Searching for Signs of Life at Ten Street
Supposedly a Canadian inspired bar - Ten Street offers a clean, semi industrial fit out which is on this evening an eerily quiet locale. Being tucked away in the back corner on the first floor of Al Fattan towers probably doesn't exactly help, you can only hope that they got the place for a song because it's a rather large space.
With no less than three billiards tables and a DJ corner, karaoke as well as the obligatory street art on the walls featuring a Stella sponsored NYC Subway Car? it seems the owners had big plans for this place. Sports action abounds across a myriad of tv screens but to no avail on this occasion.
I'm greeted with a warm welcome like the 12 staff haven't seen anyone for a while, I can imagine that they kind of felt like how Tom Hanks felt on that island with Wilson his volley ball friend. Anyway, with draft in hand and warm buttery salted pop corn, I nestle back and take it all in hoping for an engaging chat with an imaginary friend of my own.
It's a shame. With a super competitive offer of a pizza and a draft for 69 Dirhams you would expect a little more traffic. Let's face it, it's a man cave, so the place is set up for a great gentleman's night and if marketed in that way I think they could create a one night buzz at least. Maybe it's an off night and I should be at Cavalli or something, but it seems really strange that the place is dead as a door nail. (On the way out I actually end up seeing a poster promoting a gentleman's night!) I get the feeling there's a bit of an identity crisis going on at this place, falling somewhere between urban karaoke joint and sports bar but actually being neither.
As far as the food goes I wanted to see what the maple leaf cuisine would be like and was keen on a burger but apparently the kitchen is now shut down. So the ribs, the Canadian burgers, all of it has been reduced to bar snacks, they mention the pizza is great because it's from Frankie's next door. To me it's a cry for help, I like Frankie's and all but I'm not at Frankie's. Oh well. Finally an unwitting couple stumble in and plonk themselves down In front of the big screen, hope they're not hungry...
Bottom Line: I think there's potential here for a selected crowd, but it all looks to me like we're in damage control mode. The staff were really friendly and I certainly didn't encounter any problems, I want to love it and be a part of it but it's a barren landscape. I hope they can turn it around but in a a crowded JBR market like this I have my doubts. Looks like I'm off to Wagamama for a bowl of noodles.
Post script: Wagamama is equally dead on this night too!
