BURST
Amber Bruce has a lot to be happy about.
The beverage director at both Keefer Bar and June on Cambie , Bruce and her teams took home not one, but two top rankings at the North America’s 50 Best Bars awards in Vancouver this week.
The Keefer Bar, located at 135 Keefer St. in Chinatown, is no stranger to best-of lists. But this year’s No. 7 ranking — and the declaration of it as Canada’s Best Bar of the year — just hit differently.
“We don’t take anything for granted. Accolades of all kinds definitely give our business a boost,” she says. “International ones, such as North America’s 50 Best Bars, help us get discovered by new guests from around the world. It brings in more opportunities. It’s great, and especially rewarding for our team. It’s a way to celebrate them.”
Founded in 2010, the Keefer Bar takes an apothecary-style approach to mixology .
“We’re all about balance, creativity, and most of all, honouring the community we’re located in, which is Vancouver’s Chinatown,” Bruce says. “We work with herbs, roots, and spices sourced from local herbalists, using these elements in both our classic cocktails and original creations.”
With an extensive collection of spirits behind the bar from local distillations and “rare and unconventional bottles from around the world,” the bar has a mix-and-match vibe that leans into an eclectic approach, from its drinks to its glassware.
When prompted to pick a standout sip on the establishment’s menu, Bruce pointed to the Antidote, which features Canadian whisky, yuzu sake, lemon, and Nin Jiom (a traditional Chinese herbal syrup).
“This one is rich, herbal and fresh,” she says. “The other is the Lunchbox Protocol, with a Keefer rum blend, baijiu (a distilled Chinese spirit), absinthe, salted plum, coconut rice milk, lime, and egg soda. This one is funky, fruity, and fizzy. (It’s a) great way to start the night.”
The Keefer Bar was named as one of 2012’s World’s 50 Best Bars, and has several previous placings on the North America’s 50 Best Bars list.
Keefer Bar was joined by its sister property, June on Cambie, which represents the first full restaurant model for the growing Vancouver hospitality group. While the slick restaurant upstairs serves trending dishes, such as the social media-famous Pasta for Rachel, the basement level offers Lala, a 40-seat vinyl listening lounge and bar.
The buzzed-about destination, which opened at 3305 Cambie St. last spring, notched the third-highest ranking by a Canadian establishment on this year’s top-50 list. June on Cambie was ranked No. 17.
The recognition came as a surprise to Keenan Hood, who co-owns both The Keefer Bar and June on Cambie with business partner Cam Watt.
“When we were invited to the ceremony, we knew we made it somewhere on the list, but had no idea where,” Hood says. “We’re so proud to have landed at No. 17 in our first year. Not only that, we realized we are also third best bar in Canada on the list. We’re just so happy the community has embraced June and LaLa from the beginning.”
Hood points to the Burnt Gibson, a drink that features gin, dry vermouth, persimmon mignonette sauce, and Islay Mist scotch, as a must-try drink.
“It’s a great sipper with savoury notes, and very distinctly June,” he notes.
While some proprietors step into the background and leave the mixology to their bartending teams, Hood remains hands-on with the cocktail program. “We do this because we simply love it,” he says.
Hood says this approach points to the one thing mixologists might be doing wrong when shaking things up at home.
“There isn’t really a wrong way to do this,” he says, adding creativity is key. “One tip is to set yourself up for success by getting ahead before making the drinks, starting with prep. If you’re hosting a party, I’d suggest batching cocktails for an easy and quick pour.”
Starter cocktails that are relatively easy to make and perfect for pre-party prep include martinis, an Old Fashioned or Negroni. Sound advice from the co-proprietor of Canada’s Best Bar.
In addition to the Keefer Bar and June on Cambie, two other Vancouver bars on this year’s North America’s Best 50 list include Prophecy Bar , in the Rosewood Hotel in downtown Vancouver, at No. 32; and Botanist Bar , in the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel, at No. 38.
Hood says the representation reflects the depth of the city’s industry.
“The Vancouver bar, beverage and food scene are hungry right now,” he says. “There’s a lot of talented people with a ton of passion and experience doing really amazing things, who are looking to make a mark.”