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Birthdays, booze and my favourite b*tches...Sorry, I couldn’t find a better “b” word. Also, I become a bit of a sailor when the drinks start pouring so just *go with it*.
Essentially, those 3 Bs sum up my birthday bash at KŌST. I wanted to do something cool and slightly bougie to celebrate and partying on the 44th floor of the Bisha Hotel just felt like the right way to ring in my 22 years on this planet. Plus, after scoping out Toronto’s best brunch patios and trying to organize a super mega feast with all my friends and their boyfriends, I decided it wasn’t worth the headache and the confusion from sorting out everyone’s availability. Forget it. Scrap it. Let’s start over.
A ladies' night. All female, all fun. Good food, good views, good time. More lowkey but with that, maybe the slightest bit classier?
So began the hunt for a suitable dinner and drink spot. After wrestling back and forth like a kid on a seesaw, I decided that KŌST would be the winner over Lavelle, partly because of good recommendations and partly because their menu made my mouth salivate as I scrolled past the luxuriously decadent foods served.
Though #KŌST (pronounced “coast”) is a bit pricey, the food is well worth it and a lot of their menu options are made for sharing. Luckily for me, I love shareables! Tasting just a little bit of everything on the menu is my fav way of dining.
Flash forward to the big night. Dolling myself up to celebrate and thrilled to eat to my heart’s content and until my 360° stretch jeans felt tight, I was ready to make the trek downtown but as luck would have it, we a train delay, creating a frenzy of panic. Would we make it for our 9:00 p.m. reservation? Would they be understanding and hold our table? What if this was shaping up to be the worst birthday ever?! Oh my!
Thankfully, a few of my pals were commuting for Scarborough and Markham and weren’t running into the same kind of delays. Whew! KŌST also has a 15 minute grace period in case you aren’t so lucky. Besides, we desperately needed a grace period after our long commute and the long hobble to the restaurant with our blistered, high-heel-wearing feet :( The sacrifices you make for fashion. But alas, we could see the purple glow of the Bisha Hotel’s top floor, home to the 6ix’s KŌST.
Greeted by two buff bouncers at the doors, we were welcomed into the luxurious space. Patterned black and white flooring, sleek black walls, and the smell—the feel—of wealth was draped all around us. A staff member showed us to an elevator at the end of the hall, past concierge and after what felt like 10 minutes, we reached the top floor, the door opening to reveal the laid back vibe of #KŌST.
Overwhelmed by an explosion of pastel colours, wicker furniture and the stunning view of the city skyline (and Big Pointy!), my guests and I were in complete awe. Yup, this was definitely the right place to celebrate something special.
Luckily, two of my guests had already arrived and we had a killer spot, our backdrop being the glowing purple lights of the CN Tower.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t be seated outside because of the rainy weather, but it did make for some truly cool atmosphere. The CN Tower, which appeared so close that you could almost reach out and touch it, found itself completely covered by puffs of cloud during our dinner, making us feel like we were swallowed by the sky.
I should mention that KŌST’s rooftop venue is mainly outdoors, made apparent with the all-glass windows and the rad, vintage-inspired pool. But despite all this, the restaurant and lounge still relays a sense of prestige. All that said, my guests and I found it slightly odd to find that all the glasses and plates were plastic! But, I suppose it isn’t that bizarre given that there is a pool and broken glass = a big no-no.
As we took our seats, our wait staff was quick to supply us with cocktails and wine, but this eager enthusiasm seemed to dwindle as the night went on. Note to self: Wear a Gucci belt and carry an LV bag next time I dine here. This was of course, a note I made to myself while I was still sober, before indulging on a bottle of Mas Carlot, Costières de Nîmes, France, 2017 with my gals, which was refreshingly fruity and smelled of strawberries. In a phrase: the ideal rosé.
With drinks in hand and good times floating through the air like fizzing champagne bubbles, we decided to snap some selfies, which didn’t last terribly long as we were starving!
Between the seven of us, we agreed to try the following:
Burrata with a green tomato relish and pita
Fried Calamari
Avocado and Shiso Salad
Whole Fried Chicken drizzled with honey and served accompanying sauces
Fries served with Chipotle Aioli
As each plate arrived from the kitchen, they looked more and more like artwork.
Plus, everything came with the tiniest pair of tongs you have ever seen! I’m not sure where my fascination with tiny objects began but I’m not the only one, I swear.
My friends were also quite amused by the chose of tiny serving utensils. Like, are these the tongs as seen on Snapchat’s Tiny Tuesdays cooking shows?!
Anyways, my favourite thing I ate by far was the fried chicken; and according to one of my friends, it was comparable to Nashville fried chicken, something she’d become a connoisseur of during her recent trip south.
Perfectly coated in crisp, golden breading, each piece of fried chicken cracked and crunched in my mouth as I took my first bites. Inside the meat was super moist and juicy. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the honey drizzle on top of the fried chicken. Unreal mash-up of sweet and savoury, and everyone knows I live for that combo! Sadly we all were so excited to dig in that we forgot to take a picture of the tastiest chicken ever :(
Finally for dessert, a medley of tres leche cake, chocolate lava cake and a seasonal fruit crumble served with a killer sour cream gelato! Despite the off-putting idea of sour cream in a dessert, it tasted like tart frozen yogurt—a genuine palate refresher!
I must also applaud the kitchen for serving my dessert with a special birthday message and a lil candle!
As my friends sang my happy birthday as the clock struck midnight, I had a Cinderella moment and felt so grateful to be surrounded by my closet friends, experiencing such a wonderful evening together with great food, great wine and great atmosphere.
After lots of tasting and drinking and laughter, it finally came time to pay the bill, and maybe head outside again for a few more selfies! Though we split the bill evenly seven ways, I’m sure the waitstaff didn’t appreciate dividing the bill but so what? Students on a budget wanna have a good time too!
Overall, I would definitely go back to KŌST. Three things really sold it for me: the views, the amazing plate of fried honey chicken and the spectacular wine list. I’m excited to head back for many more special occasions or just a nice brunch when I feel like I need a bit of luxury!
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