West side

A look at what’s new, and what remains the same in Prince Edward County’s dining scene

To say that this has been a turbulent time in the County dining scene would be a severe understatement. Aside from the local rumour mills, there has been a beehive of activity this year. Some restaurants have opened to critical acclaim, and some shut their doors last season never to re-open.

Starting at the furthest point west, you’ll find Tabersnack making a move from the food-truck world to a dine-in restaurant setting. Chantal Jeffrey is the owner of Tabersnack and will be taking over the former Emm’s location on Loyalist Parkway in Consecon. The menu will include favourites from the food truck, but with more glutenfree and vegan options added.

The Orchard Drive Dari Bar is back for another season of ice cream, burgers and delicious pizza. The word on the street is the Dari Bar will be open for 10 months of the year going forward.

Laura Borutski and Elliot Reynolds outside their labour of love, the Bloomfield Public House.

One of the casualties of last year was The Courage on Main Street in Wellington, probably better known to staunch locals as the Tall Poppy café. The Courage lasted for three seasons and its exit was not due to a lack of good food or best intentions. The space was vacated quickly, and just as quickly it was re-imagined by La Condesa as an authentic Mexican taco and tequila place with bright colours and an even brighter vibe. From the get-go, Sam Valdivia and her team seem to have hit the mark with great food, amazing cocktails and friendly service. The best experience would be to sit at the bar and watch the cocktails being made. Currently only open Friday to Sunday from 12 to 9 p.m..

Across the street from La Condesa and down just a few steps you’ll find Idle Wild gearing up for their first summer being open with a dedicated storefront. You can always find Paul Tobias putting out great take-out with an Asian flair. The restaurant at Stache on Main will also be changing its name slightly, indicating a new direction from the kitchen, but the same management you know and love. The official new name is now Restaurant at Stache On Main and the menu has expanded with more casual dining options.

Enid Grace Café is still as busy and popular as always, offering up freshly baked menu options by owner Enid Grace. Enid Grace Café is open daily, with the exception of Tuesday.

The Midtown Brewing Company is expanding its dining options with breakfast now being served at 9 a.m. daily as well as pizza ovens making their way to the brewery soon to add some diversity to their daily offerings.

The North Docks, which kept the name and the branding the same as last year, has an entirely new team in both the kitchen and management. The menu is completely different than last season, as is the vibe, so don’t be fooled by the look of last year’s establishment. Its North Docks 2.0, serving up classic pub food with generous portions, open daily.

Flossie’s Sandwiches has found a home this season with Carson’s Garden + Market on Wilson Road. Kyle Jones is serving up great sandwiches on the shaded patio overlooking a gardener’s heaven. The market just had it’s grand opening and is now open daily.

In Bloomfield, Seedlings also fell victim to the pitfalls of opening a restaurant and had to close its doors without even making it to the one-year mark.

This season, Alex Fida and the team at Angeline’s are flipping the mode and focusing on the in-house guest experience for daytime food, and a “cinq à sept” for the public. The 5 to 7 p.m. time slot will focus on light bar fare and a well-curated cocktail menu meant to bring out the dining crowd for a pre-dinner drink. Fida is excited about using the space for pop-up style dinners and large party bookings, and is also excited to work with chef Matt DeMille on making those pop-ups a reality.

Around the corner and down the bend in Bloomfield you’ll find The Bloomfield Public House, a project in which Chef Elliot Reynolds and Laura Borutski have literally put their heart, sweat, blood and tears into making a reality. The two did most of the renovations to the space themselves, only hiring tradespeople when they absolutely had to. All in the name of cutting unneeded costs and getting the place running on its own steam.

Even though Bloomfield Public House is going into its first full season, Reynolds and Borutski are seasoned veterans of the area, spending five years at The Hub at Angeline’s Inn (where Seedlings made their attempt last season). The couple spent valuable time garnering a loyal following there by providing great food and impeccable service to the community throughout their tenure. The restaurant’s outdoor patio will be open soon and will be set more for gathering than traditional dining, which you can always find inside. Standing high-top tables and large communal tables will be the direction, with the intent of creating conversations with people around you. For Borutski and Reynolds, opening in the slower season was also an integral part in sending the right message to the locals who live here year-round.

“For us it was the best-case scenario to open up during the slower times. We were able to get our core staff trained and comfortable with the space. We got to spend some time moving and shifting the little nuances of our place and be ready for high season without looking like we are scrambling,” says Borutski.

Further to that point, Borustki adds that opening then was also invaluable because the locals got the opportunity to share their opinion on things before the tourists come, making sure that the voices were heard by the customers that mean the most to them, the residents of their community.

A new addition coming online any day now will be Bloomfield Public House private dining space on the second floor. Lovingly called Judy’s Place, it will seat dinners and corporate events for up to 25 people, giving the County a much-needed space to accommodate large-party bookings.

Our last point on the East-Side map is Flame and Smith, who are going into their second season, and hope to take what they have learned from having their feet “held to the fire” in their inaugural season and still coming out with rave reviews. Chef Hidde Zomer is cautiously optimistic about what lies ahead this summer. What he can’t hold his excitement about is what the spring bounty will hold as far as local produce. Chef Zomer designs his menu around what he can find locally, and he is proud to say that 95 per cent of the produce and proteins he uses in the Flame and Smith kitchen are locally sourced. This upcoming season will be the much of the same, with local producers even going so far as planting specific vegetables and peppers for the restaurant that Zomer can’t find locally. The request is that you call and make a reservation to make sure you have a seat either inside or on their comfy patio.

Next week, Part 2 of What’s New To Eat will focus on the east side and the many changes occurring on Picton’s main strip.