture of raw beef, sous-vide yolk and a touch of black truffle.
Generally reserved for Sunday roast, these bite-sized puds are a miniaturized and glamorized version of the classic.
Heartier appetites will welcome the menu's larger plates, including classic Grilled Steak Diane ($18).
A flavourful picanha cut, set atop a pool of creamy, brandy-soused mushroom sauce, this one could easily be super-sized and nobody would complain.
A spot that (like Solarik's Bar Prequel) doesn't accept reservations, Compton Ave., is best approached early, or with a properly stiff upper lip.
Compton Ave. is located at 1282 Dundas Street West.
Fareen Karim
