espite the blood-thirsty guard-dogs monitoring the lumber yard on the corner of Manning and Dundas West, the Dundas Strip still emanates a certain friendliness to it. Dotted with bars meant to attract the younger cocktail crowd, who like their music loud and their cocktails cheap. Domains of choice for locals in-the-know have been known to loosen their Gap gear at The Chelsea Room, Communist’s Daughter and Cocktail Molotov, and now at the latest drinkery; The Press Club.

The space that once housed Caffe Brasiliano (which is now across the street in bigger proportions) has now been outfitted as a snug pub, pulling in an uber-casual 35-and-under clientele. The large sign of the former business still hangs, shouting out at you while the small tasteful ‘press club’ moniker entices you with its quiet charm merely “suggesting” that you walk in. Both the killer name and the vintage typewriter that’s displayed by the window made me think about the long standing connection between literature and liquor. As I walked in, I wondered, would Dorothy Parker drink here?

Credit co-owners Shawn Merritt and Natalie Robinson with recognizing a singular opportunity when it came their way and seizing it. They have graced the Dundas West Strip with a hidden gem that will soon be discovered especially since they’ve opened it up on a street that is still a local secret.

Having the opportunity to chat Shawn up it turns out that he did a stint as a columnist in Vietnam but makes it clear that PC isn’t some dry “book club”. His main intention was to eventually offer rare liquors that he’d import from Vietnam: snake flavoured booze, rare flower spiked liquids that one can’t find in your regular bar-around-town. The atmosphere, being more European bar than English pub makes it easy to sidle up next to your neighbour and actually have a conversation, as suggested by the large corner bench that pulls the whole place together.

As the night progressed our subdued conversation had escalated to Dorothy Parker-esque ramblings. The “Press Club” is the sort of place that will gladly lend itself to the slow process of inebriation. It’s all about the process anyway, writing, drinking, distilling , and the Vietnamese liquors that Shawn plans on importing are indicative of that. Ruou(rice wine) is what the locals in Vietnam drink and it’s “the process” of distilling that makes it distinctive. Ruou, a traditional tonic or medicinal wine, can be a strange medley of awk rice, corn, herbs, cassava or fruits and sometimes even animals like snakes, geckos, sea-horses, goats or crows. Unfortunately, having it imported and finding a distributor has been somewhat time consuming explains Shawn, especially since he had to actually open up the place first before he could even attempt to import the Vietnamese liquor. We’re not so concerned, as we lazily sip our finely selected rum. What’s the rush?

“The Press Club”, being the newest addition to an area that isn’t yet sullied by overpriced drinks, obnoxious doormen and dress codes in effect will surely succeed in due time. It has just opened after all, the art work that the owners plan to display has yet to make it on the walls, the rare liquors that Sean intends to import have yet to make it across the border, but once the little wrinkles are ironed out, The Press Club will attract more of a Dorothy Parker type than, say, an “Alfie” type.
- Faye Sialakas



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