‘Salty, sweet, spicy, tangy’… and fun Second generation of family affair behind Little Goat and 7 1/4 has a cosy new spot in the Village By: Eva Wasney Posted: 7:00 PM CST Monday, Mar. 6, 2023

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This article was published 06/03/2023 (916 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s a “secret” menu board that settles into a new hiding spot every day. The fridges are organized by name — Fridgey McFridgeface on the left and Lord Fridgerton of Fridgerton Manor to the right — and the listed number connects to a recording of Tommy Tutone’s 1981 hit, 867-5309/Jenny.

Serious isn’t part of the lexicon at Buvette in the Village.

“This is very much like my second home,” owner Ursula Svenne says. “And for me, home is fun and silly and playful.”

The daughter of well-known Winnipeg restaurateurs Danielle and Alex Svenne, Ursula has seen her fair share of serious eateries. Her parents have operated a range of restaurants — including Bistro 7 1/4, Bouchée Boucher and, most recently, Little Goat — and she’s been involved in the family business since before she could legally hold a job. While Little Goat was gearing down in 2022, she was busy getting her own spot up and running.

Buvette has been open for nearly a year and is still very much a family affair. Ursula does a little bit of everything and Alex can often be found helping out in the kitchen. He’s a fan of the fun-forward concept.

“We’re very aware that if we’re not having fun, the food’s not gonna be good and the atmosphere’s not gonna be good,” he says. “It’s taken me a long time to realize how important that is.”

Buvette is in Osborne Village, but not of it. The narrow 15-seat (and one highchair) restaurant is on the main floor of a small apartment complex on Scott Street, several blocks from the high-traffic strip. The former doughnut shop’s size and location checked all the boxes.

“We thought it would be a good way to survive in changing times,” says Alex, who struggled through the pandemic with a full-sized dining room. “We don’t need the whole city to love us, we just need this neighbourhood to.”

The community seems to have embraced the breakfast, lunch and occasional dinner joint. Most regulars live or work within walking distance.

“We’ve made friends with people that live on the street,” Ursula says. “They come every Saturday for bennies and they’ll bring us things, one of them brought me a little plant,” she says, pointing to one of many sprouts near the cash register.

One customer even created a cartoon mascot for the restaurant: Tante Buvette, a plump grey-haired cook with funky glasses and an ear-to-ear grin, embodies the well-fed warmth of the place. Another young diner took it upon himself to amend the “Slightly Weird Drink List” with his own wacky concoctions of cactus juice and bubble bath soda (two intriguing beverages that, for now, exist only as imagination).

People have made themselves at home because the pint-sized space feels like a home — specifically, Ursula’s childhood home. Most of the decor, from the record player to the school art projects, comes from the Svenne family residence. It’s cluttered but comfortable and silly without being absurd. OK, maybe a little absurd.

The fun extends beyond running jokes and gentle pranks. The father-daughter duo have taken the idea of comfort food to some pretty strange places.

“We just play around,” Alex says. “We had a sandwich with peanut sauce and noodles on it.”

“And people liked it,” Ursula adds. “The only rules we really follow are: salty, sweet, spicy and tangy. Every dish has to have those elements.”

The menu changes biweekly and the pair draws inspiration from the vast cookbook collection that greets guests at the door. It’s a tall order in a kitchen with limited space and a single residential range, but one that keeps things interesting.

With Buvette, which is roughly derived from the French word for “snack bar,” Ursula has embarked on a new chapter for the family restaurant business — one that comes from a lifetime of experience.

“I’ve always loved the environment… the pans clattering, the people talking, the printer printing tickets, ice in glasses,” she says. “And I like serving people and feeding them and providing them with a really lovely experience.”

For Alex, Buvette has allowed him to take a step back while staying involved.

“I’m very proud that she’s doing this and that she has the skills to do it,” he says. “I’m happy to help out as much or as little as she wants.”

eva.wasney@winnipegfreepress.com

Twitter: @evawasney