What’s on the menu at Après, a new wine bar from the team behind Canis
By Renée Suen| Photography by Renée Suen
| January 16, 2019
Copy link
Name: Après Wine Bar
Contact: 1166 Queen St W., 647-292-3317, apreswinebar.ca, @apreswinebar Neighbourhood: Queen West
Chef-owner: Jeff Kang (Canis, Bosk)
Sommelier Adam Ashukian (Canis)
The food
A changing selection of small snacks and sharing dishes inspired by the food Kang and his staff enjoy eating with wine: Canadian oysters with house-made hot sauce, cured meat, beef tartare, braised ribs, a fried fish sandwich and more. The major focus here is the wine—Kang wants Après to be the place people go after a meal at Canis.
Here’s some bresaola that’s been aged with koji, and served with pickled beets and cauliflower. $11.
The beef tartare mixes chopped tenderloin with sunflower seeds, anchovies, crispy potatoes and crème fraiche. It’s served with a spiced naan-style bread. $17.
Salt Spring Island mussels on potato pavé, with caramelized whey and herbs. $16.
Advertisement
Fogo Island snow crab topped with house-made XO sauce. $19.
Squid stuffed with peanut romesco and rice hide under translucent sheets of guanciale. $21.
Braised beef short ribs are coated in a black bean glaze made from fermented sake, beef and mushroom jus. They’re served with a radish slaw. $29.
The ice cream sandwich features a slab of buckwheat koji semifreddo. $4.
Chef-owner Jeff Kang (left) with GM and sommelier Adam Ashukian, both of Canis.
Advertisement
The drinks
A changing selection of low-intervention wines, including many small-lot finds from places like Austria, Australia and South Africa. “The number one rule is that it has to taste good,” Ashukian says. “Just being low-intervention or natural doesn’t mean it will make the cut.” Bartender Kasra Khorramnejad (La Palette, The Cloak Bar) uses flavours from the kitchen’s menu to create a tight and constantly changing cocktail list.
The current by-the-glass options include a number of entry level wines that are vibrant, fresh, and lower in alcohol.
A sample lineup of the Australian bottles on offer, including Ochota Barrels and Jauma.
Unique skin-contact contingents from New Zealand include unfiltered Cloudwalker, Transit of Venus, and Naturalist, a naturally fermented vintage sparkling wine.
Current South African offerings include Nothing to Declare, Master of None, and Orbit of Frontal Cortex.
Advertisement
There are also some wines from the southeast of Sicily, including newly DOCG-designated COS and Occhipinti.
The Bolur is made with a citrus-forward gin, verjus and white vermouth. $15.
The Pandora is a pandan-based sour made with tequila, chartreuse, kombu and egg white. It’s topped with fresh nutmeg, and served in a matcha-coated glass. $15.
The space
Like Canis, Apres is minimalist in design. The space seats 60 between the bar, banquettes and communal tables. Come summer, the Queen-facing garage door windows will open up to accommodate a few additional tables.
NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY
Sign up for Table Talk, our free newsletter with essential food and drink stories.
The June issue of Toronto Life features our annual ranking of the best new restaurants. Plus, our obsessive coverage of everything that matters now in the city.
