Slice of Life is an intimate cocktail bar serving swanky beverages and bites that exude creativity, sophistication, and flair like foamy white miso espresso martinis and buttery mushroom parfaits on soft brioche toast.

It's easy to see why this late-night hot spot has become a favourite.

The 45-seat space is well-suited for a cozy date night or evening with friends. Red booths line the walls, and warm LED lights cast a glow over the otherwise dark and moody dining area. 

At the center, an eye-catching red lacquer bar offers plenty of high-top seating, where you can watch the intricate craftsmanship behind each cocktail as it comes to life.

But what seems to strike me most is the grandeur of the mirrored, funhouse-like front entrance hallway. 

Owner and General Manager Eric Pan started his restaurant career as a bartender. He went on to work as an opening manager for Byblos Uptown before travelling to London, where he was the bar manager for London-based Kol, a World's 50 Best Restaurant, and a senior sommelier for the Gordon Ramsay Group. 

Inspired by London's food and cocktail scene, the idea for Slice of Life started to form, and for Pan, it allowed him to get back to his bartending roots. 

"I would still consider myself a bartender because, at the end of the day, bartenders create, whereas everything else is about curation. As a sommelier, I don't make wine - I curate it. So I went back to what I truly like to do, which is why I started the cocktail bar," shared Pan.

Pan's restaurant partner, Nick Hao, came up with the name. 

"Everyone comes from different walks of life. The reason we have the tunnel is we want you to, once you walk in, leave yourself at the door, get transported in, and just have some fun over drinks,"  Pan explained. 

The drink menu, titled Human Nature, is a demonstration of nature's harmony and balance, utilizing two core ingredients to create two distinctive and delicious cocktails. A new ingredient pairing is rolled out each month. 

The Tom Collins ($21) showcases cucumber and celery. Clean and light, it's also made with gin, absinthe, mint, and lime. Pan's current favourite offering, he explained that rather than using soda water in the beverage, cucumber and celery juice is clarified and carbonated, making it all the more refreshing. 

The Rosita ($26) features two of my favourite ingredients: strawberry and chocolatey cacao nibs. Tequila, mezcal, Campari, and Cocchi Torino round out the mix, and a garnish of white chocolate and dehydrated strawberry adds a nice finishing touch.

The Sour ($21) is another beautiful beverage crafted with vodka, lillet blanc, galliano, citrus, vanilla bitters, and star ingredients, peach and ginger. Delicately sweet and warm, it's topped with a velvety egg white foam.

Rumoured to have one of the best Espresso Martinis ($24), Slice of Life's version of this cocktail plays with cold and hot temperatures, combining mezcal, ice wine, absinthe, hot cascara cream, caramelized white chocolate, and white miso. 

The Cold Toddy ($22) heroes lapsang souchong and apple. Full of warm notes from the oak scotch and cognac, it's a classic rendition. 

Sustainability is at the heart of the team's food and drink philosophy, with ingredients sourced from local suppliers within a 100 km radius. 

Like the cocktails, the small bites are equally exciting with elevated, umami-forward, fun offerings. 

The shoestring Truffle Pommes Frites ($16) are golden, perfectly crisp, and generously showered with fine herbs and freshly grated parmesan. They come with a creamy truffle aioli. 

The Mushroom Parfait ($19) combines roasted shiitake and button mushrooms into a light, mousse-like consistency. The mousse is spread on tiny toasted buttered brioche and topped with microgreens, pearl onion, and a crunchy twill.   

Similarly, the Egg and Ikura ($28) features piped confit egg yolk on rectangles of brioche and is a welcomed twist to eggs on toast. Rich, creamy, and decadent, the canapé is paired with briney red salmon roe for a burst of brightness and finely chopped chives.

Unintentionally a speakeasy of sorts with an unassuming exterior near the corner of College and Lippincott, Slice of Life feels like a hidden gem. 

While the interiors lend themselves to a high-end feel, especially considering the design team worked on Michelin restaurants like Masaki Saito and Kappo Sato, the ambiance remains comfortable and inviting, tying back to the meaning behind its name.

Slice of Life is located at 409 College Street.