February 1, 2019
Dining on the Marie Celeste The restaurant industry can be a precarious endeavour for all concerned. Restaurant owners, investors, employees, diners, and landlords can all feel the brunt of a business that can be fleeting and is often only slightly above “spas” (I mean the kind that are open all night and have neon signs in their darkened windows) when…
November 1, 2018
Wine choices – red or white? There is no use whining about wine (yes, I went there!). These day even in small places your wine selection is vastly improved over the days when a rafetta covered bottle of cheap chianti was considered classy. Still, sometimes picking a wine in a restaurant can be fraught with too many choices, but in…
September 1, 2018
More thrilling tales from the service industry Anyone who says that service industry work is easy and doesn’t require a particular skill set has never worked in a dining room or kitchen. Just to navigate the many personalities you will run into through the course of a day requires quick thinking, diplomacy, and a strong stomach. In this month’s edition…
August 1, 2018
Why is Caesar salad so contentious? Well here we are: the second installment of Behind the Line. This month we have some doozies that’s for sure. Most names have been changed to protect the innocent but if you happen to recognize yourself in any of these don’t worry: you are not alone. We’ve all been on one side or the…
June 30, 2018
Tales from the service industry Welcome to what we hope is the first installment of Behind the Line. We’d like you to be a part of this series by submitting first hand experiences of imperious bosses, difficult guests, and your own and others’ stupidity. Please send stories to grippingkitchentales@gmail.com. I will start with a couple of my own stories of…
October 1, 2017
Upstreet Craft Brewing first Island company to gain B Corp accreditation When you think of a craft brewery, what are the first things that come to mind? High-quality, local beer—yes. A crowd of hop enthusiasts—yes. A hip place to hang out—yes. Now stop right there! Upstreet Craft Brewing is all of these things, and then some. Most recently, the Charlottetown-based…
August 1, 2017
A Salty field trip was long overdue for our intrepid team. With summer on the horizon I couldn’t think of a better excursion than a road trip to Barnone Brewery in Rose Valley for Thursday growler night. The only catch? Everyone who joined would have to capture their experience in a vignette of words or images. The result of Salty’s…
July 1, 2017
Lot 45 establishing itself as year-round pub in Souris It was like a Christmas present when Darin McAree and his partner, Linda Brown, learned late last year that their proposal to take over the vacant premises on 41 Breakwater Street had been accepted by the Souris Harbour Authority. Three months later, on March 10, they opened Lot 45 Pub &…
March 1, 2017
Chef Ilona Daniel the new culinary director at Charlottetown craft brewery Chef Ilona Daniel is the new culinary director for Upstreet Brewery following the departure of Chef John Pritchard. Daniel said the kitchen plans include incorporating the brewery’s beer offerings into the food. The new menu launches in March and Daniel said it will include house made mustards,expanded vegetarian options…
March 1, 2017
Copper Bottom Brewery set to open its doors by summer Montague is getting a new craft brewery this summer. Singer-songwriter Ashley Condon and her husband Ken Spears are getting set to open Copper Bottom Brewery (CBB) with an eye to selling their craft beers across the province. The husband and wife team plan produce kegs of beer for local restaurants…