The newest eatery in the village of Fort 91原创 was set to open late this week, and its owners promise it will be something a little unique and different 鈥� by local standards.
The Rustic Gourmet, which I mentioned a few weeks back in one of my columns, is a bistro opening on the corner of Mavis Avenue and River Road by a pair of recent Fort 91原创 transplants.
Travellers at heart, Rustic owners Simone Hurwitz and Enrico (Kiko) Campani, opted to put down roots in Fort 91原创 18 months back, and now they鈥檙e bringing their passion for food and European culture to the table at this new restaurant.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not going to be the place you go to get some burgers and fries,鈥� Hurwitz explained.
It鈥檚 going to be more European-style eatery, she noted.
鈥淲e鈥檙e never going to have a very long menu,鈥� she said, noting that there will be a small variety of different fresh seasonal dishes based on what is available from the local farmers.
Bringing together what they love
The couple migrated from Italy to Canada 10 years ago, landing in White Rock.
They set up a catering business a year later and worked it as a coffee shop in that community鈥檚 curling rink during the fall and winter, and focused on weddings and corporate dinners during the spring and summer.
For several years, however, they鈥檇 drive back and forth to Fort 91原创 to deliver and pick up their eldest daughters from 91原创 Fine Arts School, Hurwitz explained.
During those four years, they admittedly fell in love with Fort 91原创, and sought to settle here.
Naturally, they loved the idea of living and working in the same community, so back in September they secured what Hurwitz described as the perfect bistro site in the village 鈥� complete with what she鈥檚 transformed into a rustic Italian style courtyard.
鈥淢y mom said I never knew how to do anything simply. She was right. We鈥檝e turned [this place] upside down鈥� It hasn鈥檛 been easy, because we did a lot.鈥�
But after months of extensive renovations 鈥� and several months of working out of a rental commercial kitchen 鈥� it鈥檚 all done, and they鈥檙e ready to throw open the doors on the new Rustic Gourmet this week.
Diverse backgrounds
Hurwitz was born in South Africa and grew up in Isreal. Kiko was born in Italy. They met in Isreal, and spent years travelling.
鈥淲e鈥檙e travellers. We love travelling,鈥� she said, admitting that鈥檚 what ultimately inspired them to get into catering and ultimately motivated them to open the Rustic Gourmet restaurant.
鈥淔ood is part of everyone鈥檚 culture鈥� We found that, wherever we travelled. Now, we missed all these flavours,鈥� Hurwitz said. 鈥淎nd we鈥檝e been missing that sense of neighbourhood, that sense of community.鈥�
Asked repeatedly what kind of food they will serve, she replies 鈥淚t鈥檚 Mediterranean food鈥� it touches on all the places we鈥檝e lived and visited.鈥�
That鈥檚 what she hopes to recreate inside the new , which she feels will mesh perfectly with the village vibe.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a prime spot鈥� for creating their vision, she said, noting people can hear the train, see the river, and sit together or separate and enjoy a drink and some food made from scratch.
鈥淔ort 91原创 is a unique place,鈥� she said, noting they鈥檒l be starting by serving simple lunches, coffee, and all kinds of pastries.
Soon, she hopes to expand to offering brunches and tappas. Then, as they get settled, they鈥檒l move into dinners.
鈥淲e have ideas of doing thing differently,鈥� she said, anxious to introduce the European eatery to 91原创.
While 90 per cent of their business in past has been focused on catering, she predicts that will shift with the new facilities. She expects catering will account for about 60 per cent of their business, with the other 40 per cent focused on in-house service.
Keeping it in the family
While at peak times they鈥檝e had some 30 or more employees working between various catering jobs and the bistro, Hurwitz said it is definitely a family business 鈥� with the entire clan involved at different times.
While Hurwitz expects she will be hidden away much of the time in the kitchen, she said her hydraulic engineer hubby, Kiko, will be on the floor working as operations manager.
Their oldest daughters, who grew up in the kitchen, are now living in Spain and Montreal, but help out with projects such as social media and photography.
And their youngest, who is a music major at the fine arts school will be bussing tables and taking her turn as a barista.
Check out the Rustic Gourmet, and let me know what you think. I鈥檇 love to hear your thoughts.
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FEAST FINISHED
In the meantime, I told you about this new facility a few weeks back, when I was alerting readers to the new Fort Feast.
Well, that has wrapped up, too, and promoter Trevor Friesen thinks it might become an annual culinary event for the village.
鈥淭his was a new experience for me, planning an event like this. There were obviously positives and negatives I鈥檒l need to look into for next year if this becomes an annual event,鈥� Friesen said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 always something happening in the Fort nowadays,鈥� and the feast event was designed as an unofficial competition to draw people down to test out new and innovative dishes at some of the local eateries.
It was a month-long dine out event featuring Rail and River Bistro, Mangia e Scappa Italian Foods. Trading Post Brewing, Eighteen 27 and Fort Pub & Grill.
Mangia e Scappa took the two top spots with their Saba鈥za and their Risotto e Funghi. Trading Post came in third with their Rye Amber Ale Braised Short Rib.
鈥淚 think overall, the event was a success for the first of its kind in Fort 91原创,鈥� Friesen said.
鈥淚f we do it again next year, I would hope for support from the BIA, and more participation from surrounding restaurants.鈥�
