Samovar, a new vodka, absinthe, and champagne lounge in Cabbagetown, is the latest Russian-themed venture from Rumen Dimitroff—the man behind the original Pravda Vodka Bar and Rasputin on Queen Street East. The lounge, named after the traditional Russian teapot, is on the second floor of the historic Winchester Hotel.
The space, formerly the Laurentian Room, has hardwood floors, burgundy banquettes, and a long mahogany bar that dates to 1935. Paintings of samovars hang on the walls and a copy of War and Peace sits on the counter at the coat check. The lounge is said to be haunted and a favourite spot of Al Capone. "I get a kick out of it," Dimitroff said. "At the end of every shift we leave [the ghosts] something to drink."
Servers dressed in fur hats and officer's caps serve absinthe out of two antique Siberian samovars. Cocktails are served in traditional tin cups and glass jars. "I don't have a standard glass. In Russia there wasn't a standard so we use different sized jars and mugs," Dimitroff said. "Not everything has to be uniform. That relaxes people. I like to give people an element of surprise so people feel like they're not out in Toronto, they're in Russia."
A small cocktail menu includes dishes like spicy fried sausage, Russian herring, shrimp stroganoff, beef tartar, and caviar. Stolichnaya features prominently on the drink list, which includes the Black Russian and the Kir Royal. Private vodka tastings are held in the large walk-in fridge, accessed through the kitchen. "In order to get in there you have to wear a Russian uniform and a Russian hat," Dimitroff said of the space, which holds eight.
A doorman dressed in full Russian regalia ushers guests into the upstairs bar and arranges for taxis and hands out bottles of water and packages of gum to patrons as they leave. "My goal is to make sure the service is there," Dimitroff said.
Samovar, which opened in late July, holds 140 for receptions. The space is available for private bookings.
