Many of Nectar's outré-graze-and-lounge fans were saddened when the resto-lounge dimmed its lights. Admittedly, the summer was always great time to brave the confirmed hipster snottiness of Nectar, dining out on the street-side patio with Adjey-inspired dishes and perhaps a glass of prosecco, watching the passers-by along Wellington.

But Nectar has since closed up shop. Call it the It Spot regeneration: one King West area Street restaurant closes, another quickly opens in its place. In this case, Nectar's suitably hip successor has quickly taken charge, freshly re-branded and released under the curious name Marben, with the aim of filling the long and narrow space once again.

While Marben has been touched up by Commute Homes (the same firm that put together Kultura and Colborne Lane), the brick and beam space still basically sports the same marble-accented soul that was Nectar's. Nonetheless, a handsome restaurant it is, with a clean, vaguely chamber-influenced look that supports the culinary theme it's aiming for.

Open 6 nights a week with local DJs spinning on weekends, the restaurant draws a crowd that's a late-night cornucopia of King West life: hipsters looking to start things off before hitting the clubs; destination diners looking to score an evening out; a loud but friendly mob of people on a performance high from doing the rounds.

Executive Chef Craig Alley has been recruited to handle the fare, though the dinner menu reads a tad formulaic. Appetizers include, for good and safe measure, Dungeness Crab Cakes, grilled asparagus with shaved asiago, and pepper beef rolls. But those beef rolls, fixed up with shaved reggiano, and wild arugula with balsamic, was among the better little starters I've come across of late.