Dinner and The Show

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/01/2012 (4981 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

11Now that the National Hockey League is back in town, Winnipeg restaurateurs are crossing their fingers, hoping that visiting NHL squads will consider their kitchens for that time-honoured tradition — the rookie dinner.

Every hockey season, each of the league’s 30 clubs heads out for a players-only meal, usually during a prolonged road trip. The catch: first-year skaters are responsible for picking up the tab.

Things can get pricey. When Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille and the rest of the Los Angeles Kings rolled into Hy’s Steak Loft 19 years ago — back when the venerable steakhouse was located on Kennedy Street — the bill was reportedly in the five-figure range.

“We can go as high-end as somebody wants or we can just do beer and chicken wings,” says Andy Fosty, brand manager of seven Tavern United restaurants, including the chain’s MTS Centre location at 345 Graham Ave. “A couple of years ago we hosted the federal Conservatives (there) and we did it up to the nines; it was November but we opened the (roof-top) patio and put in an ice bar.”

Fosty has a pretty good idea what it would take to satisfy a ravenous roster.

“I’d start them off with party platters, which is their pick of three apps — things like nachos, wings and dry ribs,” he says. “Then I could see the guys wanting steak. Or halibut and chips — that’s always popular on game nights. For dessert, we’d go with either the deep-fried cheesecake or Bailey’s mud pie.”

Total damage?

“Not counting drinks, probably around $1,000,” Fosty says. “However, if there was a need for scotch, the liquor commission just brought in the most expensive scotch they’ve ever had, to date. It runs about $475 an ounce and we would have no problem serving that, too.”

Given that January is the customary time for team dinners — by now, rookies have had a few months to pad their wallets — we decided to visit a few iconic restaurants within a slapshot of MTS Centre and see what each would dish out to 20 NHLers, if they showed up at the door, knives and forks in hand.

 

Mitzi’s Chicken Fingers Restaurant, 250 St. Mary Ave.

“That’s too much — way too much,” says Shirley Eng, the owner of Mitzi’s Chicken Fingers Restaurant, when she is told that rookie dinners usually run in the $8,000 to $10,000 range. “They should come here for sure — much cheaper.”

Eng says she would serve players the same thing rock ‘n’ roll legend Randy Bachman enjoys when he visits the 31-year-old landmark: the No. 4 combination plate, which includes eight chicken fingers, 10 pan-fried shrimp, stir-fried greens and rice.

Uh, isn’t that a lot of chow for one person?

“Nah, they’re big boys — they can handle it,” Eng says, noting that the bill would be $29.99 per combo, or about $600 in total, not including taxes, tips or drinks.

 

East India Company Pub & Eatery, 349 York Ave.

Sachit Mehra, whose family has run Indian restaurants in Winnipeg since 1968, says that 90 per cent of East India Company customers choose the signature, 21-item buffet when placing their dinner orders. He doesn’t believe the members of a hockey team would be any different.

“Our buffet is $19.95, so even at 20 diners it would not set them back too far,” says Mehra, guessing that players would gravitate towards the butter chicken, vegetable korma and lamb curry.

“If they order naan (bread), too, that would add about $40 more to the bill. So about $440 all done, plus drinks if there are any.”

 

Oscar’s Deli, 175 Hargrave St.

“If you’re talking about a team of hockey players, I’d suggest the “Hungry Corned Beef” sandwich,” says Larry Brown, owner of Oscar’s Deli. “That’s our big one — five ounces of meat between two slices of rye bread.”

Brown says in addition to a sandwich, he’d recommend coleslaw or potato salad, a kosher dill pickle plus something to wash it all down. Total cost: about $280 or $14 each.

“If a team shows up on an actual game night, they can order the special — that’s a corned beef sandwich and a Bud for $8,” Brown says. “And they can park right next door for only $6.”

david.sanderson@freepress.mb.ca