650192 Sat Sep 05 08:34:51 -0700 2009 34 23 Ontario (including Toronto) 0 5007166 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/ Sat Sep 05 08:34:51 -0700 2009 12072 Googs 1 5007239 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? Sat Sep 05 09:06:52 -0700 2009 5007166 1103861 ingloriouseater 2 5007607 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. Sat Sep 05 12:44:48 -0700 2009 5007239 12142 Gary 2 5010575 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. Mon Sep 07 06:41:53 -0700 2009 5007239 219019 froglegs 3 5013619 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. Tue Sep 08 10:40:37 -0700 2009 5010575 1099638 Jamie Eats Burgers 3 5024111 Froglegs -- If you're talking about Centro Trevor's bio says he was sous chef de cuisine. Sat Sep 12 05:30:30 -0700 2009 5010575 18477 jamesm 1 5008852 Construction on Oh Boy stopped months ago. Sun Sep 06 07:35:57 -0700 2009 5007166 247788 ChalkBoy 2 5008945 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. Sun Sep 06 08:35:51 -0700 2009 5008852 12072 Googs 3 5009004 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... Sun Sep 06 09:16:06 -0700 2009 5008945 16654 OnDaGo 4 5010749 Aahhh I seeee. You're absolutely right. You must be exceptionally well-connected OnDaGo. Mon Sep 07 08:22:59 -0700 2009 5009004 12072 Googs 5 5011220 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... Mon Sep 07 11:53:35 -0700 2009 5010749 16654 OnDaGo 3 5009011 Oh Boy Burger have taken a while, but they are very much under construction now, probably only a few weeks off. Sun Sep 06 09:18:03 -0700 2009 5008945 185596 JamesJT 1 5009323 Googs, Do you know anything more about 398 West? Thanks. Sun Sep 06 12:34:44 -0700 2009 5007166 14159 sherry f 2 5010759 Nope, not a thing more sherry f. It was simply a round of "Follow-The-Chef" for me. Mon Sep 07 08:26:44 -0700 2009 5009323 12072 Googs 3 5010849 It's kosher fine dinning. Mon Sep 07 09:00:02 -0700 2009 5010759 185596 JamesJT 4 5013282 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/comments.php?Recno=11718 Tue Sep 08 08:54:29 -0700 2009 5010849 179628 toveggiegirl 1 5010803 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. Mon Sep 07 08:43:42 -0700 2009 5007166 12072 Googs 2 5011222 Was there not a fire in the building last week? Mon Sep 07 11:54:06 -0700 2009 5010803 16654 OnDaGo 3 5012167 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. Mon Sep 07 18:57:01 -0700 2009 5011222 12072 Googs 4 5012386 Is it not in the Winchester Hotel? http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/winchester-hotel-survives-fire/article1266192/ Mon Sep 07 20:45:15 -0700 2009 5012167 16654 OnDaGo 5 5013502 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. Tue Sep 08 09:59:43 -0700 2009 5012386 13587 LovesToEat 5 5015074 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. Tue Sep 08 19:36:51 -0700 2009 5012386 12072 Googs 6 5024148 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! Sat Sep 12 06:00:34 -0700 2009 5015074 60563 Rabbit 7 5155699 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. Wed Nov 04 11:55:27 -0800 2009 5024148 84272 5andman 8 5163180 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. Sat Nov 07 08:18:40 -0800 2009 5155699 12072 Googs 9 5172056 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. Wed Nov 11 01:46:54 -0800 2009 5163180 99681 abigllama 4 5013625 There's a sustainable sushi omakase at Omi?! Wow - what a great idea. How much does this cost? Tue Sep 08 10:41:40 -0700 2009 5012167 93263 Yum2MyTum 5 5013729 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. Tue Sep 08 11:15:23 -0700 2009 5013625 14629 aser 5 5015077 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. Tue Sep 08 19:38:11 -0700 2009 5013625 12072 Googs 1 5024953 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. Sat Sep 12 13:32:26 -0700 2009 5007166 70075 tochipotle 2 5025223 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'. Sat Sep 12 15:45:41 -0700 2009 5024953 1103861 ingloriouseater 1 5156312 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... Wed Nov 04 14:56:33 -0800 2009 5007166 288839 Thatcher 2 5156807 Yeah but I doubt the steak frites you had in Montreal were 22oz dry aged Alberta rib eye. Wed Nov 04 18:11:18 -0800 2009 5156312 150733 sbug206 1 5172494 OH BOY!!! Another gourmet burger place!! DT Wed Nov 11 07:41:08 -0800 2009 5007166 11291 Davwud 1 5198951 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? Sat Nov 21 15:45:09 -0800 2009 5007166 37472 ggom1