English pub-style Saint seeks converts to ‘very unique’ vibe

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This article was published 16/10/2024 (355 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The tables are made to dance on.

Ravi Ramberran won’t encourage such activity — “not on paper” — but there they are, specially designed, in the back of the Saint Restaurant and Pub. Patrons pass brown suede chairs, modern lighting and a bar illustrated with faces of celebrities like rap star Notorious B.I.G.

“The place is called the Saint, so I tried to find some of the worst-behaved rock stars,” Ramberran, 41, said with a laugh.

It’s a departure from his other Winnipeg eateries: St. James Burger and Chip Co., Four Crowns Restaurant and, most recently, Dreamland Diner.

Each site boasts a different concept. The Saint (1825 Portage Ave.), which is holding a grand opening event Oct. 30, was designed to resemble a modern English pub.

Tunes like Camila Cabello’s Havana pump through the speakers; a couple VLTs are stationed near the bar top. Off to the side, in a quieter room, there’s a space dedicated to regulars of the former Captain’s Table Restaurant.

Some seafood dishes are on the new menu for them, Ramberran said.

He wasn’t looking to open a fourth restaurant. But, by his retelling, the previous restaurant’s owner invited him to the for-sale building and he quickly “fell in love.”

Meanwhile, friend-turned-business partner Ari Sandhu had been bugging Ramberran for years to open an English-style pub.

There’s parking in the back, it’s a busy area — so Ramberran and Sandhu signed the deal.

“I wanted to create a restaurant that I wanted to hang out at,” Ramberran said. “This is it … It doesn’t feel like you’re in a bar. It feels like you’re in a pretty classy joint.”

He expects to draw people who’ve got “some money in their pockets” and are seeking a place “that’s very unique, small, that’s not a dance club, not a nightclub, but the music is louder.”

The servers will be vigilant in waiting tables, he added. Many Manitobans are struggling with an increased cost of living, but also, “quite a few” have disposable incomes and want a posh yet affordable place to dine, he said: “There’s markets available in the city.”

For now, the eatery is sectioned off to seat 50 people. By the end of the month, Ramberran intends to open the back area with room for another 50.

He’s hired about 15 staff, with plans to grow. Roughly 100 staff are under his purview across the four restaurants. Being adaptable has allowed for expansion, he said.

“You have to be very, very innovative,” Ramberran stated. “You have to be constantly changing, coming up with new product samplings.”

Take Dreamland Diner, a 1950s-style joint Ramberran opened in late 2022. He envisioned it to be a quick-service locale, but customers wanted dine-in, so the model shifted.

That site’s clientele — mainly young families — has been hit hard by inflation and higher interest rates, affecting sales, Ramberran said. He’s creating birthday party deals and bringing in characters like the Grinch and Buddy the Elf to “get people in the door.”

Dreamland Diner and St. James Burger, like the Saint, reside in the St. James area. “It’s a good, old-school community here,” Ramberran said. “Good people.”

Ramberran is bucking a trend of restaurant closures, said Kim Riddolls, operations manager for the Manitoba Restaurant & Foodservices Association.

Across the country, Restaurants Canada tracked 74 eatery bankruptcies in April 2024. It was a jump from the 53 counted during 2023’s same time period, but it doesn’t reflect the true number of closures — most restaurateurs end business without formally declaring bankruptcy.

“It’s such a nice change,” Riddolls said of the Saint. “Ravi being somebody who owns multiple places and multiple different avenues … he is a leader in our industry.”

The area’s Portage Avenue strip is home to many long-standing eateries, noted Tessa De Sousa, owner of Underworld Scuba and Sport.

“We’re definitely going … to support local,” De Sousa said, adding she and staff will try the Saint.

Customers may flow between the new restaurant and Tatva Cannabis, a shop next door, noted “budtender” Kayla Handford.

The Saint touts a similar menu to Four Crowns: burgers, wraps and poutine are popular picks. The Saint is open 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com