ou’re sauntering down Dundas Street, somewhere between Lula Lounge and the middle nowhere. Suddenly, amid the greasy spoons and Portuguese banks, you hear the beat of music, pulsing out to the street from a patio. You’ve stumbled upon If Lounge.

Thank goodness for Cecconi Simone. Ever since the upscale design house opened its new studio/showroom in wild, wild Dundas West, this ‘hood, until recently immune from the ever-westward march of the lounge scene, has become home to a spate of new late-night boites. One such is If, located at a corner which quite forcefully reminds the visitor that this strip of the street is still euphemistically referred to by real-estate types as “pre-hip”-that is, across from both a KFC outlet and an auto shop. The designers of the space, Horizon, were conscious of the inherent contradictions of its location. Space-age red banquettes are nestled against exposed brick walls, and the door is flanked by Mediterranean-style stone planters, a nod perhaps to the district’s Hispanic heritage.

If is the product of the longtime musings of four friends: brother and sister Paul and Nancy Coelho, Rui Ferreira, and Tony Falvo, who in picking the lounge’s out-of-the-way location sought to get in on the ground floor of a neighbourhood that they wanted to help turn into the Next Big Thing. They spotted a corner lot with major patio potential, and let the good times roll.

But what is most significant about If is that it is a consummately friendly spot, free from the see-and-be-seen pretensions of nightlife further east. On weeknights, neighbourhood folk come out clad only in jeans and trainers to enjoy the impressive cocktail repertoire. Instead of proffering a drink menu, the eager bartender asks interested customers to describe their favourite flavours before heading off to begin the alchemy.

The concoctions that emerge are often influenced by the oversized martini glasses filled with candy that sit atop the bar. Skewers invite sampling. After the sun has risen on an evening of debauchery, the lounge opens its doors again at 11 AM, offering brunch standbys like eggs benny along with its signature Pick-Me-Up martini, a criminally cool cocktail of espresso, Stoli Vanilla, and Kahlua. Not since the arrival of Red Bull’n’vodka has one drink so unabashedly combined stimulants with depressants. Eye-opener, anyone?

Upshot: For those in search of College Street lounge cool, but sans College Street attitude, If Lounge is the latest proof that the best advice for the adventuresome hedonist is to go west, young man. Quickly.
- Matt Campbell, martiniboys.com



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Reader Reviews

Jennifer, Toronto, ON
June 10, 2003
If Lounge is the hot spot. If you want a good Martini you go there. Good food, good service and friendly place and people go to If Lounge. They also have a nice big patio where you catch the sun.


friendly place
jennifer, toronto
June 8, 2003
I think that If lounge is a very friendly place and their martini's kick ass. Any one that goes into If will come out very impressed with the friendly service and their great drinks.


"hmmm..."
Brian Muy, Toronto
June 10, 2003
If lounge certainly brightens up that corner. Drinks were fine, and the crowd (on the patio) was a freindly lot. But they need to work on food. We'll see how things go, but I can see myself going back.