I have been wanting to check out this hidden speakeasy for a while now, after hearing about them last fall; only to stop by today on their one year anniversary.
As a part of the Terminal City Club, they are located within Lion’s Pub, downtown Vancouver. It is to the left when you walk in, hidden behind a red London style telephone booth.
It leads you into a small room with a variety of corded phones mounted on to the wall. Differing styles and colours. From what I can recognize, the collection spans the 1930’s through to the 80’s. It makes for a great stopping and speaking point. There are a few more units located along the hall way, before the washrooms, in the the bar.
The individual washroom units were wall papered with a collection of Andy Warhol’s self portraits. It was a fun motif, but I didn’t think it really jibed with the overall telephone theme.
On a closer vein, was the rest of the bar’s wallpaper. Black with a pattern of surveillance cameras surrounded by red roses. Along with the red curtains, black marble tables, and art deco patterned floors, the room had a romantic gothic appeal. All this definitely made for a great setting for today’s “girl’s night out”.
In actually, we had the bar all to ourselves in the middle of the afternoon. We were crashing Cane & Co.’s marketing photo and video shoot, in advertisement of Call Me Back’s one year anniversary.
We became hand models and background to showcase what a fun night at this hidden speakeasy could look like. I even got a speaking role. Our payment was the ability to use of this space privately, and to be able to enjoy their premium cocktails within it.
Colin, who is the bar manager was Colin, quickly became our personal bartender. We didn’t have to order. He prepared a few of their most popular cocktails from their current volume 2 menu, plus a couple they were bringing back for their one year anniversary, as a greatest hit.
Unfortunately my modelling responsibilities meant I wasn’t able to have my phone on hand and take the quality of notes or photos I usually do. So take this review with a grain of salt, as a glimpse, but not the full true experience.
Our first round was the aforementioned 1 year anniversary classics. They were deceptively smooth and intelligently done, where you could not straightforwardly taste the liquor, but could feel that it was there.
Their currently menu was a visual treat, it looked like looking for singles and call girl ads at the pack of a newspaper or magazine. Each option boxed off with a drawing that referenced the name of the cocktail. Next to it was the beverage’s flavour profile and the ingredients, listed like numbers to call.
From this menu we tried Hiking Gear, which we described as, “silky, nutty, and heart-warming”. A mix of Peanut butter fat-washed rye, Prune syrup, Orange, Milk-washed Chocolate bitters, and finished with a single Apricot sitting on a king cube. This had such a lovely and delicate flavour of peanutbutter. The dried fruit and mixed nuts reminded me of trail mix, hence the name. This one was so cleverly done, that I was impressed and hooked, wanting to try more.
The Vineyard was grape inception and also incredibly clever. This was another one where you couldn’t taste the sting of alcohol, but enjoyed the glass for what it was. Pisco, Fina Sherry, Grape Leaf Soda, Grape Syrup, Carbonation, and Frozen Grape.
As one of their limited time only St. Patrick’s Day featured cocktails, the Crafted Tradition was crowned with a clover print over its foam topper. This one was bold with a sharper tang. Caraway seed and bay leaf-infused Drumshanbo whiskey, Strega, lemon, simple syrup, and egg white. This I found the least nuanced and my least favourite.
The Eau De Cologne delivered on its name through its flavour and pageantry. Makrut lime leaf gin, Peach Cordial, Lillet, Orange Blossom Water, and Palo Santo Perfume. This was a dry, fine vegetal and floral bouquet, finished off with a spritz of the perfume to fragrance and flavour.
And our last of the day was the Smoked Mezcal Negroni with Derrumbes Oaxaca, Esquimalt Rosso, and Campari; smoked in glass. A richer and deeper negroni with the smoke, this one was great to sip on.
In short, I loved everything I tried and there were so many more craft cocktails I was interested in. Therefore, I will have to come back to try them all.
Call Me Back
888 W Cordova St, Vancouver, BC V6C 0A8
tcclub.com
