Amal Restaurant - Upscale Lebanese Restaurant in Toronto
Amal is a new upscale Lebanese restaurant in the trendy Toronto neighborhood, Yorkville. The lush interior of Amal embraces the restaurants Lebanese influence with a hand painted tapestry, decorative light fixtures and a soothing pastel colour pallet. The restaurant also incorporates Lebanese flare with an in-house DJ that plays Middle Eastern music. The ambiance in Amal makes the guests feel as if they have been transported to the Mediterranean as they enjoy their meal.
Amal’s Executive Chef Roy Ghaleb has created a menu that is genuinely Lebanese with a modern flare and presentation. From the sharable dips to entrees, each dish embraces Lebanon’s traditional spices and delicious flavours. The restaurant also boasts an extensive list of cocktails curated by their Master Mixologist Nishan Nepulongoda. Each cocktail is crafted with the finest imported ingredients making each cocktail infused with the traditions of Lebanon.
Kloth Studio collaborated with INK Entertainment’s Special Project Coordinator and Marketer, Jessika Dufour on the project. Jessika came to us with a vision of creating uniforms in a fresh, Middle Eastern style. During the design process Jessika said it is “very important for us to work with fabric and colours that fit with the Lebanese vibe.”
Our designer Kristin Caskey then created a visual design deck with uniform options that incorporated a Middle Eastern flare. In the design deck, the Kloth Studio team pin-pointed some key style points, including incorporating Amal’s Pantone colour in the uniforms, adding a subtle contrast collar to the dress shirt and adding luxurious drapery to the skirt. After the design deck was approved, we began the sampling process with Jessika to find her the perfect fit and fabric for each piece.
"The Kloth Studio team proposed a blend that worked perfectly, so that you still feel like it is summery, but it’s has more texture and will work in the winter”
Amal was a unique project for Kloth Studio, as we were challenged with creating a uniform that had a Lebanese feel that was also functional in Canada’s climate. “When you think Middle Eastern [clothing] you think of linen” Jessika said. However, since linen is thin and breathable it would not have been functional for Amal’s staff to wear during Canada’s cold winter months. “The Kloth Studio team proposed a blend that worked perfectly, so that you still feel like it is summery, but it’s has more texture and will work in the winter” Jessika said. Kloth Studio’s dedicated design team was able to find a fabric for the uniforms that fit Amal’s aesthetic but was also functional and comfortable for the staff.
Amal opened in August of 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In preparation for the opening, Kloth Studio was challenged with sourcing products and completing the sampling process with little client contact, in a tight timeline and with a strained supply chain. Sourcing the right fabric for the skirt was a challenge during the pandemic. We managed to find a specialty fabric that match Amal’s brand Pantone colour. As well, were able to find the right fit within two rounds of sampling, over a 7-day period. In an interview at Amal, Jessika said
“even with our short timeline and all of the issues we faced related to COVID-19 [Kloth Studio] was great and really delivered everything we needed in the tight timeline that we needed.”
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