Junior

We get our beef from 2 farms, one outside Regina and one outside Saskatoon. benlock farms outside Saskatoon raises Angus beef through a organic system and the Natural Valley Farms are a Naturalized beef that I think is Charbolis or maybe another breed. Both farms probaley produce the best beef anyone has ever tried. You can get a chart from the beef growers association that shows you how they grade beef. Triple A and Prime have extensive marbling throughout the cuts. The chart only goes as far as AAA then goes to Prime. So I don't know how they get 4 A's. If all goes as planned you will be able to try Natural Valley Farms beef at Diva. Chef Henry will be testing some of their beef out in the near future. So you won't have to come to Saskatoon to try the beef we use here.

Wow, I honestly don't know what to say but thank for all the great pictures and very kind comments. I enjoyed having you in the restaurant that night. You and your friends are the reason why we do what we do. Thank you again for the pictures and comments. Our bread comes from Christie's Mayfair Bakery, Tracey and Blair Muzzolini are our bakers. Their father started the bakery way back in the late fifities (I think) and the brother and sister team are taking over the bakery. Tracey has worked all around the world and is the creative force behind the bakery. She specailizes in sourdough breads and tradional Italian bread as well. The bread she bakes is amazing. We are working on a website and hope to have it up and running soon. My designer was in tonite for dessert and was asking for some content. So I have to sit down and start writing something for the site. We'll post a link as soon as it's done. I shouldn't forget lemon curd either, for bringing so many of her family members to the restaurant. Two egulleteer's in one week ! What a thrill that was. Thanks again for the kind words.

Our restaurant is named for supper in ukrainan. Now Saskatchewan probaley has a higher percentage population of Ukrainian people and I can tell you the ones that show up at my doorstep are a little disappointed that the food is not Ukrainian. When we do have a menu item that is remotely Ukrainian, people cannot get enough. I look forward to the winter months to try more recipes that are Ukrainian inspired. For us, being open only 6 months has been a great experience and I wouldn't trade it for anything, the freedom to be your own boss is a great. There are many headaches and so forth but the look on people's faces when they eat your food is priceless. I have to agree with Pam if the oppurtunity is presenting itself, take it, what do you have to lose (other than money that is) ? Being a niche restaurant can only be a benefit to you in many areas of the buiness. Best of luck. Next time my wife and I are in Calgary we hope to be dining in your restaurant.

You should try and get seafood in the middle of Saskatchewan ! I have two companies I can buy seafood from. On company is based in Regina and call it's self the only fresh seafood company in Saskatchewan. The only probelm I have is that they also sell desserts and a variety of game meat as well. I don't generally buy from them. The other company I can get seafood from is Bridgebrand (Gordon Food Services) which owns Albion Fisheries. I always buy Fresh and wild as much as I can. It is a little hit and miss with the fish, halibut was great and the salmon looked good but when we filleted the fish, the flesh was mushy. Packaging is sometimes a probelm as well, I received a shipment of Ling Cod with one small ice pack in it. So any seafood that I need i have to buy from Bridgebrand. I also try to buy Canadain products as well. Something that Bridgebrand sells lots of and the competitor sells shrimp from India and Vietnam. As for fresh fish, I can get some pretty amazing stuff. Pike, walleye, whitefish, several types of trout, perch, crayfish, and grayling. We are very blessed with great system of local fishermen. Usually this fish I can get on a day's notice. We do have one fisherman who comes down to the city every week with his week's catch. I like the idea of a seafood coop i would certainly be buying from those farmers. We have a coop here in Saskatchewan for Beef. Natural Valley farms is a coop of a 100 farms just south of Regina. Best beef in Canada.

We ended up choosing a Riesling from Hawthorne Mountain. Thanks everyone for your help.

I would have to agree with stovetop. For us it was location. We are around 5 months in and the majority of our customers are walk in's. we are a half block off one of the busier parts of the city. We have some regulars but they alone do not fill the place. We have noticed that when we have one or two people in the restaurant, people who are walking by, generally stop to look at the menu posted outside and then come in. Our concept is not very ground breaking either, we are serving locally grown food. I spend alot of time at the farmers market and I also spend time tracking down people who fish, farm, or raise animals. The only probelm I might have is in the winter time. Lots of potato dishs ! Most people here are too used to franchises and are surprised at what is in their own back yard.

I found it on ebay. Straight from Hawaii. I don't remember what it cost or what the shipping was, as I bought more than one thing from the seller. It didn't take too long to get here either, maybe a week.

I'm doing a braised pork belly for a specail dinner this weekend. I am having some trouble pairing a wine for the dish. Any help ? Thanks

My in laws and myself had the same experience at the Joey's in Edmonton as did wine and roses.

I received three pounds of lobster mushrooms today from my mushroom guy before he had to fly off to some remote locale in northern Alberta. So I am left with these huge and very red colored mushrooms. I have never worked with them before. Any ideas on how or what I should be doing with them ?

It makes me blush when I am aloud to toot my own horn. When you are in the Saskatoon area, don't heistiate to stop in and say hi. We are located on 10th st E, just off Broadway, kitty corner to Starbucks. Our phone number is 933 9600. Reservations are recommended for the weekends. We only 26 seats and we fill up pretty fast on Saturday and Friday. Since your coming during a time when our Farmer's market is in full swing, you get the oppurtunity to sample alot of product from there. Just mention your a egullet member and we'll do something a little for anyone who shows up.

The Saskatoon farmers market has moved outside for the summer. I've already spent many early mornings spenading all of our hard earned money from the week. I start out at the bus mall end and stop by Wally's Urban garden, were for now they have shallots, rhurbarb, and this week spinach. Later on, they will have 10-12 varities of heirloom tomato's and a mircogreens. Next stop is Natureworks who raise lamb, pigs, chickens, and some cattle. I ordered some pork belly to make my own bacon and I also ordered 8 whole lamb. We'll receive the lamb in Late June. There are some other pork products I ordered but I don't ahve the list in front of me. Next on the list is, Benlock farms and 40 pounds of Triple A Angus beef trim for hamburgers. Next there's John from Hudson Bay who has fresh fiddleheads and some other great northern mushrooms. Beside him is a friend of the family who is a commercial fresh water fisherman. fantastic Jackfish (pike) and some wonderful whitefish, which are on the next menu. Next stop is Grandora Gardens, tomato's, chile's, and cucumbers. Last at the market is Simkins. 50# of Yukon gold potatos, Russett's, Sweet carrots, cabbage, green onions, and oh yah, asaparagus. The best part of this is that it's only May. Looking forward to the rest of summer. The market is located in front of the main library branch downton and on Tuesday and Thrusday is located as a smaller version at Elim church on 8th (Tues) and Peavey Mart on 51rst (Thrs)

A local writer here did her own 100 mile diest over the past year. With great results. I hope to try and follow with the restaurant and try to work our menu over the summer time as only having stuff coming from around the city. The 100 mile website is quite interesting and with little time that I have, I only glanced at it.

I'm over 30 but I'm not bitter or angry. I choose to make my own destiny and opened my own restaurant. I cook by myself and for myself. I do have regular guests who like what I do and I hope that we will become successful enough that I can provide a decent living for my family. I think Matt hits right on the head, you have find the people that want to cook well and learn how to be a good cook.

When I started in Vancouver, I made $10 an hour and worked a double shift, 6 days a week. That was in 96-97. I went on to a hotel in downtown where I stayed at for 2 years, I think I left at $16 an hour and I was a second cook. Here in Saskatoon, the average wage here is $8 to $9 an hour. I was a sous chef at a nice restaurant and was making $2000 a month before tax with a 60 hour week. Finding decent kitchen staff is a probelm here as well. Even though we do not have as many good restaurants there is still a shortage of people who are motivated enough to work in the industry. The cooking program here has it's own probelm of putting out lots of cooks but with a subpar education. That also includes the apprenticeship program. ColinD, I know where at least one of the Malaspina grads is. He is the pastry chef at the Delta Bessbourgh here in Saskatoon.

Today was our "first" full day of business. We survived alright. I keep meaning to post pictures but I'm exhausted. right now, one of our probelms is the weather, with it being cold here, our decal for our sign on the canopy will not be put up until the temp rises above 0 degrees. In Saskatchewan that could mean around December. Opening a restaurant is very... stressful. Not only are we the server and the cook but my wife take turns dishwashing and cleaning. So, you can get a little bogged down in doing many other things in your day. So when it comes time to do your job... you slip while cutting a shallot and cut yourself deep enough that it won't stop bleeding. Anyways I now have a Frankenfinger and I can not grip anything properly. For all you would be thieves out there, our alarm system now has went on the blink for third time. I'm calling in for a new system tommorow. I have to go to bed now, so I can get up early tommorow to finish cleaning and arranging the basement.

What kind of casing are you using for your sausage. Also I am planning on doing sausages for our summer fringe festival, i am wondering what kind of sausage stuffer is best. I have a KitchenAid stand mixer and I can get the stuffer attachment, would you recommend this ?

We did receive a phone call from the producers of the show to be on a new episode but unforuntaly we were to close to opening to have them come in and do something. The producer I talked to was was very disappointed that we had not gotten in touch with them earlier. We did however point them in the direction of another restaurant here in Saskatoon that is to open in a few months. I don't know if anything has transpiried (sp?) with that or not. My word of advice if you are opening a spot up, call them. I found talking to the producers that are always on the lookout for interesting people and places to do. Don't think either that you have to big budget, they want the little guy to. I have to agree with Arne that Giesha House episode was funny watching the guy in the kitchen. Generally the show is very good and is an interesting way to see how other people handle the stess of opening a restaurant. Our restaurant has been open for 2 days now and I know that having someone following me and my wife for thepast 2 months would have been... interesting. I think back to some of things I have done or not done and wondered would have I done that if I was going to be on national TV ?

We hope to open tommorow. I was filleting salmon and trout last night until 1 in the morning. I am hoping to add some pics soon. When I find the time.

Saskatoon has the smallest micro brewery in Canada and they make a fantastic Hefeweizen. Our local gastropub carries the Germain Hef and I haven't tried it yet, maybe I will. Paddockwood brewery introduced the Hef in the start of the fall, so I haven't been able to try during the summer months. I figure this will make a great beer for the summer months. We're paying $4-5 for a bottle.

The building we are in was built in 1910 as a lumber yard. The building holds a number of other tenants inculding a recording studio, a graphic designer, a physio-theraphy office, and the landlord's antique store. The area we are located in was the office for the lumber yard. There is a small alcove off the east wall that has a small window which back in the day, which you used like today's drive through, expect instead of food, you made your order for lumber suppilies. The vault is acutally only large enough for me to stand in, so a table was out ofhte question but it's large enough to hold a couple fo wine racks. We also have the only basement in the building as well. There to is another vault, which were using as storage for now. Pictures will be forth coming, we're just busy trying to get keep up with appointments with the bank, suppiler, insurance, and other various trades people. Yesterday, i made the first order for food so that was exciting and we are finishing our painting today. So things are getting closer.

We're making the vault into a wine cooler. We have a refrigeration tech in the family and he is going to set it up so we can utilize the space to it's fullest potentional.

Thought of the day. When the blueprints tell you the floor of your kitchen has a 1' crawl space in it, you would tend to beleive the blueprints. What do you do when you discover that the entire floor acutally sits on a concrete slab ? I don't know, rearrange your kitchen for about the 100th time and pray that the gas fitter does not freak out on you because your changing things again.

Yes, it's where Emily's was. We are keeping the vault that was in the middle of room. No choice in the matter there. VEH CHEH JA - is how you would pronouce it.

We're having the same probelm with our morels as well, really wet summertime and very few forest fires. My morel supplier is telling he may be able to get some from one small fire but he also said not to hold my breath.