To tuxedoed people, velvet ropes are ordinary white picket fences and champagne fountains are lawn sprinklers. Kick down the fence and drink from the sprinkler with today's Groupon to Blue Ginger Lounge & Grille, located on Richmond Street. Choose between two options:

• $22 for $45 worth of dinner fare and drinks
• $10 for $20 worth of lunch fare and drinks

Winner of a 2010 CAA Four Diamond Award, Blue Ginger Lounge & Grille puts forth dinner and lunch menus showcasing an eclectic array of inspired upscale dishes. Fulfill gastro-dreams with an appetizer, such as the Fire and Ice, vegetarian sushi generously dipped in tempura and supported with a zesty cast of pickled ginger and wasabi aioli ($12), or ingest innovation with the lounge's take on moule et frites, where fermented black bean, ginger, and crispy bacon approach PEI mussels and demand inclusion into the bivalves' exclusive members-only playground ($10). The Muscovy duck confit waltzes through kitchen doors after nine hours of slow-roasting group therapy with lavender-honeyed butternut squash and a shiitake-hoisin jus ($26), and the handmade prawn-and-ginger ravioli wades and twirls, like an overstuffed ballerina, through a honey-cream sauce ($26). The lunchtime menu's offerings include the Blue Ginger burger, which quells midday hunger pangs with a hunk of teriyaki-glazed ground beef and lamb hoisting up an onslaught of aromatic blue cheese and crispy onions, served with sweet-potato fries (add $6 for this option).

Exposed white beams pop brightly against Blue Ginger's rich, red-coloured walls, lending a comfortable and modern ambience to the space, akin to a bubble-bath screen saver. Wall spotlighting and a welcoming bar add a flair of elegance to the atmosphere, and the friendly wait staff assists diners debating between orders with the grace of an altruistic basketball player.

Reviews

CAA awarded Blue Ginger Lounge & Grille a 2010 Four Diamond Award, and Restaurantica users give the eatery a three-star average:

• The presentation, taste and value is what you'd expect at a finer dining place. They have some cool things on the menu that you don't find other places, eg. the Fire and Ice appetizer, innovative. – spicegirl, Restaurantica
• The ambiance inside is very nice. We had a front window seat and both admired the warm, and interesting decor. – JBB, Restaurantica