A tin cup of camp
SCOUT’S HONOUR 1576 Dundas St. W. (near Dufferin) Open Thurs.-Sun. 8 p.m.-close bit.ly/ScoutsHonour
If you were looking for Mr. Pong’s, you’ve come to the right place: Scout’s Honour.
The bar, owned by the gang behind Cold Tea in Kensington Market, underwent a revamp in late June and traded Asian-styled snacks and cartoony kitsch (you’ll note the mural of a ravenous panda is now gone) for a summer camp theme: picnic tables, forest-patterned wallpaper, outdoorsy cocktails and upcoming barbecue events.
This won’t be the bar’s last incarnation either, says bartender Matt Turenne, who adds that owners Matt LaRochelle, Stacey Welton and Oliver Dimapilis aim to reinvent their venue every six to eight months. The vibe: You will notice the alluring smell of Ontario’s deep, dark forests upon setting foot inside Scout’s Honour. This is no accident. Cedar planks and shingles make up the bar top and overhang, and staff frequently spray the wood with water to spread that fresh, rugged scent. Note the camping lanterns suspended from the bar overhang, flanking the row of spotted tin cups, in which your drinks will be served. They’re the kind used by mining camp crime boss Al Swearengen to guzzle his morning coffee as he cooked up his nefarious schemes in HBO’s Western series Deadwood, which ought to up the awesome quotient some.
Local artist Andres Miranda has painted over the killer panda on the west wall with a green and white map of a fictional camp, though you can still see red blood splatters from the panda’s hapless victims on the ceiling if you look closely enough. The drinks: The three main cocktails here, all going for $9, are the Stormcloud (Tromba tequila, sloe gin, jalapeno, lime and cucumber), Poison Ivy (Jameson, basil, St. Germain and lime) and the Ogopogo (Kraken spiced rum with egg white, lemon and Angostura Bitters). The draught selection is small, but effective: Okanagan Pale Ale goes for $6, while Sapporo and Blanche de Chambly go for $7. Cans and bottles range from $4 to $7 and include Stiegl, Guinness, Molson Stock Ale, Mad Tom IPA and Wellington Dark. The food: None, though that will change. You’re perfectly welcome to bring food from outside. Turenne says barbecue events are being planned. To give you a better sense of what to expect: chefs from The Rude Boy on Roncesvalles, for example, will cook an amped-up version of campfire food (such as wieners and beans) at a private function this week. Dress code: Casual Must know: Cash only. ATM in the basement.