Introducing: Weslodge, the new King West “modern saloon” from Charles Khabouth and Hanif Harji
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
For the second time this year that Yorkville has descended upon King West, first with Gusto 101 (from Trattoria Nervosa’ s Janet Zuccarini ), and now with Weslodge, the newest project by Ink Entertainment’ s Charles Khabouth (La Société, Cube) and Hanif Harji (ex-Kultura, Nyood). Dubbed a “modern saloon,” Weslodge is the sort of place where pomaded bartenders don leather gun holsters around their shoulders (without packing any actual heat, of course), and hunting trophies (or simulacra thereof) are mounted above the bar and throughout the space.
The eye-catching room was designed by Alessandro Munge (Munge Leung), and features dark walls, rich tufted banquettes, classic spindle chairs and traditional saloon cabinetry. Upstairs, the hallway is filled with old photos, newspaper clippings, a butcher’s diagram of a cow and even a portrait of a turtle. Outside, a pair of bright yellow doors on King West make it pretty much impossible to miss the bar as you pass by. In the kitchen, executive chef Stuart Cameron (Kultura, Nyood) and chef de cuisine Kanida Chey (Kultura, Flow, Origin) bring some style and a lot more technique than usual to the modern American menu. To start, there’s a scotch egg made with homemade chorizo ($4), buffalo tartare with pickled mustard seed, egg and foie gras on sour dough ($15) and fluke ceviche with yuzu, radish and dill oil, with a puffed crispy tapioca chip ($12). For mains, there’s fried bourbon Cornish hen ($21), the Weslodge burger ($18) and a dry-aged rib eye sided with bone marrow ($32).
At the bar, director of cocktails Elan Marks (Kultura, Nyood, Drake) creates both classic, throwback cocktails and more creative drinks that are mainly whiskey-based. Prices range from a gin with house-made tonic ($9) on the lower end to barrel-aged negroni ($14 glass, $120 bottle) and a tobacco Manhattan ($17) made with Basil Hayden bourbon and, yes, a house tobacco tincture. Instead of traditional bottle service, Weslodge is selling cocktails that are aged in American oak casks, bottled, tagged and served on a tray with antique glasses, a bucket of perfectly clear two-inch ice cubes (ice geeks take note) and other garnishes like boozy cherries, for $120 to $175 depending on the cocktail.
Weslodge will be open daily for lunch (except Saturdays) and dinner, and will offer a Sunday brunch menu. Next up for Khabouth and Harji is Patria, Weslodge’s Spanish next-door neighbour complete with courtyard patio, slated to open in five weeks. Then, the pair will focus on Storys, which opens after TIFF, which will offer a private event space, a restaurant, a rooftop lounge and a bar that they’re hyping as the city’s best new place for cocktails.
154364 Lemon parfait with orange blossom yogurt, honeycomb and pineapple ($8) (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_17-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_17.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_17.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_17/ jul12weslodge_17 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154360 Dry-aged rib eye ($32) with bone marrow and chimichurri (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_13-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_13.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_13.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_13/ jul12weslodge_13 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154355 Fluke ceviche with tapioca cracker, yuzu, radish and dill oil ($12) (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_08-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_08.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_08.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_08/ jul12weslodge_08 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154361 Scotch egg with chorizo, tomato jam and black truffle ($4) (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_14-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_14.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_14.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_14/ jul12weslodge_14 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154359 “Bottle service” at Weslodge includes barrel-aged cocktails and two-inch ice cubes (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_12-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_12.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_12.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_12/ jul12weslodge_12 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154353 Barrel-aged Wise Guy ($120 for bottle): El Dorado five-year rum, Amaro Montenegro, Maraschino liquor, house-made tobacco tincture (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_06-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_06.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_06.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_06/ jul12weslodge_06 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154354 Gin & Tonic ($9): Tanqueray gin, house tonic (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_07-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_07.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_07.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_07/ jul12weslodge_07 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154352 Tobacco Manhattan ($17): Basil Hayden's bourbon, Antica Formula, vermouth, Angostura Bitters and house-made tobacco tincture (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_05-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_05.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_05.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_05/ jul12weslodge_05 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154351 Pomaded bartenders don leather gun holsters (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_04-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_04.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_04.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_04/ jul12weslodge_04 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154358 Saloon doors and framed portraits, including one of a turtle (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_11-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_11.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_11.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_11/ jul12weslodge_11 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154357 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_10-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_10.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_10.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_10/ jul12weslodge_10 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154356 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_09-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_09.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_09.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_09/ jul12weslodge_09 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154350 Looking out toward King Street (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_03-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_03.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_03.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_03/ jul12weslodge_03 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154349 The glassed-in kitchen, as seen from the dining room (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_02-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_02.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_02.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_02/ jul12weslodge_02 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154348 (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_01-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_01.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_01.jpg 416 624 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_01/ jul12weslodge_01 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154365 During the afternoon, Weslodge is full of King West creative types (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_intro-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_intro.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_intro.jpg 656 400 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_intro/ jul12weslodge_intro 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
154362 Owners Hanif Harji and Charles Khabouth outside the restaurant’s big yellow doors (Image: Gizelle Lau) Introducing: Weslodge Introducing: Weslodge https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_15-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_15.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/jul12Weslodge_15.jpg 624 416 [] https://torontolife.com/food/introducing-weslodge/slide/jul12weslodge_15/ jul12weslodge_15 0 0
(Image: Gizelle Lau)
Weslodge, 478 King St. W., 416-274-8766, weslodge.com, @Weslodge
an ounce of pretetion is worth a pound of douche? how do these guys get away with this crap? just go into the friggen design business.
oh and chorizo scotch eggs-did it in the 90’s….
Another pretentious / wannabe / copycat Charles Khabouth douche-factory spot.
While the scene his establishments generate is not my scene, I honestly believe Charles Khabouth has done loads to up the ante in restaurant and club design in this city. Before Still Life (this is going waaaay back), Toronto was pretty small town in terms of the value entrepreneurs placed on the design of their establishments. Khabouth came along and started spending big bucks on his interiors, and suddenly the barre was raised. I know $$ spent doesn’t equal good design, but this guy knows what he’s doing.
I was there last Thursday and thoroughly enjoyed the restaurant and food.
Well done.
interior design isn’t upping the ante…we don’t eat the nicely tiled and well seasoned floors nor are we served by the highly trained and personable yellow doors.
maybe its the whole bottle scene that helps it and they lose any cred.
sorry warren….
They were handing out postcards opening day, which confused me. I had no idea what they were selling. I couldn’t even initially find the name of the place on it.
Too cool for me, I guess.
As a neighbor (i live directly behind this place), all I know is that the staff SMOKE A LOT. They’re always out back, puffin’ away.
You’re fooling yourself if you don’t think an appealing interior – high end or low end – brings them in the door in the first place. Good food and service will keep them coming back.
Ugh. Bartenders wearing gun holsters? Do they greet you with a ‘Howdy Pardner?” A theme bar in this day and age. I guess the next phase for this stretch of King West is Disneyfication, which will eventually, and thankfully, lead to the revolt which will allow it to return to it’s original reason it became a destination – some of the finest restaurants in the city, a couple of small bars and a landmark strip club.
Once upon a time this was a neighbourhood. I know this because I still live there. My condolences to the residents of the condos above what will soon be an outdoor patio.
So what will exactly make you people happy?
I thought for a multicultural city like Toronto people would be more open minded to different ideas. Instead I’m so sad to see a whole bunch of ignorant snobs that would judge/comment when you haven’t even tried it first hand.
Why can’t we have criticisms that would help someone do better and not just complain for the sake of complaining! Reminds me of the same group of people that would complain about the weather regardless if it’s a beautiful summer day or fun snowy winter night.
I can’t find a job and this place serves $175 cocktails. Good thing I am mentally stable or that would put me right over the edge.
“Build it, they will come…” Say what you will about Charles Khabouth, he gets a return on his properties.
Say what you want, he’s making the city cool!!! I remember living in Toronto 20 years ago. It was like a village. Now it’s gotten much hipper thanks to people like him! And btw, I love the design!!!!!
Had the pleasure of dining here family style with 11 other people last weekend. While the menu seemed a little limited in terms of main dishes, all the food we had was executed well. The big winner of the night was the snap peas…who woulda thought?? they were perfectly crisp and smokey, delish! The only dissapointment was the carrot side dish, sadly, way over cooked. The styling and aesthetic of the restaurant was fabulous and the restaurant was packed without feeling crowded. I hope they do well!!
coke?
@hmmm I love Toronto’s many neighbourhoods and I spend time in as many as I can. But the best one’s actually feel like neighbourhoods that have evolved rather than been manufactured. I don’t knock everything these guys do, and I’ve been to lots of their bars and restaurants, but this particular stretch on King is the new club district and it’s taking it’s toll on those of us who live there. The noise levels, congestion and litter impact us everyday.
Sure, this place is slightly douchey but I still welcome it. Places like this should be opening one a month in Toronto for now.
Look at all these bitter, snobby individuals. Don’t knock it until you try it. This restaurant/bar is a nice breath of fresh air and I applaud them for taking a RISK. This place isn’t for everyone that’s for sure, but it’s definitely worth a try. And to those complaining about the $175 cocktails, etc. — you don’t need to drink. Enjoy the food, atmosphere and experience. Stop pre-judging and being ignorant douches. That’s one of the reasons Toronto often fails as a city compared to other ones, the ignorance and general hatred of the individuals put a cloud over anything that may appear to shine.
Just came back from lunch @ Weslodge. Ambiance really wowed me, very hip, and the theme (like 18th century hunting?) and how it was expressed was impressive. Menu had limited items for the lunch, which I was fine with. When I had first bite of the burger (suggested by the server), the patty started falling apart, and ended up having “medium ground beef on a bun with a slice of lettuce.” Gusto 101 had much better quality foods. It’s a cool place to be but I don’t think I will go back.
Had to laugh.. Walked in the front door on my own, asked to see the menu and before it was handed to me I was informed that they were fully booked and it was very busy. I said that’s great – good for you – I would sit at the bar anyway and just wanted to get a feel for the menu. Again, I was told how busy they were and that it was first come first served bla bla bla. Like a pretty girl (or boy) without a brain, decor and flash gets you noticed, but character gets you connected. Left and wouldn’t go back.
OF COURSE THEY HAVE WINES YOU CANT FIND FROM THE LCBO , THAT AY THEY CAN MARK UP WINES 700 PER CENT?
ARE YOU 250?
LOOK IT UP .