Parkdale locals, ask yourself this. Do you feel you've exhausted all the local lounges and drinking domains the area has to offer? Are you tired of witnessing the designer suits steal hot hipster babes (by fanning themselves with money) at gentrified hot spots? The Parkdale Drink can cure your funk! Classifying itself as a lounge and eatery, this new local haunt aims to fill a neighbourhood void by providing international cuisine, a fully stocked bar and bottle service, all within a cool edgy atmosphere (that isn't the Drake).

Owner Catherine Thai is anxious to finally open the doors after nearly two years of hard labour on the space. “Everything had to be renovated, including the floors, plumbing, and electrical. We ran into more than we expected.” All has since been revealed, and Thai can now take pride in her accomplishments as patrons consume exactly what the space offers - plenty of drinks.

It would appear that success runs in the family. Thai cut her teeth working in the restaurant business, helping out her mother at the family restaurant, Saigon Flower, further east at 1138 Queen Street West. Saigon Flower has been serving locals for over 20 years at the same location, just a few doors from the now infamous Drake Hotel. Not only did Rose Vuong’s establishment get a recent Restaurant Makeover, her fiesty demeanor and fierce determination helped to keep her property out of the hands of Drake Hotel owner Jeff Stober, who has already snapped up most of that Queen West block (I'm curious to see when the city receives a petition for the renaming of Queen West to Stober Street).

A Parkdale resident for the majority of her life, Thai is happy to see a diversified change in the character of her home turf (just not monopolization). This is one of the reasons for choosing the location on the other side of the Dufferin Bridge, “the real Parkdale”, she likes to call it. The Parkdale Drink will be a hangout for “the locals” (a bit of a confusing definition given Parkdale’s diversity) and Thai points out that the majority of her staff of 18 are also local residents.

Not the usual sleek and modern, void-of-all-character-design that's currently plaguing the city, the Drink has some enticing features that creates a distinctly comforting haunt. A slew of 40” LCD televisions are scattered throughout and drink prices are standard at around $5 a pint/bottle/domestic rail. Her plans call for a fun environment whereby people can kick back and watch football and hockey (she’s a big sports fanatic) on one night, or relax with a manicure and martini on another. For those who want to splash out, selected nights will have discounted bottle service pricing (for those who can't afford the bottle service up the road).