Cheers to The Citizen! Inspired by the classic neighbourhood hangouts of the 1930s, this new King West resto-bar is not the dimly lit, bottle service hangout for VIPs you’d expect but rather has the vibe of a local, friendly hangout where the bartenders may just yell out your name as you walk in. The Citizen opens its doors today, offering patrons North American comfort food in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.
Located in the space that used to be home to Brant House supper club, the highly anticipated restaurant has chosen Amanda Walti, formerly Chef de Cuisine at Origin, as their Executive Chef. Building on a theme of unpretentious convivial dining, Walti has designed a menu with popular North American dishes that people are drawn to. Including both snack options and main courses, some of the smaller plates consist of comforting staples like jalapeno poppers, popcorn shrimp, grilled cheese, and saucy meatballs served with crusty bread (for dipping of course). Mains include mac ‘n cheese with pork belly, fried WHOLE chicken including the skin and livers (rumoured to be their stand out dish), a 36oz rib-eye steak as well as lettuce wraps for those of us who enjoy lighter fare.
While the kitchen closes at midnight, a fun bar bites menu runs from 12-2am and features items like soft pretzels and homemade kettle chips. The 1930s-inspired cocktail menu will make it easy to have “one too many” with concoctions like a florist champagne (featuring aromatic rose liquor) and various innovative takes on the Manhattan.
The Citizen opens today at 5pm and is offering a special treat to those who stop in over the weekend: free grilled cheese from 11pm to 2am both Friday and Saturday! With a sure Chef Walti twist on this comfort-food classic, we really see no reason not to venture over to King and Brant to get a sneak peek of what The Citizen is all about!
The Citizen is located at 522 King Street West (entrance on Brant Street) and will be open Tuesday to Friday from 5pm-2am and Saturdays from 6pm-2am, with the kitchen closing every night at midnight and the bar menu running thereafter.
Follow them at: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Checking it out this weekend? Let us know what you think below or tweet us @ViewtheVibe!
