Only in the recently rediscovered district of Dundas West does it seem that clubbers are reluctant to display big fashion. Not that anyone expects the sidewalks of Trinity Bellwoods to resemble the runways of Paris, but it doesn’t take many visits to the area bars to see that if you just can't live without the Levi's, the dress code in these parts has some give. It is here that abides to the credo to ‘give the people what they want.’

Whether the recently-opened Cocktail Molotov is what people wanted remains to be seen, but it has sureon the scene nonetheless. A chronic club-goer entering Molotov for the first time might find that suspicious, as the small space is merely a raw, unadorned bar.

And that, whether intentional or not, is what has become the golden rule for the Dundas West scene. Consider the recent success stories of The Chelsea Room, Communist’s Daughter and If Lounge - each a mating mecca in its respective way - and they’re all uncomplicated drinking dens, done real cheap.

The absence of any intelligent lighting, a bad-ass fancy bar, VIP rooms and turntable mix master in the overall design - well, let’s just say absence of overall design altogether - haven’t scared away the thirsty, cool crowd. Not just neighbourhood dwellers, but inner-city hipsters flock to these little bars, already picking up the scent of Cocktail Molotov .

Owners Roland Jean and Krista Tobias were caught with their proverbial pants down when they opened the doors of Molotov and their customers turned out to be cocktail and martini sippers, rather than the beer types that they were angling for. Not that they have a hard time pushing draft and harder spirits, but another batch of martini glasses was in clearly in order.

Jean and Tobias brought in the right bartenders for the job. Since that job shares DJ duties, staff has to have a good (rock) musical ear. And those DJ/bartenders, Amy and Chad, treat guests to, well, there's only one adjective to describe it: bitchin' rock 'n' roll. It's the kind of music that makes everyone feel wild and thirsty. We're talking Incubus, Limp Bizkit, Lenny Kravitz, Metallica and Ozzy.

A ceiling wrapped in sheet metal, walls covered with checkered oak paneling and a home-made bar counter all come together to create a simple little den. And the addition of those bar stools you’re sitting on are Eames 1945 reproduction items from Modernica in New York.

If the simple design, heavy tunes and the crowd filling the room seems somehow familiar, it may help to know that Jean and Tobias also own Ted’s Collision Bar on College Street. “If it wasn’t for Ted’s,” says Jean, “we wouldn’t have Molotov. We’ve had Ted’s for over ten years, and owe everything to its success. And now for the success of Molotov.”

Locals will already know Molotov a completely different operation at this address; prior to Cocktail Molotov (the bar), Jean, also a furniture designer and visual artist, owned and operated Cocktail Molotov (the design store) at this address since 1995.

The bar staff's mixology inexperience shows in their operation. They're sweet and well-meaning and getting better by the day, but it's a small room, and occasionally they just get, well, lost is the only way to say it. But it’s a team that’s happy - and eager - to be here. Especially late at night when what had been a quiet, early-evening bar turns into a late-night cocktail-charged house party.

Upshot: Cocktail Molotov growls with its raw and simple barroom atmosphere. - Don Ellis


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