| Sabitri's Global Cuisine |
Savour Owen Sound – At Sabitri’s Global Cuisine
Like many immigrants, Sabitri Khadka came to Canada with the hope of finding freedom, and she’s done that with the opening of Sabitri’s Global Cuisine in downtown Owen Sound.
“I'm happy to be in Canada,” she says during a lull at the restaurant. Khadka wakes up at 6 a.m. most mornings to start cooking that day’s specials. She often works late into the night as well, and rarely takes a day off.
Khadka opened Sabitri’s two years ago, taking over the spot previously occupied by the Rocky Racoon Café. Her specialty is Nepalese food – dishes from her homeland in Katmandu, Nepal, including curries, samosas, pakoras, Himilayan spice bread and naan fresh from an oven made for that purpose. Nepalese momos are another specialty of hers – steamed dumplings with a spiced tomato dipping sauce.
For this year’s Savour Owen Sound, Sabitri’s is offering choice of spinach or Israeli salad and lamb or butter chicken curry with Jalebi for dessert. Jalebi is a Nepalese pretzel made with black bean batter, served with a sweet syrup flavoured with delicious cardamom. Sabitri's three-course Savour special costs $20.
The restaurant has a pleasant ambience, with Nepalese music and photos, bright green walls and an extensive salt and pepper shaker collection inherited from the previous owner.
Khadka came to Canada in 2008, living in Guelph and London before choosing Owen Sound for her new restaurant. Sabitri’s is open Sunday to Thursday until 9 pm, and Fridays and Saturdays until 10 pm. Vegetarian options are available, and customers are encouraged to specify how spicy they would like their meals, as each is individually prepared.
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| Jazzmyn's Tapas & Taps |
Savour Owen Sound – At Jazzmyn’s Tapas & Taps
Jazzmyn’s is a fixture in downtown Owen Sound, known for its live music, summer patio, laid back atmosphere and proximity to the Roxy Theatre, making it a popular spot before and after the show.
Owner Pamela McLay-Daigneau is also proud of the food, made in-house by chefs Jamie and Jamieson. “Why spend $20 at a chain when you can get local food downtown, and free parking?” Lunch specials are as little as $10, she says.
She describes Jazzmyn’s as the perfect place for people “who feel they’re too old for the bar” but want to enjoy good food and local entertainment. Younger people are also discovering the restaurant, she says. “It’s a place where you can feel you belong.”
McLay-Daigneau grew up in Owen Sound and opened Jazzmyn’s 18 years ago, in January 2000, after working for a time at Norma Jean’s. When she purchased the restaurant, there was only a dumpster and puddles in behind it. She transformed that space into one of the most popular patios in the city.
Live music has also been part of Jazzmyn’s success. When the restaurant opened, it invited local musicians to play on Thursday nights. “We’re blessed with talent in Owen Sound,” McLay-Daigneau remarks. Jazzmyn’s now has live music on Fridays and Saturdays and an open mic on Wednesdays. The weekly lineup is posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
For Savour Owen Sound, Jazzmyn’s is offering salad, bruschetta or coconut shrimp sampler, a choice of braised bacon wrapped pork tenderloin, herb & pepper crusted salmon or stuffed chicken supreme, and pecan pie, cheesecake or ice cream for dessert. The cost is $32 plus tax.
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| Sweetwater Restaurant and Bar @ Cobble Beach Resort |
Savour Owen Sound – at the Sweetwater Restaurant and Bar
If you’re imagining spectacular views of Georgian Bay from the Sweetwater Restaurant and Bar at Cobble Beach Resort, a 10-minute drive north of Owen Sound along the Scenic Route, you will not be disappointed. Even in winter, the view is fantastic.
So is the food.
Cobble has made a name for itself on the culinary front under Executive Chef Tim Johnson, who takes a creative approach to every dish, layering flavours and textures in new and unexpected ways. “It’s about taking the food and treating it with respect,” he says in an interview.
He and his sous chefs consider themselves “very creative thinkers” who challenge each other to try new things. “It’s all been done before, so you look to how you can improve on a dish and make it your own,” he says.
The day of our interview, the lunch special is pan-seared chicken over shallots and thyme, served with caramelles (candy-shaped ravioli), sweet potato puree and chicharron, a Spanish dish with crisped pork rinds.
Johnson points out the mix of sweet, sour, savory and bitter notes in the meal, which make it exciting on the palette. It’s better when you mix all the flavours in a single bite, he coaches, rather than “eating around the plate.”
Oddly enough, the Owen Sound-born chef was an “eat around the plate” type of kid, who was “stubborn and picky.” A hot dog was his dinner of choice. Nathan’s Famous hot dogs are still the best, he says.
His tastes expanded when he trained as a chef and had to try everything. “When people say they hate something, I consider it a great challenge to cook it for them,” he says.
Johnson graduated from the Georgian College culinary program in Owen Sound and spent time at the Best Western hotel, working his way up from dishwasher to executive chef at age 23. He later worked at Talisman Resort, Stone Tree Golf and Country Club and Grosvenor’s in Southampton before joining Cobble Beach Resort.
He says it’s a “scary and exciting” time in the food industry today. Scary, because restaurants throughout the region are facing labour shortages, and exciting because many of them are doing “amazing things.” He cites Langdon Hall in Cambridge, Casero’s Kitchen Table in Owen Sound and the Bruce Wine Bar in Thornbury.
“You know someone is putting their heart and soul into the food there, and it makes it taste better.”
They would likely say the same about the Sweetwater Restaurant at Cobble Beach.
Cobble’s Savour Owen Sound specials are offered Thursdays and Fridays until March 30th. The restaurant is able to accommodate food sensitivities and has vegetarian entrees as well, such a potato gnocci and Thai curry.
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| Elsie's Diner |
Savour Owen Sound – At Elsie’s Diner
Love the 1950s?
The music of Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Ella Fitzgerald, screen idols James Dean, Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe, the boogie woogie and the jitterbug: all were part of the pop culture of that era.
So were roadside diners, where you could stop, fill your car with gas and enjoy a hearty, home-cooked meal before continuing on your way.
Kris Heathers’ grandmother, Elsie, ran a diner in Meaford in the 1950s called Bayview Motors. She cooked and managed the restaurant while her husband, a mechanic, ran the auto shop attached to it.
“I remember grandma baking pies and home-made cookies, although she was never too busy to play a game of Old Maid with us,” Heathers recalls.
Heathers is the owner of Elsie’s Diner on Highway 6 just outside of Owen Sound. It’s named after her grandmother, who many of her customers still remember.
Elsie’s décor, menu, and music are evocative of the ‘50s. There’s a juke box on display, a pay phone, large Coke cooler, EPs and other memorabilia.
“For older people, it’s a trip down memory lane,” Heathers says. “For young kids, it’s fun. They love the icons and question them. Many have never seen a pay phone or juke box before.”
It’s not unusual to have an older couple come in and dance, she says. “They love the music, and that’s what they did back then.”
Elsie’s Diner is marking its fifth anniversary this summer, and has been part of Savour Owen Sound each year.
Its Savour specials include a four-cheese lasagna, mac ’n cheese pulled pork, and a loaded poutine with popcorn chicken – a new Elsie’s dish inspired by a recent trip to Texas. Heathers and her staff spent weeks in the kitchen after the trip perfecting their own Southern Fried Chicken, which is now available for take-out as well.
Elsie’s diner sources local ingredients as much as possible, including their beef, seasonal vegetables and maple syrup, which they purchase from students at Wiarton District Secondary School.
“Sometimes, it might cost an extra 50 cents, but so what, we pay it if it’s supporting local businesses,” Heathers says.
Elsie’s food is made from scratch, including its burgers and hand-cut fries.
“We stick with what we’re good at,” Heathers says. “Regular family style home-cooked meals.”
Elsie’s Diner is open seven days a week. It has a seniors’ menu, kids menu, and gluten-free and vegetarian options, as well as an all-day Big Bopper breakfast. Its Savour Owen Sound specials are available until March 31st.
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| Oregano Bistro |
Savour Owen Sound – at Oregano Bistro
Downtown Owen Sound’s newest restaurant, Oregano Bistro, is bursting with flavour.
Its menu spans a range of cuisines, from Asian to British, French and Italian, reflecting chef and co-owner Jimmy Wong’s experience and personal taste.
Born in China, he trained as a chef in London, England and owned restaurants there for over 25 years. One of Oregano’s signature appetizers is crispy candied greens – a popular treat in London. The restaurant’s spring rolls are also delectable, served with a homemade dipping sauce.
Wong has also introduced an Italian rice dish and chicken a la King – something not found in other Owen Sound restaurants, he says.
His Savour Owen Sound menu includes spring rolls, his “signature” pork chops or a stuffed portabello mushroom entrée, and a light “skort dip” for dessert, consisting of fresh fruit dipped in a whipped cream and cream cheese mixture.
Wong and his partner, Ping Chen, purchased the restaurant last fall. It was formerly Villa Nina Bistro. Located on 10th Street East just west of 2nd Avenue East, it’s recognizable by the outdoor wall mural by local artist Billy Goodkat. Parking is available on 2nd Avenue East or 1st Avenue East, and is free in the evening.
The interior is bright, warm and welcoming, with red checkered tablecloths and apricot coloured walls. It’s open Wednesday to Sunday for dinner, and the owners plan to start offering lunches in May.
Wong and Chen’s story is a unique one. The couple were schoolmates in Guang Zhou, China, then lost touch, as Wong moved to England to become a chef and Chen moved to Canada, where she worked for a fashion designer in Toronto. She moved to Scarborough for a time to set up shop as a seamstress but the rent was high.
She discovered Owen Sound during a vacation with her kids, meeting up with a local shop owner who encouraged her to move here. Chen rented a small space downtown and built up her sewing business, commuting from Toronto three times a week for four years, before finally purchasing a house here.
She met Wong at a school reunion in China in 2011. “We hadn’t seen each other in 36 years,” she says. They married on Valentine’s Day in 2013 and eventually both settled here.
Chen notes that our area is popular among Chinese immigrants and visitors, particularly during the Festival of Northern Lights. She and Wong participated in last month’s Chinese New Year celebrations in Owen Sound as well.
“We sometimes get asked ‘Why is a Chinese person making Italian food?’” Chen says. “It’s because we love it,” she responds, laughing.
As for the rest of the Oregano menu “people will need to try it to know it,” she says. “Then, they will like it!”
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| Bishop's Landing - Best Western Inn on the Bay |
Savour Owen Sound – At Bishop’s Landing
Bishop’s Landing is a gem of a restaurant tucked into the Best Western Inn on the Bay overlooking the Owen Sound harbour.
“We tend to escape people’s minds when they're going out for dinner, not having a separate identity from the hotel,” says Best Western manager Jason Hemstock. “But when they try it out, they have a pleasant experience and return.”
Bishop’s Landing is named after Owen Sound’s heroic fighter pilot Billy Bishop, who fought in the First World War. Depictions of his exploits hang on the wall, on loan from the Billy Bishop Home & Museum. The hotel also celebrates artist Tom Thomson in its ballroom and meeting rooms.
“We always keep local in mind, it’s a big thing here,” Hemstock says.
 Local heroes, local beer and wine (from Killannan, Coffin Ridge and Georgian Hills), and unique daily specials from chef Carter Fraser, a native Owen Sounder, are signatures of Bishop’s Landing.
Fraser says he is excited to have “realized [his] dream of being a head chef by the age of 30.” He started as a dishwasher at the Boot and Blade restaurant, worked up to being a cook at Norma Jean’s Bistro for several years, and is honored to have been promoted to head chef at Bishop’s Landing recently.
“Carter is a very passionate young man putting his energy into improving what we’ve already been doing successfully,” Hemstock says. “Our daily feature board has interesting, new ideas and excellent flavours.”
The food is fresh and prepared daily in small batches. The restaurant buys ingredients in bulk to control costs (a side of beef, for example, will be hand-cut into steaks), “and that puts passion into our product,” Hemstock notes.
With over $1-million in food sales each year, between the restaurant and banquets, and a high retention rate among its cooks and servers, Hemstock feels Bishop’s Landing is on the right track.
For Savour Owen Sound, the restaurant is bringing back its best-selling pork medallion dish and adding two new entrees, Cracked Canoe Beef Stew, (made with Cracked Canoe beer) and a Thai curry that is “flavourful but not spicy” and perfect for vegan, gluten-free, or nut-free diets. Add an appetizer and home made dessert and you get a great meal for only $30.
Bishop’s Landing is a perfect place “to celebrate something special,” Hemstock says, from an anniversary to a gathering of friends or family. The restaurant is bright and relaxed, except during the rush before an Attack hockey game at the Bayshore Community Centre next door. On those nights, it’s best to book your Savour Owen Sound dinner for 7 pm or later. |
| Nathaniel's Steak & Seafood |
Savour Owen Sound - At Nathaniel's
Restaurants come and go, but Nathaniel’s Steak and Seafood has staying power.
The downtown restaurant is celebrating 15 years in business, which tells owner Dan Hilliard he must be doing something right. “At least 30 other restaurants have turned over in that time in Owen Sound,” he says during an afternoon break.
The chef recalls being told at the outset “You’re never going to make it,” but time has proven the naysayers wrong.
So what’s his secret?
“I’m the one that’s here, sometimes 10 to 14 hours a day, and we serve good food,” he says simply.
The 8th Street East restaurant is open six days a week and is staffed by Hilliard, his partner and three others, who have each worked there for over a decade. “We have fun here, every day,” he remarks.
Nathaniel’s is known for its homemade desserts, from fruit pies to cheesecakes, and summer vegetables picked fresh from a garden in Flesherton. Hilliard was ordering seeds for his summer garden when we spoke last week. He harvests tomatoes, basil, garlic, cucumbers, zucchini, rhubarb and more. “If you can grow it, why not? It’s fresher that way,” he says.
Hilliard was trained in culinary management at George Brown College in Toronto. He purchased Nathaniel’s in December 2002 along with his partner Jeff, who brought his own professional experience from Talisman Resort, Stark’s and other restaurants.
Nathaniel’s food is simple, fresh and understated. The décor is dignified but relaxing, with fresh table cloths and no TVs or loud music. There’s an emphasis on customer service, as many clients are people who return time and again.
“If you don’t make them happy, they won’t come back,” Hilliard notes.
He is especially proud of his home baking. “I don’t hear of many restaurants doing their own baking,” he says. “We pick the berries ourselves for our pies when we can.”
Nathaniel’s has participated in Savour Owen Sound from the start, believing it’s a good avenue to promote local food and restaurants. “People look forward to it,” Hilliard says.
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