Finally! Some good news. Add these openings to your "To-Do" list.

[Googs]

398West. Mitchell Lipperman, executive chef
http://www.398west.ca/

Böhmer. Paul Boemer, chef/owner
http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/aprons-icons/2009/05/05/rosewater%E2%80%99s-former-chef-paul-boehmer-jumps-on-the-ossington-bandwagon-with-his-new-restaurant/

My Place: A Canadian Pub. Brad Long, chef/owner
http://www.torontolife.com/daily/daily-dish/opening-daily-dish/2009/08/28/brad-long%E2%80%99s-new-spot-in-bloor-west-village-will-have-four-floors-luck-and-tourtiere/

Oh Boy Burger Market. Joey McGuirk, owner
http://www.ohboyburger.com/opening%20page.html

The Roosevelt Room. Trevor Wilkinson, executive chef
http://www.therooseveltroom.ca/

[ingloriouseater]

amy pataki of the star has confirmed my worst fears of the roosevelt room

[ggom1]

Arepa Cafe is open! I think it just opened this week - it was quite full today, I walked in at around 2pm for a look and most of the tables seemed full, but I didn't really see what people were eating. Very excited to try it out next week.

I think Irie/Harlem Underground is close to opening but the sign on the place said The Stone Angel?

[Davwud]

OH BOY!!! Another gourmet burger place!!

DT

[Thatcher]

I'm willing to give the Roosevelt Room a try, if only because I like the idea of people reviving old haunts and trying to replicate the experience of a bygone era.

That said, at $40 for steak frites, they better be taking me back to the Motel 6 afterward. I haven't paid more than $24 for steak frites in Montreal in years - and they really do a decent job of it there...

[sbug206]

Yeah but I doubt the steak frites you had in Montreal were 22oz dry aged Alberta rib eye.

[tochipotle]

Bogged down with TIFF at the moment, but SO EXCITED about My Place: A Canadian Pub! So close to me, it will surely become our new local. Really looking forward to trying it, and so thrilled it's taken over the run down spot and turned it into something appealing for the neighbourhood. Thanks to Brad Long for the location! Brydens has great cheap beer, but unfortunately, I'm not sure they can compete menu-wise - hope Bryden's will just turn the menu up a notch instead of going under....I don't want to see them fail. Finally, a destination in BWV.

[ingloriouseater]

i hope its great, i worry, brad long is really a jazzed up roadhouse cook. the addition to the hood would be great if they can execute something interesting with a good value and good service. my expectations are low that is why i didn't say 'great'.

[Googs]

Samovar. Rumen Dimitroff, owner
http://www.samovarroom.com/
They've been up and running for about 6 weeks so not technically an opening. Samovar is without a doubt the sexiest place in Cabbagetown.

[OnDaGo]

Was there not a fire in the building last week?

[Googs]

I was at Samovar last week on Thursday I think it was. Unless it happened on the weekend and didn't make any radio or print news I'm gonna go with no on that one. Please correct me if you find out more. I'll probably be dropping in this week after a Sustainable Sushi Omakase at Omi. I'll report back.

[OnDaGo]

Is it not in the Winchester Hotel?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/n...

[LovesToEat]

We live very close to My Place: A Canadian Pub so will stop by for a beer and maybe a poutine. The outside decor is a complete eyesore.

[Googs]

It IS. Honest. I was just there last week. That fire it must have been a small one. Every business in the building (there's at least 3) was open. Not even the tell-tale aroma. AND Samovar was fabulous.

[Rabbit]

Googs -

Can you say a bit more about Samovar... specifics on food, bartending, and atmosphere (how was the crowd?) would be great. I'm looking for a new spot for a low-key-ish but still romantic place to do a little celebrating next week and this looks ideal.

Thanks - R!

[5andman]

Nice atmosphere. Reminds me of a hipster lounge in New York. Food & martini's are great. I've tried a 5oz Striploin and Spicy sausage plate. Friendly staff and ownership.
Repeat for sure, I hate the chaos & traffic of the downtown core, this is an ideal spot to spend time.

[Googs]

I generally go to Samovar after dinner so I can't tell you much about the food. I've snacked, but certainly not enough to have an opinion.

The crowd is mainly one side or the other of 30. The long, high-ceilinged room is quite pretty. All seating involves a banquette of some kind. They have elaborate Russian teapots adorning the tables behind which are fireplaces built into the walls so they're above your head. Backlit is my favourite for that glowing look. I've enjoyed many (too many) martinis at Samovar the prices of which start at $8. and go up from there. Service is always terrific with just a spot of friendliness that makes it a comfortable evening out.

[abigllama]

Any ideas how late they serve food till at Samovar?

We're looking to grab a later, probably after 10, dinner and coctails following an event on Saturday and this looks perfect.

[Yum2MyTum]

There's a sustainable sushi omakase at Omi?! Wow - what a great idea. How much does this cost?

[aser]

I think it's a special request thing that Googs has managed to arrange personally. She'll be able to tell you more about it.

[Googs]

aser is correct. I arranged the SSO for hubby and I with a week's notice. Not sure if he's going to make it a regular thing at Omi. I'm encouraged that he's even willing.

[sherry f]

Googs,

Do you know anything more about 398 West? Thanks.

[Googs]

Nope, not a thing more sherry f. It was simply a round of "Follow-The-Chef" for me.

[JamesJT]

It's kosher fine dinning.

[toveggiegirl]

Yup.

Here is an article about it from the Jewish Tribune:
http://www.jewishtribune.ca/TribuneV2/index.php/200908051901/At-398-West-the-restaurant-is-the-entertainment-co-owner-says.html

And a few ratings from a Kashrut website:
http://www.shamash.org/kosher/comment...

[ChalkBoy]

Construction on Oh Boy stopped months ago.

[Googs]

It'll happen. Trust me.

Not that it's relevant to whether or not it'll open, but the owner is the same person who co-owned The Betty Ford, Atlas, and now Prohibition.

[OnDaGo]

He never owned Prohibition, he did not have the money to invest for a share and he was let go a few months after they opened. Joey was always more of a promoter he just liked to say he owned the places and they did not mind as long as he brought in the crowds...

[Googs]

Aahhh I seeee. You're absolutely right. You must be exceptionally well-connected OnDaGo.

[OnDaGo]

Its a very small world.. I have a few very good friends that between them know 98% of the people in the bar / restaurant industry in Toronto...

[JamesJT]

Oh Boy Burger have taken a while, but they are very much under construction now, probably only a few weeks off.

[ingloriouseater]

I think I'm going to pass on The Roosevelt Room. They seem to be pretty full of themselves by their website statements. Is this what is expected to fill the void of the high enders scaling back or closing?

[Gary]

Both the My Place pub and the Roosevelt Room sound like very ambitious ventures involving chefs who are already running their own restaurants. Have they not learned from the likes of Jamie Kennedy that this may not be the best time to launch a restaurant empire? I wish them both the best, but I agree with ingloriouseater that the Roosevelt Room doesn't sound like the type of place where I'd personally be comfortable. Hopefully the food will live up to the attitude.

[froglegs]

WOW!
I just read the website for the Roosevelt! I am with ya on this. Very full of themselves...blah blah blah. Way too wordy with the bios and design info, etc. I am pretty darn sure that Trevor was NOT exec chef at at least one of those restaurants he claims to have been. Sous chef maybe but not exec.
The place does sound way over the top. Not my kinda place. I don't mean to be unkind but...
Good luck to them.

[Jamie Eats Burgers]

I would go to the Roosevelt. All a restaurant has to do is to play a Charleston video to modern music and I am sold.

next restaurant to play 'Charleston style' from youtube will be my number 1.

[jamesm]

Froglegs -- If you're talking about Centro Trevor's bio says he was sous chef de cuisine.