When I first walked into King Street’s new kid on the block, COC – short for Coffee Oysters Champagne, I wasn’t sure what to make of this odd but interesting little spot. The place is wall-to-wall gold, pale pink quartz and cream and I immediately wished that I had brought a posse of girlfriends to drink with me. It’s sophisticated and upscale, beautifully lit and really, really pretty. Add an impressive list of champagnes and other sparkly wines, a substantial oyster selection and tasty-sounding bites and I was immediately just happy to be there.
COC Brings the King Street Energy
I made a couple of friends while I sat alone at the bar and the three of us were eventually told to gather our things a beautiful woman whisked us into the glass-walled champagne room to ooh and ahh when suddenly, doors were moving, floors were spinning and we found ourselves transported back in time to a prohibition-era speakeasy, all velvet banquets, dark wood and low lights. The two spaces are like day and night.
Who knew that behind the light, airy COC, lay this exotic, sultry restaurant/lounge called à toi, complete with dancing bellhops, roving burlesque entertainers and exotic cocktails or buckets of communal punch to share with friends, if that’s your thing. Executive chef Chris Wilkinson features duck, sweetbreads, sous vide octopus, and veal marrow with steak tartare alongside frites and fois gras toasts in his delicious, French-inspired menu.
I don’t want to further spoil the surprise that à toi presents so I will just say that you need to dress up, grab a couple of friends and head down to COC, fortify yourself with a quick glass of bubbly at the bar and then ask to be taken into the champagne room to let the adventure begin.
COC – Coffee Oysters Champagne
214 King St West
Open daily, 7am to 2am
champagne served after 11am and oysters served after 4pm