Community News

BOBCAYGEON RESTAURATEURS TAP INTO LOCAL TALENT TO EXPAND

GRAZ RESTOBAR PARTNERS WITH THE BACK 40 AND FEAST AND FUSION TO KEEP DOORS OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND OFFER UNIQUE MENU OPTIONS

CATHERINE WHITNALL cwhitnall@mykawartha.com

David and Ailsa Goncalves have hit on a unique way to not only keep the doors to their restaurant open seven days a week, but also support local entrepreneurs.

Late last fall, the Graz Restobar owners began collaborating with Feast & Fusion Food Services owner Mitch Alexander and The Back 40's Darby and Jamie Mousseau.

The Goncalves handle Wednesday to Sunday, with Alexander bringing in his Cajun cuisine Mondays and the Mousseaus serving up smoked pulled pork and brisket — complemented by their multi-award-winning hot sauce — on Tuesdays.

"With COVID, we not only had to deal with all the restrictions but also staffing," said David, noting, even with reduced hours, it was mostly "just me and Ailsa in the kitchen" at the 36-38 Bolton St. eatery.

Ultimately, the couple came to the conclusion the time had come to either "do something different or close more hours."

The couple opted for the former rather than the latter.

On somewhat of a "Hail Mary," David visited the hardware store to look at grills for a "kitchen on the sidewalk."

Before long, the delicious

aroma of smoked and grilled meat filled Bobcaygeon's downtown. It was just what the couple needed to fill a gap — smoked ribs are still served Sundays — and they began wondering what else was possible.

Taking inspiration from a friend who runs regular pop-up dining events, they turned to Mitch, who had worked at the Embers Restaurant. Purchased in 2018, it later transitioned into Graz, incorporating David's Portuguese roots and Ailsa's native Scotland.

"I was wanting to get more exposure for my catering (business), and this was a great way to get my name out there," said Mitch.

At first, Mitch served up a combination of Cajun and the Indian dishes he cooks at Lotus Bistro in Fenelon Falls.

"But it got to be a little crazy because it was big batch, complex cooking, times two," said Mitch, adding the catering side of the business was also gaining traction.

Taking care of Tuesday, the couple turned to more

"familiar faces."

"We've been friends for about three years," said Darby, explaining it all started when she and Jamie stopped by the restaurant to see if the Goncalves would be interested in adding their hot sauce to their wing menu.

Last year, the Mousseaus launched the Smoke Box food truck in Fenelon Falls.

However, like most outdoor vendors, there's a limited operating window.

"The opportunity to take over the (Graz) kitchen meant we could keep cooking all winter," said Darby. "It's allowed us to meet more people, bring in more customers for us and David and Ailsa ... It's been a great showcase for us."

But the Goncalves weren't done with their "ideas."

In addition to the diverse dining options, the couple have also added trivia nights, Jam Nights, karaoke and live music every Sunday.

For more, visit www.grazrestobar.ca, www.feastandfusion.com and theback40.farm.

BUSINESS

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2023-03-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-23T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://communitynews.pressreader.com/article/281539410203271

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