XX Files–our weekly item on Toronto’s better bartenders.
Name/alias: Krysta Oben
Current bar: The dining room at Cowbell
How long in the business: OMG! it’s been 14 years since I started working as a hostess in restaurants.
First drink/drunk: I would have little sips of wine at family dinners, but my first drunk probably involved a bush party and some sweet booze that some older guy bought for my girlfriends and I. Don’t tell my mom.
What influences me: Working in restaurants, I’m influenced by the rad food the kitchen is making, the seasons and what’s available to buy in Ontario. I really like wine, and I’m always inspired when I taste something delicious from a winemaker that’s crafting something interesting and unusual.
Best barfly: I’ve seen a thing or two, but a lady never tells!
Cinematic bartender: I love Norma, the proprietress of the diner in Twin Peaks. She’s such a sweetheart to everyone in town.
Rules: If I had my choice, everyone would drink sparkling and rosé year-round. However, not everyone wants to drink champagne every day, so I’ll try and make whatever a guest fancies. People just want to have a nice time.
Celebrity experiences: I’ve served a ton celebrities but I don’t usually know who they are unless they’re super-famous classical musicians – I’m not very cool.
Bill Murray chatted with me once, though. He was wearing a bowtie and I almost fainted.
Best late-night or morning-after places: Late-night I like Midfield, a new little wine bar on Dundas West, where Christopher Sealy pours really tasty wine and I can shoot the shit post-service. The Cowbell crew usually swings by Not My Dog for a onesie (at least). Eric and Nicole treat us like gold, and there’s always amazing live music. I always have the best time dancing at the Dakota, and would like to bless the boys at 416 Snack Bar for serving oysters and snacks ’til last call.
Morning after? Capital Espresso, pretty much every day. I’m not much of a breakfast eater, and staff meal at Cowbell is really good, but I LOVE going to The Gabardine for long, extravagant lunches.
Best /worst tip: Tips always even out in the end, and most people are really generous tippers. Sometimes a guest shares a glass of some really exceptional wine with me, and that always makes me happy.
Favourite cocktail/beer/wine right now: The French 75 is my favorite cocktail of all time. It combines all of the best things – sparkling wine, a punch of booze, and some citrus. Warning: don’t have too many of them. This cocktail brings out emotions! I’ll be mixing up French 75’s for 86’d at the Drake Hotel this Monday (February 27th). Come by and taste my version.
Watch for: There’s a cheesemaking class at Cowbell on February 28th that I’m really excited to attend. 60 bucks to learn to make cheese. Also, Violin player, Edwin Huizinga, organizes Classical Revolution Toronto, where a bunch of musicians play amazing music in unconventional settings. I pour wine there and sometimes make snacks.
Cowbell, 1564 Queen St W
____
Kerry and Ivy Knight write the XX Files column for Toronto Standard. Follow them on Twitter at @keppsterr and @IvyKnight.
For more, follow us on Twitter at @torontostandard, and subscribe to our newsletter.
