Occasional Dining Review #2 – The Mockingbird Cocktail Bar and Lounge

For a second time since I started this blog, my intrepid Dynamic Dining group (only three of us, actually – the three most intrepid) went out to a new place for dinner of an evening, and I was so impressed by it that I feel the urge to write a post about it.

The establishment in question is called The Mockingbird Cocktail Bar and Lounge, located at 760 Dundas, and yes, that’s East of Adelaide. It’s been in business for at least a couple of years. In fact, another friend and I went to try it out some while back, but it was in a smaller space then. Having recently expanded into a vacated area in front of it, it now can hold a fair number of patrons – I would guess 40 or so, but that is only a guess.

This place is all about cocktails, the staff we talked to looove to make and talk about cocktails. Each of us had one that we thought was just excellent (ok, I had two, both very good). The great thing is that we just told the bartender what kind of cocktails we generally drink, and they suggested something we might like, and in each case they shot and they scored.

As to food, the menu is not extensive, but they do a great job on what they prepare. I had a meat-lovers pizza that was so good I ate the entire thing. My two dining companions each ordered the prosciutto grilled cheese sandwich, and they each raved about it, and finished them, also. (Ok, M gave me a taste of hers, it was indeed very good….).

It’s a funky little space, the interior doesn’t look like any other dining room in London, and we Diners think that is a very good thing. Really, though the best thing about the place was the staff. They were so intent on making sure we enjoyed ourselves, and so keen to talk about their passion, it was just a pleasure to be there.

Some other notes about the place. It is not, to be frank, in a good location. It is not far from the Ark Aid Mission on Dundas, and that place is simply scary to walk past, with people sprawled out on the sidewalk out front, some out of it, some in the process of injecting themselves or one another. I note a story on today’s (Oct 1) CBC-London website saying the general manager of the Old East Village Business Improvement Area is protesting Ark Aid getting another big pile of money from the city. Good for him, he is doing this on behalf of the business owners he represents in OEV, no doubt including Mockingbird, and they have every reason to be upset at what goes on in front of that organization. I do not buy the idea that those people cannot be made to stop doing drugs in front of the establishment. That is not helping them at all, and it is hard on local residents and businesses to have this going on constantly in their neighborhood. You know you would be deeply upset if this shit was happening down the street from your home or business. It is simply wrong. Here’s the first sentence from the CBC article:

“The head of London’s Old East Village (OEV) business district is pushing back against one of [sic] city’s largest shelter’s request for additional year-round funding as open drug use, garbage on the streets and crime is pushing customers away.”

However, you should not let this sad fact about our city deter you from being a patron of Mockingbird. It certainly will not deter us from going back. First, to not go there because of what those people are being allowed to do on Dundas Street (and elsewhere) is to let the clueless assholes who run London win, and we should not allow that. Second, the Mockingbird has plenty of good parking out back, as we discovered, so you can park there, or in a municipal lot that is practically next door, and in either case avoid having to walk through the tragedy that occurs daily out on Dundas street in front of Ark Aid.

The other thing to note about Mockingbird is that we arrived about 6pm, and were the only patrons. Other customers arrived later, and I say with pride that we were the entire time the oldest (but most intrepid) customers in the place. It’s how we Diners roll, but it became clear that folks tend to arrive late at The Mockingbird. Indeed, as we were getting ready to leave, a young woman with an electric guitar was setting up to provide some musical entertainment to the young(er) crowd that was now gathering. She said she played mostly her own compositions, and good for her. We did not leave because of that, we had just had our fill by then, and plan to go back later some night to have a listen. I applaud any restaurant or bar that is willing to give space and time to live music – good for the Mockingbird.

In summary, we had a great time at the Mockingbird, it opens at 6pm every night but Monday, is located at 760 Dundas Street, on the corner of English Street, and you can check it out here https://www.themockingbird.ca/. If cocktails and a passionate, attentive staff are your thing, you’ll have a great time.

It is now on the list of Dynamic Diners recommended venues; I can pay it no higher compliment, folks.