What’s the outcome of a meeting of like-minded individuals, both passionate about Toronto’s restaurant scene and both with a portfolio of projects behind them that would wow any obstinate critic? Simple: great Storys.
Hanif Harji – the man behind Icon Legacy Hospitality, and one of the founding partners of a slew of high-end restaurants (Kultura, Colborne Lane, Blowfish, Nyood and the list goes on) – and Charles Khabouth – the founder INK, which owns and operates such establishments as La Société Bistro, the Bisha condos, Spice Route, KoolHaus and many more – have fused their outlooks on hospitality and are set to fully launch Storys in the coming months. Luckily for us, we were able to get a sneak peek when we hosted the Wines of Chile Wine Tasting at Storys a few months back. You can understand our excitement, right?
Storys, a multi-level hospitality complex at 11 Duncan Street, is a feast for the senses. You may have seen all the hobnobbing pics taken at the Grey Goose SOHO House pop-up in the building during last year’s TIFF. Let’s just say, the celebs were more than impressed.
The building is 170 years old; a brick and beam beauty. It’s a “food and style driven venue. We wanted to push the boundaries of large-scale dining,” says Hanif Harji, whose other recent endeavour, F-Stop, is a Notable favourite nightclub.
Harji stresses that Storys’ first-floor hip tavern restaurant – which will open sometime this summer – will focus on the importance of quality-driven cuisine. It’s not just about a good meal in a cool atmosphere, it’s about food done with precision and perfection that elevates the impressive expanse to an entirely ethereal league.
On the second level you’ll find a proper cocktail parlour come March, where mixology will abound in a plush setting. The throwback parlour concept grew out of an idea that there’s really “no place for adults and young professionals to have business meetings through to social interactions,” Harji states. The cocktail lounge will be a perfect spot to go from the big pitch to the subdued celebration, and will feature “extremely high quality sharing plates that are conducive to cocktail culture.”
The third and fourth floors of the more than 14,000 sq. ft. Storys building will be used as private party spaces – ready towards the end of the month – and there will be an impressive rooftop patio that will open closer to the fall. Harji and Khabouth had little to no interest in bringing another nightclub experience. Instead, they opted for an haute experiential expanse that is tailored towards everything exquisite.
Storys is about the best of what’s happening culinary-wise globally. Harji says “our differentiating factor is our commitment to food’s ingredients. Our approach is food doesn’t have to be complicated; innovative dishes can be simple with quality and creativity.” Chef Stuart Cameron will head up the kitchen at Storys, and bring a flare of modernity to the cuisine. “He’s extremely talented with precision and a very quality-driven chef.”
Storys is the first project of the great hospitality minds Harji and Khabouth, and they’re set to open two other restaurants this year. Both have proven track records of success, so we here at Notable cannot wait to order up our first cocktail in the parlour, and sit down over dinner with the crew. We’ll keep you posted as we find out more, but for now, ready yourself for some superb Storys.