On June 28, Killjoy Bar in Yaletown hosted a VIP reception to celebrate its grand opening. I was pleased to attend, as it was a great opportunity to find and try highlights of the culinary options featuring high end meats and cheese that this place has to offer.

Although Killjoy is located in a rather secluded spot on Hamilton Street, it was not difficult to find the greeters at the door expecting invitees on the guest list to come. Once inside, the chic ambiance of dim lights, dark furniture, and house music immediately submerged me in a classic (and classy) Yaletown atmosphere. The restaurant, albeit small, offers a cozy environment for a chilled evening of drinks and appies.

One of the highlights of Killjoy is its wine. Aside from offering a wide selection of reds, whites and rosés (mostly from BC, but with a couple of features from New Zealand as well), a particularity of the wine at this bar is that it is served right from taps – which I was informed, helps to prevent oxidization of the wine. Killjoy also boasts about its unique cocktails, which feature the “Fleur de Genever” (a combination of Boomsma Genever, lemon juice, lavender syrup, and prosecco) and the “Smokehouse” (Victoria Oaken Gin, Aperol, Mezcal, sherry, and lemon zest), among others.

The wines are smoothly married to a select array of tapas-style delicacies, some of which were featured at the reception. We were offered delicate canapés that mainly featured the trademark meats and cheeses that Killjoy boasts about. The invitees were invited to try bites that included prosciutto with goat cheese, bread with tomato, arugula and olive oil, smoked tuna with avocado, and the special platter featuring 3 types of cold cuts along with three types of cheeses.

Killjoy Cocktail Tavern is located on 1120 Hamilton Street in Yaletown. You can find them on Twitter @KilljoyBar on online.

By: Eddie Tafber