You'll hear the one surefire sign you're near the new coffee and wine bar cafe Ellipsis from a few paces away, as long as it's not gushing rain.
Beneath the hum of traffic and pedestrians on the stretch of West 2nd Avenue beyond the always-busy entrance to Granville Island, listen for the steady downpour from the actual waterfall that curtains the courtyard of the concrete and glass Waterfall Building.
The building was designed in 1996 by famed architect Arthur Erickson with Nick Milkovich Architects, and where Ellipsis now resides was initially envisioned as a light-filled glass-walled atrium art gallery.
The tall, triangular slants of glass kind of lean against the concrete residential building's connecting frame. Inside, in the daytime, light floods in from the tippy-top of the high ceilings to your own tippy-toes on the polished floor.
Ellipsis owner Ming Yang has been intrigued by the building for some time, having been a client of a nearby business. She first learned it was an Erickson design, then that its eye-catching pavilion space was up for grabs, and ultimately made a connection with the previous tenant through a friend and a chance phone call.
Yang, who owns Vancouver's popular cozy Honolulu Coffee cafés, knew she wanted to take advantage of the unusual space to create a day-to-night hybrid concept that the city could use.
"I saw the potential with this space to make it happen," Yang tells V.I.A. during a preview visit to Ellipsis as it segues into soft opening mode.
What's remarkable is that Ellipsis is high concept but feels organic.
All those angles, windows, and concrete prompted Ellipsis to feature a range of contrasting and complementary design elements, like the rounded edges of the two bars (coffee and libations), furniture, and lamps.
The banquettes and chairs are covered in a soft, warm orangish-red hue, and the massive back wall is not stark white but has a lime wash treatment.
"We had to kind of warm it up," explains Yang.
An LED projector light set-up beamed at the back wall is like Ellipsis' own solar system; as sundown nears and light fades from the room, a glowing orb grows as a backdrop. I've seen pictures and it looks sexy, cementing the fact I have to go back after dark.
So while architecture and design nerds can find a lot to love about Ellipsis, it also has word nerds and food and drink lovers covered.
Of course, the name, Ellipsis (those three dots that let a sentence trail off and leave possibilities open) reflects Yang's wish to have the café be there for those open moments, whether that be a morning plate of poached egg with two perfect rectangles of pork belly and pavé potatoes with a nitro iced tea, an early afternoon pastry (perhaps a round fruit danish or rectangular matcha cream-filled "ligne"), or an evening cocktail and bite.
But dining is inherently social and connecting, which is also a possibility Yang wants guests to explore.
To that end, every cocktail on the clever menu is actually a question (presented without question marks), like the "Ca Va," which features butter-washed brandy, croissant syrup, and Calvados, and is served with a mini croissant garnish (its tiny golden dome perched on the drink's big square ice cube).
Other drink options include a rotating feature called the "...?" (right now it's Nodo Blanco, Ribena, lime leaf and ginger soda, lemon, and lime leaf salt) or you can be brave and ask for "What's the Tea," which is a daily "secret."
The coffee and cocktail bars operate in a separate but unified fashion, Yang describes. There are shared ingredients, like seasonal house-made fruit syrups, that can show up in a coffee drink or a cocktail, for example. Or, like when a mini croissant lands on your drinks.
The communal ingredient pool flows through the food menu as well, which also is a spotlight for seasonal, local ingredients. A hint of Earl Grey tea adds an unexpected dash of brightness to a snack of creamy burrata paired with juicy peach slices.
Oh, and you can also order a cocktail, wine, or beer right at 9 a.m. with your omelette with XO sauce should you wish. Conversely, belly up to the coffee bar come dinnertime.
The concept of bringing people together is at the core of Yang's vision for Ellipsis, but it's also something that comes encoded in the building itself.
According to Erickson's online portfolio, an "important concept was to engender a 'community spirit,' which is why the units are connected by the south-facing courtyard, which itself is anchored by the space Ellpsis has made its home.
For Yang, having guests take "a little pause" to share food and drinks in this unique space is part of building community, and she can't wait to welcome people all through the day.
Ellipsis will be in soft-open mode for the weekend of August 23 and 24, and after a pause to regroup, will officially open for business on Aug. 29. When up and running, Ellipsis will be open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. The café is located in unit 205 at 1540 W 2nd Ave in Vancouver.
Video: A glimpse of Ellipsis before it opens
@forkingawesomevia This new coffee and cocktail bar with food calls an Arthur Erickson-designed Vancouver building home. Pass through an urban waterfall to find the three dots outside a stunning triangular glass walled space. Inside: two bars, beautiful pastries, warm cozy seats, delicious daytime and evening eats, and many thoughtful and intentional design choices. This is just a glimpse… Head to Vancouver Is Awesome online to read my full story. #forkingawesome #vancouverbc ♬ Coffe and Jazz - Baby thug
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