In the wake of a devastating fire in the Mount Pleasant building Bar Susu calls home, the popular dining and drinks destination is going back to its roots as a pop-up, and is getting an assist from one of its sibling restaurants.
Starting Friday, July 7, Bar Susu will take on evening operations at Novella, located not too far away at 2650 Main St. With its cafe by day (Novella) and wine bar by night (Vignette) vibes, the spot is a perfect host for Bar Susu, which will temporarily take over evening ops and give Vignette a pause.
"Bar Susu started out as a pop-up, and after trying to brainstorm a bunch of ideas for what to do while repairs are being completed, we realized it was only natural for Bar Susu to pop-up once again, albeit temporarily,” Cody Allmin, co-founder of Boxset Collective (which operates Bar Susu, Novella, and Published on Main), explains in a media release.
Though the reason for the shift is, of course, not ideal, the timing is favourable for Novella/Vignette, which recently said goodbye to opening chef Ash Kurtz. Now guests heading to the Main Street spot will enjoy chef de cuisine Marc Marayag’s delicious dishes, alongside creative cocktails and low-intervention wines.
The Bar Susu pop-up will operate nightly from 5 p.m. until late, and will feature selections from Wine Director Brittany Hoorne's list of low-intervention pours, as well as a short list of Bar Susu's cocktails, offered alongside Marayag's a la carte and "Chef's Choice" menus.
Both Vignette and Bar Susu are known for featuring creative share plates that take familiar flavours and dishes and present them with fresh interpretations, making for an always-exciting dining experience.
As an added bonus, operating as a pop-up helps Bar Susu keep some of its staff on as necessary repairs are made to its home space at 209 E 6th Ave, however, a crowdfunding campaign remains ongoing to offer further support to their team. One hundred per cent of funds raised will go towards lost wages.
“The community support we’ve received so far has been nothing short of incredible, and we are truly thankful for everyone reaching out during this difficult time,” adds Allmin.
Bar Susu will re-open as soon as possible, and Allmin says an "evolution" is also in the works for Vignette.
