Would you like brandy with that?

Opinion

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This article was published 01/05/2017 (3058 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Gourmet burgers and booze — that’s the concept behind a new restaurant opening soon in the heart of downtown Winnipeg.

The Tipsy Cow — slated to open in late June at 285 Portage Ave. — is the latest entrepreneurial undertaking of Winnipeg chef Joshua Mesojednik.

Mesojednik is co-owner of another popular burger joint in the city — the Diner’s Grill. That establishment, which he and business partner Yang Meng launched in June 2015, was one of 16 independently owned eateries recently selected to duke it out in the Free Press’s Munch Madness competition. Readers were asked to vote for their favourite burger restaurant, and the winner was a North End institution — the White Top Drive-In (409 Manitoba Ave.).

Mesojednik is partnering with another Diner’s Grill employee — Will Bang — to launch the Tipsy Cow.

Like the Diner’s Grill, the new restaurant’s focus will be on “nice, big, gourmet burgers,” Mesojednik said, although there will also be an assortment of finger food, gourmet sandwiches, soups, salads and charcuterie on the menu.

Unlike the Diner’s Grill, the Tipsy Cow will be licensed, with a good selection of beer, whiskey and cocktails, Mesojednik said.

“That’s how I came up with (the name) Tipsy Cow — bar and burgers. I thought it was unique enough, but… also easy to remember.”

Mesojednik’s reasons for opening a gourmet burger restaurant and bar downtown are pretty straightforward.

“There are always people downtown and there’s always something going on. There is especially a lot of young people now, and lots of condos and offices and people working during the day,” he said.

“Being close to the MTS Centre is also nice, and we’re pretty much right in the middle of three hotels. So we think we’ve got a good location.”

The site they chose is a small, two-storey building on the north side of Portage Avenue, just a few doors west of Smith Street. There will be a large prep kitchen on the second floor, with a smaller kitchen and the 80-seat restaurant and bar on the main floor.

Mesojednik, who worked at the now-defunct 625 Bistro, is aware a number of other restaurants have come and gone from that Portage Avenue location.

They include the original Mirlycourtois, Lindy’s on Portage, Manhatten Bistro, La Bamba Cafe & Lounge and, most recently, Planit Restaurant and Lounge.

That doesn’t worry him.

“After having the Diner’s Grill, we’re pretty confident at what we can do. Plus, I’ve always had really good feedback on my food… and the Diner’s Grill has been really busy.”

He pointed out the Diner’s Grill is located in an out-of-the-way place — a small strip mall on Turenne Street in a St. Boniface industrial park. Yet it still attracts customers from across the city.

“So if we can make it here, I think we can probably make it anywhere,” he said.

Mario Posillipo of Capital Commercial Real Estate Services Inc., the real estate agent who leased the space to Mesojednik, likes the Tipsy Cow’s chances for success.

“I think he’s going to hit a home run there,” Posillipo said. “He’s thought everything through. He’s a young guy, but he’s worked at a number of different establishments, just learning. And that’s what you need to do — be in all different environments and take a little bit from each one.”

Posillipo said he’s eaten at the Diner’s Grill, trying one of its signature burgers — the Reuben Burger. It features a beef patty stacked with grilled corn beef and sauerkraut.

“It was pretty impressive. He thinks outside the box. He doesn’t just give you the typical burger.”

The CEO of the Downtown Winnipeg Business Improvement Zone thinks the concept fits downtown.

“Burgers and brandies and whiskeys seem to be the rave in places like Montreal and other big cities,” Stefano Grande said. “Right now, downtown is a burger and fries market. You’ve got all of these families going to the Moose games and you’ve got the Jets crowd and great burgers are always popular (with them).”

He noted another locally owned restaurant — the White Star Diner — recently relocated from the Exchange District to the former Salisbury House location on Kennedy Street.

“You should see their place. It’s packed every single day,” he added.

Posillipo said other restaurant operators were interested in the Portage Avenue location, “but this was the right fit.”

The two-storey building is owned by Winnipeg’s Sunrex Group of Companies, which last year acquired it along with the eight-storey Sterling Building next door. It’s in the midst of converting the century-old office building into rental apartments. About 3,700 square feet on the main floor are earmarked as retail space.

Posillipo said that space could be suitable for some kind of restaurant, so he’s been marketing it to local operators as well as to some national restaurant chains.

“We’ve had a few interested groups who have looked at it, but nothing concrete yet,” he said. “Once it starts to take shape, there will be a lot more interest in it because there are very few corner units available downtown in a heritage building.”

murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca