ot quite sure when it all sprouted. But if you keep your eyes peeled on the Ossington strip, specifically between Queen and Dundas, you'll notice that there's getting to be a lot of nightlife scenery to chew on. In impressive quantities, former clubland hipsters have relocated to this new club-land oasis. You can see it in the bars and restaurants; Friendly west end crowds have become suspiciously hipper than thou. As for the new venues – and there are many – for every big-budget entity, there is a cute, DIY corner bar.

Falling into the latter category, The Ossington opens its doors in hopes of capturing the displaced indie crowd. With similar type bars Baby Huey and Levack Block for neighbours, owner Pat C has taken over the old Gallery 61 in the hopes of capitalizing on the recent growth in the area. “I lived five years above where Baby Huey is now," he recalls. "Back when it was a shady Vietnamese karaoke bar”

Dark and moody, the exterior is very College Street-esque, but be assured that the crowd is more Sally Ann than Prada. Discreet and raw to the core, the interior is uplifted with a few clever DIY aesthetics; a dozen swivel bar stools face the front window; a row of tables line the south wall. A cocktail bar takes up a good chunk of the space and, early visits are any indication, will be where most of the action goes down.

Moving to the back room is like dropping in on some friends, or maybe your aunt and uncle. But not in an eerie way. Although the prep kitchen area is set up back there and there are scattered pieces of used furniture throughout. The space can be transposed in whatever format is needed for the night. Meaning, on slow nights it’s a place to sit back and hang, and for special events, the furniture and fixtures can be swung aside for the occasional ad hoc make-your-own-parties, but not much else.

This isn't to say that the bar doesn't give it a go. Ossington emotes its little socks off - singing it's quaint vibe beautifully, catching the light perfectly with drive-by Ossington traffic.