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| - I wandered into Troika Vodka Boutique last weekend. We had dinner at Beerbistro on King St and wanted to move our drinking to a different venue. We were looking for someplace low key with decent music and more of a lounge than club feel. We initially headed towards Pravda, but quickly walked past it after seeing the long line to get in.
Our next stop was Switch, which looked like an interesting resto-lounge. Unfortunately, the $20 cover was too steep and we weren't on the guest list. Apparently they have "circus acts" occasionally, so it sounds like a cool place to check out eventually. We saw flashing strobe lights across the street and like moths to a flame we discovered Troika.
My first impression of Troika was "wow." The place has an understated outer appearance, but that quickly changes as soon as you walk through the doors. A doorman greets you and you immediately notice the elegant entranceway. It's brightly lit with crystal chandeliers, mirrors and bright white furnishings. Very classy.
However, the bright lights end here and the entrance opens up to the dimly lit bar/lounge. This area contrasts starkly with the entranceway, but is equally pleasing aesthetically. The numerous chandeliers, luxurious furniture, blue recessed lighting and beautiful granite counter top bar all help with this.
Despite being a physically seductive and intimate atmosphere, Troika does suffer from a lack of physical space. More specifically, the bar/lounge is very narrow. This is compounded by the addition of sofa seating opposite to the bar. As more people trickled into the bar, the hostess had to remove bar stools in order to free up space. Luckily, it was not too crowded that night, but I can see how it would a nuisance on a busier night.
The bar staff was friendly and attractive. The service and crowd were unpretentious. Despite Troika's upscale appearance, everyone was pretty down-to-earth. We even met one of the owners, Dimity, who took his time to explain the food items on the menu and even took us back to the kitchen to show us his food preparation. Service with a smile.
The music was good. They played mostly electronic and dance music that Saturday night. There was also promise of a live saxophonist, but we left before he got started. The drinks were okay. $8 for spirits and around $12 for their signature mixed drinks. Good vodka selection, but pretty basic liquor list and also a limited beer selection.
Overall a good spot to grab a drink with friends and listen to music. It doesn't seem to get too crowded which is a plus in my book. It serves as a good alternative to Pravda and other busier venues. With the limited space, it's not a great place to dance. There is also limited seating to just sit and lounge. I think it's a good place to start, before moving to a busier venue. It is also a good spot if you simply wanted a low key night. I will be back.
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