Zubrowka Vodka Tasting Invitation to the Samovar Room Vodka Bar

Invitation: Zubrowka Vodka Tasting at the Samovar Room Vodka Bar
Please Join Us:
March 18, 2010 at 8 pm
for a vodka tasting

featuring Zubrowka True fullness of flavor

Pronounced: "ZOOB-ROOV-KA"
Poland's distinctive
bison grass-infused vodka...


Zubrowka:
Tasting notes: A dry, aromatic vodka, soft and clean on the palate with a distinct lingering coconut tone. Complex and enigmatic, with grassy herbaceous aromas (mainly thyme and lavender) with vanilla and spring flowers. Herbaceous, lavender, jasmine tea and citrus flavors open up further with a hint of chocolate and cafe latte. Natural warmth carries through all the way.
Zubrowka Vodka's quality was recognized by Monde Selection Brussels with the Grand Gold Medal in 2006 and a consecutive Gold Medal in 2007. Two gold medals: in the Flavoured and Design category and Gold Trophy in the Drinks International Vodka Challenge 2008.
For additional information please check out http://www.zubrowka.com/ or http://www.pmacanada.com/
For RSVP, please call or email at drink@samovarroom.com
t: 416.925.4555
w: http://www.samovarroom.com/

Invitation to "Samovar Room" Your After Work Destination Place

"SAMOVAR ROOM"

YOUR AFTER WORK INVITATION!

Wed • Thu • Fri 5 pm - 8 pm

• FREE Appetizers

• $4 Drinks

• $6 Martinis

• $90 Bottle Service

• Bar Food

• Dinner Menu

• DJ after 8 pm

• Parties Welcome!

SAMOVAR ROOM

51A WINCHESTER & PARLIAMENT

416.925.4555

drink@samovarroom.com

Vodkalicious in Toronto: January 14 to February 14, 2010 at Samovar Room

WELCOME TO MY WORLD OF VODKA

Almost everybody cooks with wine, brandy, cognac, and some other spirits...

Well, I have gone a step ahead and used the most unexpected...VODKA...

THE MOST FORGIVING AND RECOGNIZED LIQUOR that has no frontiers. Yes you can freeze it, chill it, and mix it with anything you can imagine. You can also shake it, stir it or simply drink it straight, or COOK IF YOU WISH.

To me VODKA is a way of living. That's why this winter I decided to celebrate the Toronto WinterCity festival with my special event: Vodkalicious. It's available from January 14/2010 until February 14/2010 at the Samovar Room.

Vodkalicious

Celebrating a culinary experience with the essence of vodka.

Enjoy this three course vodka-inspired menu

Appetizers + Recommended Vodkas

Caviar & Blini: Russian Standard infused Crepes

+ Russian Standard

or

Foie Gras: Honey pepper vodka infused

+ SV Honey Pepper

or

Russian Beet Salad: Goat cheese, walnuts, vodka and balsamic

+ Stolichnaya

Main + Recommended Vodkas

Chicken Kiev: Lightly breaded chicken breast vodka and herb infused butter

+ Youri Dolgoruki

or

Mushroom Pelmeni: Double smoked bacon, onions, vodka cream sauce

+ Titos Handmade Vodka

or

Steak Stroganoff: Vodka flambé, mushroom, onions & sour cream

+ Imperial

or

Salmon Kulebyka en croûte

+ Iceberg

Dessert + Recommended Vodkas

Sour Cherry Pelmeni

+ Zubrowka

or

Crapes Ekaterina: Lemon vodka infused ricotta stuffing

+ Gorzka

Food only $30 with vodka tasting $45

[ Taxes and gratuity not included ]

For reservation please call 416.925.4555

or email at drink@samovarroom.com

We are looking forward to serving you at the Samovar Room!

Rumen Dimitroff

"The ambassador of Russian chic in Toronto" Toronto Life, September 2009

Samovar Room

51A Winchester Street @ Parliament Street

Toronto, Ontario M4X 1A8

[ In the heart of the historic Cabbagetown 'hood ]

facebook: samovarroom

twitter: samovarroom

Business Hours:

Thursday 5pm ~ 2am

Friday 5pm ~ 2am

Saturday 7pm ~ 2am

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Martini boys review of my most recent bar creation in Toronto

Samovar Toronto Bar

Toronto is undergoing somewhat of a French culinary renaissance, but for Rumen Dimitroff, the real cachet, is, and always has been, in Russia. The man behind Rasputin and the original incarnation of Pravda Vodka Bar, Rumen has found infinite inspiration from his home country, and has been slowly filling the East End with chic Russian-inspired lounges. Since his escape from the communist regime, the world-worn restaurateur has always found ways to inject spaces with old-world charm, but for his latest spot, Samovar, he had a head start. Located in the beautifully restored art deco space of the now-defunct Laurentian Room on Winchester Street, Samovar feels like it's been around decades. And in a way, it kind of has.

Walking into the dimly-lit lounge, one of the first thing you'll notice is the long mahogany bar, a feature of the original 1935 building, and a favourite hangout of Al Capone. The rich wooden floors, maroon banquettes, and signature lighting scheme give the room a dark sexy vibe, while specially commissioned paintings of samovars and, well, actual samovars fill it with Russian accents. There's a bit of a mystical feel to the space, and that's something that Rumen has chosen to play off of.

There's still a number of fine vodkas, in particular Stolichnaya and Wyborowa Exquisite, but this time around, the proprietor has decided to focus on fine champagnes (including Perrier Jouet, Mumm, and Hungaria Grande Cuvee), and, more importantly, that oft-mythologized, recently legalized boho nectar: absinthe. Due to its formerly shady status, many absinthe brands are still somewhat rare, which makes Samovar's collection, including Pernod, Taboo (a B.C. brand), and many more to come, an attraction in and of itself.

Absinthe has been known to mess with some serious drinkers like Ernest Hemingway and Vincent Van Gogh, and it has developed a reputation as an aphrodisiac, hallucinogen, and everything else under the sun. In reality, you'll probably be affected much more by the 74% alcohol content, but there's no denying that absinthe is a mystical spirit. It's also a very social and ceremonial spirit, which is something else that Samovar capitalizes on. Guests are encouraged to partake in the absinthe ritual, dripping water over a sugar cube before the absinthe is poured in. The result is a flavourful combination, and one that is more conducive to sipping rather than shooting (believe me, you don't want to be taking shots of absinthe). Rather than fountains, however, the water is dripped straight out of old-school Russian metal samovars (kind of like a teapot, but much more Russian).

Whether you're sipping a vodka cocktail or chasing the green fairy, you'll want to sit back and enjoy yourself. "I want to take this back to my father's tradition in Russia and Bulgaria," says Rumen in his gruff accent. "It's not 'let's have a shot and get out of here,' but 'let's have a drink and enjoy ourselves'." In accordance with this philosophy, Samovar has a full card of menu items that are conducive to alcohol induced snacking. Charcuterie is both smoked in house and imported from a multi-generational salami and prosciutto making family, while classics like Steak Tartare and Shrimp Stroganoff are prepared in house. There's also a good selection of fine caviars. For the really adventurous, the walk-in freezer is known to host food and vodka tastings, complete with fur coats and fur hats for guests.

Despite its ominous vibe, Samovar is ultimately a welcoming place. There is a strong focus on hospitality and service, as if it were your own basement (if you lived in a 1935 heritage building with Russian accents). But if you do feel like getting a little crazy, there are often DJs, and the wide wooden floor lends itself easily to dancing. On other nights, the space hosts burlesque shows, entertainment, and even trapeze performance. After a few sips of absinthe, you might be down for more than you think.

martiniboys.com: Samovar Toronto

by Richard Trapunski

September 03,2009

My latest consulting work for samovar room reviewed by Toronto Life

Samovar Room

The city’s ambassador of Russian chic, Rumen Dimitroff (Rasputin, Pravda), brings another vodka-inspired nightspot to the east end—this time at 51 Winchester Street. As with his other tributes to the motherland (Rasputin pays homage to czarist Russia; Pravda plays on Soviet communism), Samovar is loaded with cultural shout-outs. The bar unites centuries of Russian cultural history, starting with the titular antique teapots from which classic eastern European drinks will be served. Dimitroff, who has been steadily colonizing the east end, is trying to break the region’s reputation as a second-fiddle destination. “I’m trying to make the east end a little more attractive.”

Perched above the Winchester Hotel and consciously unsigned, the new Cabbagetown bar picks up where the former resident—the loungey Laurentian Room—left off. Old World features include high ceilings, the space’s original 1935 bar, fireplaces and decorative mirrors. Heavy burgundy drapery and rich woods set a warm atmosphere that borders on lusty. The heritage digs eliminate “the cliché of the square dark bar,” as Dimitroff puts it.

The luxurious ambience will get an erotic influx with monthly burlesque shows for which Dimitroff is currently sourcing a team of dancers. DJs are likely to keep the beat most nights, though tunes won’t be loud enough to hinder conversation. The small stage will double as a VIP lounge, but the most sought-after spot in the house is likely to be the intoxicating spirit-stacked “crisper”; guests can wear supplied fur hats and coats while perusing the booze options. “It’s a very romantic space,” says Dimitroff of the old-style refrigerator, which he hopes mimics the charming freight elevator table at his former restaurant, Bravi.

While Rasputin and Pravda impress with the quantity of their vodka selections, Samovar focuses on hard-to-find absinthes from Europe and North America, like Kabu, from British Columbia. A slim list of beers includes both Russian and local representatives; a small-plates menu features steak tartare and a cocktail-ready twist on a Russian classic, shrimp stroganoff. “There will be some surprises there,” says Dimitroff of the food. He’s most excited about a Russian-style weekend brunch that includes countless selections of smoked fish, salads, caviar and homemade gravlax. For drinkers immersed in their own pickling process, he entices with a taste of the old country: five different kinds of Russian cabbage, pickled apples, pickled green tomatoes and pickled watermelon. Of the last import he says, “It’s a bit salty, with a zing of sourness.” We might need a few glasses of Stoli before we hit that.

Samovar, 51 Winchester St. Opening next month.

torontolife.com: East meets east at Samovar: Another Russia-themed bar from the owner of Pravda

by Davida Aronovitch

June 19, 2009 | 11:11 am

hello vodka world

hello vodka world