nwyles

Opening soon ! They make it look like restaurants take 30 minutes to build. Perhaps they should do an episode on " Prima Donna Drywall Guys and the bullshit that goes with it. " My place took 7 weeks to build and 2 weeks staring at each other waiting for the inspectors. I will be celebrating my 8th year in business on June 5th. I guess I beat the odds and made it !

I saw it last week and they were still at the frame stage. A good rule of thumb for restaurant builds is 100 days from concrete. Meaning once the building is finished, it takes 100 days to complete a full service restaurant. And that is assuming all goes well with the people at City Hall. N

Is it not the restaurant at the Plaza of Nations ? Formerly Maverick's ???

"Goat Rodeo" is one of the funniest terms I've ever heard... cracks me up every damn time you use it! Sure, sure, every restaurant has the occasional train wreck of a night, even yours. But your happy establishment doesn't serve Blue Whale Steaks or Okapi Stew. I'll be thinking twice about that second go. ← Not everyone is as educated or environmentally aware as we are ! Hell, up until a few years ago, I was serving Chilean Seabass and Swordfish. I did not know any better. It could be worse - They could be serving Spotted Owl soup or Braised Giant Panda feet. Give them a call and let them know how it went. I always encourage second chances as I would always want a second chance if we screwed up. They were aware enough to say sorry and send out an "amuse", but perhaps did not have it going on enough to figure out that the train had come off the rails for you.

Goat Rodeo ! Train Wreck ! It happens. It has happened here ( ok, not that bad ) Give it a second go - in about a year ! N

I just want to be invited to Talent's house, knowing that he pulled all the stops out, and raided the wine cellar to make sure that I was comfortable and impressed. Not to worry Keith, I am not in fighting shape and could probably not drink more than two bottles of your finest without having to make a hasty exit. If you wait a month or two, I will work out the drinking elbow and will do serious damage to your cellar. I was thinking about dropping by Pan - o Pan as it is in my travels. Let's see what turns up. When I have a group of people over, I usually drop by Fujiya and get a large platter of sushi to add into whatever else we are serving. Does this make me a bad host ?

Sorry Matt, We will return this summer and I will let you know when so we can experience the finest mini burger and chicken finger plates you have to offer. The kids have requested to return to the Mariott and Lord knows, they rule. Neil

hey Matt, glad to see you put a disclaimer on your promotion.. lol ← We stayed at the Mariott but with the little ones, I did not want to subject the restaurant to the rants of a plain cheeseburger and chicken fingers !

Mullets ? That is going a bit too far ! I am guilty of having some of the above mentioned items / presentations on the menu either in the past or currently. Quite a few years ago I saw a list of "ins" and "outs" and I was doing a few "outs". I rushed into the restaurant with pen in hand, claiming I was going to do a new menu right then and there. My wife laughed at me, and said look at your mixes ( sales velocity ) on the "uncool" items. I did and saw that they were some of the top sellers. I guess the customers did not realize they were "uncool" and eating out of "fashion" food. Give the people what they want. This thread smacks of culinary elitism. If people don't want something or have decided a "fad" has died, they will decide with their pocketbooks. As long as it tastes good and looks good, leave well enough alone. P.S. I do like the term "overSYSCOfrication" !

I just wanted some clarification. I am buying Copper River salmon Filets for $10.50 Canadian. Am I reading the pricing right in the U.S. ??? That is $7.25 for head off whole fish. Let me know, Cheers Neil

I understand that Jamie Maw has a 20 point system for reviewing restaurants. Do you have something similar or will you be developing a scale on how establishments are scored. I would be interested in how you would go about that and what steps you take to get to the point where you are grading a restaurant.

I would imagine a combination of red tape from the City, Health, Fire and Workers Comp in combination to the amount of crap your insurance company gives you and the feet dragging of the investigator of the insurance company of the neighbour who actually caused the fire would be nearly enough to make you jump off of a bridge. String that togehter with an eroding customer base and you have a near suicide level of frustration.

I had a tour the other night. 7' high seamless glass rails with two rows of the overhead pato heaters. It will be a major feature of the restaurant. If you had a good slingshot, you could pick off the cougars on the Sandbar patio

How about "The life and times of the Hanger steak - the rise from obscurity to the culinary icon it is today " or Neil Wyles - the man, the myth, the lightweight drinker ! ( Jamie can back me up on this ! Had to leave a party early, I am sooooooo ashamed. Trying out for "Team Heineken" and was cut very early in the game ! )

You are right. I was just trying it out to see if it fits. It does not. Where is Talent ?

There is a blinding flash of the obvious. Unless the gloves are changed after each task, they are just as dirty as the UNWASHED hands. We have used them and I found that it gave the kitchen worker a false sense of cleanliness. Nothing replaces good old constant hand washing with an antibacterial soap and warm water.

That is it ! Too many professional food writers - Maw, Mundy, Morrison. With all these pros around, I am going to have to start writing in Word and copying over to avoid any messages about spelling ! There goes the neighbourhood. What is next ? Mooshmouse writing a book ?

I think part of the great success that Sean has is that the Heather is so much a part of his life and who he is. It is a comfortable room ( with no TVs so you have to talk to each other ) that is warm and inviting. The food is good and interesting - no nachos, wings etc. There has been lots of discussion about Sean, this board, "that post" etc but it is time to recognize the Heather for what it is - a great place to go, have a bite, hoist a couple and be met warmly and treated well. The best poured pint in town is certainly something to hang your hat on. And talk about turning a sows ear into a silk purse - Sean has taken a corner of one of the roughest neighbourhoods in our entire country and turned it into an homage to all things Irish. Have you been to the Deli ? The cheeses - handled well, not sweating in plastic wrap, great stuff, and the Whiskey Bar - is there any place in town with a selection like that ? maybe one or two hotels but I doubt many - that is passion for his product. Cheers Neil

I think part of it is "cheering for the underdog." Two brothers put it all on the line and create something that no one has ever heard of before and create a brand and a name for themselves in a world where MacDonalds rules. It is a simple product that you can eat with one hand, inexpensive and filling. It is made in house with real products ( as opposed to mystery meat and edible chemicals ). It is setting the world on fire ? Perhaps not , but people recognize the effort, care and personalities involved. They read the board and are friendly to the egulleters, and welcome the enthusiasm. Nothing wrong with that. I myself would like to see less green peppers in them but that is just me.

We were there a few weeks ago. Pickin's were slim on Sunday night. The Keg or Milestones

I have invented a secret drug that I put in the gingerbread that just makes you want more. Just be thankful I did not put it in a martini !

Would this mean the Royal Bank on the corner is going ? I wonder as one is slated to open on the other side of the street from me. And I think the one at Nelson and Howe is slated to be torn down. Hamilton and Nelson is right in the middle of the two existing ones. Hmmmmmm. Hey , better a bank open there than say, an Earls, A Keg or something like that.

Whole Foods, is to foodies, what Disneyland is to kids. ← Yep, all the nice bits and pieces in one place.

I don't know Neil, Vera's makes a pretty good lamb burger, maybe you do need to stage an invasion . No yam fries though so you've still got an edge. ← Perhaps it is time to invade ! I think a weeklong barrage of ketchup and mustard bombings should weaken them and then a land assault, with a flurry of buns to the head should do the trick.

Crap. My list of secret friends on egullet is now one shorter ! Although with the pen name of "gerald", it was going to come out sooner or later. Does Fatburger have a lamb burger ? I would like to do a comparison of that ! No, well again my reign as " Lord of the Lamb burger" is intact. No need to invade Denman Street.