Another rainy Friday night. (Don’t know why it was always so rainy those days…) RL, D and I came to this piano bar, called Promise, located at International Gourmet Street (near Silver Star Blvd. and Steeles). The first impression was quite good – with a huge sheet of score on the wall, a young lady playing piano. I think it’s a really good idea to have such a place to have some drinks, cocktails, wine, etc. It was around 10pm and the atmosphere was good. We were seated near the LCD TV mounted on the wall. Since RL knows the owner, he recommended a wine to us. It was a bit sweeter, but I liked it. To be honest, my knowledge of wine is limited. That’s something that I am planning to get into. Yup… no more 劈酒 for me. After about half an hour, the pianist left. According to the owner, it was because that night was the first time the girl played piano there and she is quite young, so she left early. Shortly after the girl left, they played the Chinese songs and MTV on the TV. People started to play cards and other games. It was getting a bit too loud for a chat at night. We were kinda disappointed since it is hard to find a nice place with soft music, especially in North Toronto/Suburban. I wondered if it is because of the location… It seems that there is no market for a good piano/jazz bar around that area. This piano bar could be very elegant and classy, but became a quasi-Karaoke place.
It’s a port, I like it, you ordered the whole bottle? Toronto is lacking some quiet drinking place with nice mood to have a drink and chat, definitely I’ll give it a try. Always dream of opening my own little cozy cafe serving all kind of whiskey 😛
they really have someone play piano there? WOW
劈酒? ha, i used to do that too…
Gene!! You have GOOD EYES~ Yah, we ordered a bottle to share.
Yupyup they have some girls coming in to play piano, but I think they should have it everyday.
thanks for the intro…your blog is great…I read your reviews for restaurants!
🙂
I still remember what you’ve said last year. I became friend with the owner, and found that he has the vision of a place with nice light music to chill as well.
However, the problems to be a bar with nice music and all are:
1)Demographics – Due to its location in the area, there are tons of young teenagers who just want to get drunk. The nice set up means nothing to them.
2)Marketing – The more mature crew do not even know the existence of this place.
3)Music – There is a lack of proper Chinese Canadian musician who can sing in Chinese / English other than with Karaoke.
Anyway, I am trying to solve problem 2) and 3).
From now on, every Thursday and Sunday night, 9pm-11/12pm. The bar will open with live music (usually violin + piano, we do have the occasion Erhu/ Guitar / Cello). There is currently two male singer, and I am trying to get an additional female.
No dice playing will be allowed during that time period (executive order from bar owner), and hopefully I can create the vibe that we all think the place can be.
Please give the bar another chance, albeit just on Thursday and Sunday night, 9pm-11/12pm.
http://promisepianobar.blogspot.com
Hey! Wow! That’s unbelievable! I hope you can turn it around and if it’s like what you just said, I can guarantee you I’ll be there often 😀 Maybe tmr night.
We will have our female singer tonight to sing…she was in the U-idol final this year (ie, hopefully good enough :P)
I will have a very charming gentleman playing cello as well, albeit only for about an hour…
And of course, Bridge and I will be there too. And this Thursday we will plan something cool as well for the long weekend…can’t wait to see the face of my fellow CBC friends when they hear old songs with violin and Erhu lol