PETIT BILL'S BISTRO RECEIVES VQA RESTAURANT AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Wines of Ontario recognizes Ontario licensees that exhibit strong support of Ontario VQA wines and high professional standards in wine service. This award, given by Wines of Ontario, rewards licensees who are embracing Ontario VQA wines and inspiring their patrons with substantial Ontario VQ A wine lists, tasting menus, VQA wines by the glass, winemaker's dinners and staff training.
"We are very excited about this award," stated co-owner Randy Fitzpatrick, "We have prided ourselves on
|
|
“Grand” Opening
The group that brought us The Empire Grill and Metropolitain has opened a new restaurant in the market in the former Oregano’s space. Named The Grand (after the Grand Hotel that was the original building), the menu features southern Italian cuisine with authentic Napoletana pizza. Being “authentic” involves using flour and yeast imported from Italy, explains co-owner Dave Mangano, and baking it in a wood burning oven (pictured right on opening day as staff prepare for the
|
Chef Shuffle
After five plus years as Executive Chef of the Brookstreet Hotel, Michael Blackie has packed his spatulas and moved downtown to take over as Executive Chef of the National Arts Centre. He fills the vacancy left by Chef Kurt Waldele. Chef Blackie is excited about the new challenge. He wants to “freshen things up” at the NAC and get more in step with the invigorated Ottawa dining scene of the past five years. He’s not planning to make any big changes overnight, but rather sees it as a “slow, steady progression towards excellence.” Chef Blackie’s absence at Brookstreet has been filled by his Executive Sous Chef Clifford Lyness, who coincidentally worked at the NAC under Kurt Waldele (Ottawa is a small town!).Chef Lyness is planning quite a few changes to “put his stamp” on things, and plans to launch seven new menus simultaneously in late April.
|
By Stephanie Lawrence
 3438_fmt This article deserves a disclaimer. Nothing about it is objective. This is a fact. Perhaps a personal confession will put this fact into context. I love this restaurant. I have always loved this restaurant. I loved this restaurant before it opened and was only the idea of a restaurant being carefully cooked up by Subut and Margaret Abdullah. This was the summer of 1984 on Bank Street near Third Avenue in the Glebe, when the neighbourhood was changing, but you could still get Kentucky Fried Chicken up the block (that’s what it was called back then), and comic books next door. They hired me as their first waitress, and I spent a few months helping them get everything ready for the opening--including me. I got intensive training on every aspect of the menu--the ingredients, how each dish was made and where it came from, which were spicy, which were sweet. I have rarely been so well trained for anything. But before all that happened, Subut Yanto (everybody calls him Buddy, which is pronounced “Boodie”), had to arrive in Canada--which he did--from Malaysia, in 1979 to work at the Malaysian High Commission. He earned a special place within the hearts and stomachs of the Ottawa Malaysian community due to his singular talent for reproducing the much-missed dishes from home. He briefly left Ottawa and returned home, but was soon asked to come back to work for the daughter of a high-ranking Malaysian bureaucrat who was studying in Ottawa. He arrived with a student’s visa, attending school during the day and cooking at night.
|
|
Whalesbone Wishes Wall Well, Welcomes Charlotte
Chef Steve Wall and Sous Chef Chris Lord are leaving the Whalesbone Oyster House for new adventures. Steve took over the kitchen at Whalesbone in 2007 when Steve Vardy left. The void at the ‘Bone is being filled by Chef Charlotte Langley, who arrives via Murray Street and the Moon Room.
Savvy Celebrates Five Years and Unveils Makeover
Wine event company, The Savvy Grapes celebrated their first five years in style at Trio Restaurant on November 6. Guests enjoyed tasty tidbits from the kitchen and samples of wine from a large contingent of Ontario wineries. Savvy president, Debbie Trenholm, also took the opportunity to announce major changes to the Grapes: a revamped website, new services and plans for expansion all under the new name, Savvy Company. Those plans include wine education (Savvy U) and wine tourism (Savvy Tours). “It’s a chance to branch out and embrace new opportunities beyond wine.” Debbie says of the new company, “It’s not a radical shift but rather the natural culmination of our growth and evolution since The Savvy Grapes was born.” Check out their new website at www.savvycompany.ca.
|
|
|
|
|
<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 Next > End >>
|
|
Page 1 of 3 |