hough some restaurants can posture good food on the basis of the décor (big budget resto = big budget kitchen right?), this restaurant comes right out an calls itself an imposter – literally.

Adhering to the “fake it ‘till you make it” mantra, this restaurant eliminated Sash’s former panache in exchange for a low key Commercial haunt with a decent patio for people watching. Expect a rather contemporary pub fare menu with a rather spectacular serving of Sweet Potato (yam) fries.

The resto serves the regular pub fare you’re used to such as nachos and wings, but also offer classier dishes such as mussels or grilled venison. Other menu items are Cornish game hen, steak, amazingly tasty hand-cut fries, or mussels in various broths. This is the perfect combination for a man’s man looking for beer and wings, and his date, Miss Prissy-Priss, who obviously wants grilled venison (duh!).

The resto is quite cute, although small. The interior has three levels, with a small bar and TVs a-plenty. The décor is…well…interesting, I suppose, with black walls and red alligator banquettes. The dim lighting may suggest that this is a dirty, stinky dive-bar, but to the contrary. Once the place starts hoppin’, you’ll feel right at home in the cave-like atmosphere.

The spot can get cramped and loud on a busy night, as patrons are flowing in like Niagara Falls. You may just start to feel like a piece of driftwood at the bottom of the Falls- you’re getting completely drowned by patrons and pushed in every direction. If you like loud, cozy spots, then there’s no need to complain. Just don’t go to the Charlatan with the expectation of a quiet night out- you’ll be yelling “Shots for everyone!!” in a matter of minutes.