Though they don’t “officially” open until the 10th of December, Lumiere and db Bistro Moderne opened up long enough to give the media and various bigwigs a swig and a taste tonight.

Understandably, first impressions were hamstrung by the boisterous crowd and the party atmosphere. It was a very entertaining, usual suspects affair, with much of the serious talk focused on the coming financial dreadnought that appears bent on shelling the harbours of everybody, all mean and unpredictable like. People were drinking, naturally.

I wanted to get to know the place but hardly a corner could be spied in the general crush of bodies, and details were the stuff of impossible concentration (glass in hand). It’s always hard to gauge a new room when it’s first presented as a stand up affair, but you could tell that the bones were very pretty indeed. I hope to get a proper feel in the weeks to come.

The morsels I tried were excellent, and towards the end of the night Daniel sat many of us down for a few courses, which were outstanding. Juicy burgers. Short rib cigarettes. Pork belly. Arctic char. And my goodness, wine and champagne.

Panicked whispers aside, it was a very timely retreat from all remembrances of things bad. Everyone may have been talking about it, but no one was really thinking that we have a Tunguska-like economic disaster in the offing, with a left-wing coup in the works to boot. It was like a fairy tale, with the best hospitality, the most gorgeous people, and an ambience dripping with charm and elation. Not a falsehood at all, but I imagine a fever dream chimera to most.

I’ve supplied some photos above. Not much, I guess, but not bad considering I was taking shots with my sipping hand, and the end of the world was nigh.

Lumiere

Neighbourhood: West Side

2551 W Broadway

(Closed)