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Global
Eloise, Bar Cart
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Brothers Graham and Dan Hnatiw are no strangers to the hospitality industry, and they wanted to make sure that their new St. Lawrence outpost offered guests food and drinks that felt approachable and that they’d actually enjoy, that hospitality was at the forefront of the space, and that it promised guests whatever kind of night they were looking for.
That’s why they split the former Shoeless Joe’s space into two entities, Eloise and Bar Cart, to ensure that guests could, in a way, choose their own adventure. On one side, Eloise is a restaurant in the traditional sense, with modern decor, bright colours, and accents that highlight the globally-inspired dishes crafted by a chef with superstar accolades. On the other side, Bar Cart is a moody, dimly lit cocktail bar with small shareable plates, designed to be the place where guests can go for a nightcap or a quick drink before a concert or sports game.
“We wanted the spaces to be very much different from each other, because they're supposed to give us two different fields. Two different experiences. But one thing that remains the same is that true hospitality field,” the brothers say. “If you do good quality service and food, and you're in a good location with good design, people will want to come. And the products that we're serving today may be different in six months, may be different in six years, but as long as the core of this place is hospitality, and you're committed to high-quality service and food and drink, you'll be fine.”
In terms of the menus, high quality took importance over a specific theme or cuisine, as the brothers say, catering to a large audience, given the busy area and its vast demographics, became a priority. “We didn't want to have something that was too heavy in any direction. We wanted to be slightly agnostic,” they say. “From that perspective, we can always cater the menu to the audience.”
Tasked with crafting that menu is Chef Akhil Hajare, who has experience at both Alo and Le Select Bistro and other internationally acclaimed restaurants around the world, including Gaggan in Bangkok, Thailand. He pulls locally sourced ingredients and combines them into classic dishes with his own unique spin to create a menu that’s a blend of savoury and sweet, of hearty and light, and includes both shareable dishes and mouthwatering solo plates.
ELOISE
The gem and endive salad is made with a pea and mint puree, topped with pecorino and tossed with a maple lime vinaigrette.
The heirloom tomato salad is a twist on the traditional version. “ The heirloom cherry tomatoes from Bosco Farms are a little different than regular heirloom tomatoes,” Chef Akhil says. “They’re a bit sweeter, with no acid at all.” He places them on a base of whipped ricotta and tosses them in a za’tar dressing with charred scallions and watercress.
Chef Akhil serves the hamachi crudo with what he calls “a really acidic shiso vinaigrette.” It is also served with blood oranges, celery, and herbs to create a flavour that he describes as “spicy, herbaceous, bright, fresh, and a little fishy at the end to round it off.”
“We braise our cabbage, then we grill it, and then we stuff the cabbage with mushroom XO, and that’s also in the sauce with koji butter,” Chef Akhil says. It’s also topped with chives to create a rich, earthy flavour.
The creamy ricotta agnolotti are rolled in-house, and they boast a global twist - they’re made with pistachio, charred scallion, and manchego cheese.
The gnocchi are mouthwatering and hearty, handmade and served with egg yolk and parmesan and topped with shaved perigord truffle. The team at Eloise recommend using a spoon for this dish to best enjoy the sauce.
The salmon is served with vadouvan curry and coconut and lime foam, and Chef Akhil uses peas to add a seasonal component. “Vadouvan is kind of like a French take on Indian spices, but it’s less strong, and there’s no heat,” Chef Akhil explains.
The citrus parfait is served in an ice cream cup and topped with graham cracker crumbs, seasonal fruit, and a housemade Earl Grey jelly.
BAR CART
A shareable classic, the crispy cauliflower is made with gochujang, sesame, and scallions.
“We wanted to think about every little detail,” the brothers say. “So we made sure that the skewer perfectly cuts through the middle of the meat so that it’s easier to eat.”
“Chicken 65 is the invention of fried chicken in India,” Chef Akhil says. “It was invented in the year 1965, which is why it became popular with that name.” It’s served with scallions and fried curry leaves.
A bar bites staple, Bar Cart’s shishito peppers are made with citrus salt and chili for a full-bodied flavour.
“The foie gras parfait is made with a Granny Smith mignonette,” Chef Akhil explains. “The sauce itself is a bourbon maple that we smoked and set to make a smooth puree, and it’s served with waffles just for a fun take on it.”
“Andrew Whitley helped build Bar Cart’s bar menu,” the brothers say. “He helped train the team, and we’re always open to changing the menu and evolving, but we needed somewhere to start, and a standard to set.” One of the creations is the Espresso Ghost, a clarified espresso martini that’s also less spirit-forward than the non-clarified version.
Made with tequila, sherry, grapefruit, and orange, the Meringue-a-tang is also carbonated and served with a dollop of meringue on top, which the brothers say is the beauty of having the two concepts beside each other.
The Crimson Ember is a citrusy, smoky drink that juxtaposes those two flavours to create a surprising, delicious flavour. It’s essentially a floral take on a Mezcal sour.
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