Wrap Your Troubles In Dance

It really bothers me when talent gets wasted. Like, when Lebanese Doctors end up driving my cab to my house after one of my idiot friend's birthdays. Or when Nicholas Cage decides to star in action movies exclusively for ten years. Or when a brilliant DJ plays a bar that doesn't even have a dance floor. This is the weekly plot at Bloor West's Insomnia.

From nearly insulated seclusion in his windowless cell of a booth, DJ Jorge consistenty spins air-tight sets. From the obscura to the respectable-popular this guy comes up with ear-perking strings of songs every Monday night. But he plays at levels you can easily speak over. Apparently for the legitamate diners that come to Insomnia. Fair enough. But the bar is serving $3.50 pints. Confused? Me too. The signals are indeed very mixed.

Although the food is very good (and the service is beyond excellent), Insomnia fails to capitalize on their biggest asset; the music. I mean cheap liquor, plus T-Rex, plus Neil Diamond, plus the Warlocks, plus Stone Roses, plus the WKRP in Cincinnati theme song, equals dance floor. And ridiculous volume. It's simple math.

Insomnia is located at 563 Bloor St. West. The food is good, the drinks cheap, the staff hot and fast (in that order.) They also have this dipping sauce for your fries that has enough garlic to protect you from vampire attacks for the next year (and make out sessions, for that matter.) DJ Jorge plays "Suede" Mondays every week from 10pm until 3am. Turn off your iPod and go make a request, this guy's got it (unless it's stupid.)