At the Indian-French fusion Peya, Chris Enns mixes up an irresistible cocktail

On an unassuming corner of East Hastings Street near Victoria Drive sits one of Vancouver’s most exciting and underrated cocktail lists.

It’s here, at the Indian-French restaurant Peya, that award-winning bartender Chris Enns works his singular magic. Peya, which debuted in the base of a brand-new East Vancouver housing development, has been quietly and humbly serving the neighbourhood since it first opened its doors in March. But Vancouverites from other neighbourhoods should take note: This cocktail menu is worth a pilgrimage.

“I genuinely feel this is like the ’92 American Olympic team,” Enns says, standing behind Peya’s bar on a rainy Friday afternoon before the dinner rush. “It’s the all-star team. There’s nothing on here that isn’t a heavy hitter.”

Dreamed up by Ashwani Dabas and Kevin Day (who met at Kitsilano’s The Ellis, founded by Day and cheffed by Dabas), Peya is an amalgamation of cultures both on the plate and in the glass. Take, for example, the Fig & Goat Cheese Samosa, which uses thin, flaky filo pastry instead of the thicker traditional Indian dough and is served with mint chutney and crème fraîche: creamy, fragrant, decadent.

Influence from India

But back to the drinks.

“The cocktails draw a lot of influence from India, with some French flavours and influence as well,” Enns explains. “But certainly, India is the centre of the cocktail page. A lot of fruits, a lot of teas, and a lot of spices make their way onto it.”

An excellent example of this is the Sassy Lassi: a boozy, bespoke take on the mango lassi. Made with mezcal, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, Alphonso mango, passionfruit and yogurt, it’s shaken and poured over ice—in a whimsical elephant glass—and topped with shaved nutmeg and a skewer of mango fruit leather. It took Enns five months of experimentation to get the recipe just right, but the labour was worth it: In its final form, it’s tropical, layered and luscious.

“It has more of a richer feel and respects the lassi, but it’s still very thoughtful and approachable,” Enns says. “It’s not a yogurt drink—it’s a drink with yogurt.”

Or there’s the Curry Gibson, Enns’s version of a classic 50/50 Martini. Orange and curry bitters are dropped right into a chilled Martini glass, then Grey Goose vodka and a house-made white vermouth blend are mixed and poured over top; a masala-infused pearl onion is served as a garnish. Herbaceous, gently spiced and delicate, it’s a must try for any Martini fan.

A life in hospitality

Enns is originally from Saskatoon, where he developed an early affinity for raiding the pantry and creating drinks with his findings.

“I was mixing virgin Caesars when I was a little kid,” he recalls. “That was really something that I thought was fun: getting to create your own potions.”

He started working in hospitality before he even had a driver’s licence and essentially never left. A move to Vancouver more than a decade ago saw him working at local watering holes including the Revel Room, The Diamond (RIP), Botanist and Bartholomew. Over the years, he’s also racked up national and international accolades, including being named World Class Canada’s 2018 Bartender of the Year, Woodford Reserve’s 2018 Master of the Manhattan and Canada’s 100 Best’s 2019 Bartender of the Year.

Which is all to say that there’s a lot of hard-earned skill behind Peya’s bar, further solidifying its worthy place on Vancouver’s cocktail map.

“Everything has something interesting behind it, something a little unique,” Enns says. “We’re not just making a classic Negroni or Old Fashioned—which are very lovely and great to order, and certainly we make one of the best in town. But everything has an intention.”

Peya is located at 2101 East Hastings Street, Vancouver. 

—by Sara Harowitz